For the pilots, crews and families that operate vintage biplanes for giving public rides, there are few—if any—days off when it comes to performing important annual maintenance and 100-hour inspections. Meeting the FAA safety criteria for holding out rides to the public when your airplane was built over 80 years ago requires a dedication to the craft few in the aviation community possess.
Keeping America’s Largest Vintage Biplane Rides Fleet Flying
Key Takeaways:
- Waldo Wright's Flying Service, led by Rob and Jill Lock, is the largest vintage biplane ride company in the U.S., operating four 80-year-old aircraft year-round in Michigan and Florida.
- Maintaining these vintage biplanes to stringent FAA safety standards is a continuous, seven-days-a-week commitment, requiring Rob Lock's extensive mechanical expertise as an A&P mechanic.
- Rob Lock is a second-generation vintage aircraft expert, having inherited his restoration and maintenance skills from his renowned father, Bob Lock, which is crucial for the company's self-sufficient operations.
- The Locks are deeply passionate about vintage aviation, finding gratification in their demanding work and continuing a legacy of bringing these historic aircraft to the public.
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