ABOVE: The late Steve Fletcher shot this immaculate Waco near Santa Monica in 2006
Sadly, the WACO Aircraft Corporation, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, has ceased operations. The closure of the company came as a surprise to both the wider aviation community and the company’s approximately sixty employees.
WACO has long been associated with some of the most elegant aircraft designs ever produced. The original company was established in 1920, relocating to Troy, Ohio in 1923, and formally incorporating as the WACO Aircraft Corporation in 1929. That entity remained in operation until 1947. In 2020, the company was acquired by new owners, who continued to invest in the facility and its operations. Until very recently, the company was an active presence within the aviation community, even participating at Sun ‘n Fun 2026.
PHOTO: KEY PUBLISHING
