Waldo Wright’s Flying Service

Restoring airplanes since 1995

History isn’t just something we display here — it’s something we bring back to life. Waldo Wright’s Flying Service is where the past meets the present, where skilled hands and passionate hearts meticulously restore vintage aircraft to their former glory.

Rob Lock — known throughout the antique-aviation community as “Waldo” or “Waldo Wright” — has a story of passion, dedication, and an unwavering love for aviation. What began in 1995 as a dream to restore two New Standard biplanes has evolved into one of the most respected restoration shops in the country. After years of thrilling passengers with rides in rare barnstorming aircraft, Rob made a pivotal decision during Covid — to stop giving rides and dedicate himself full time to the restoration and preservation of historic aircraft. Today he also handles maintenance on the Caldwell Collection’s aircraft.

The idea came at an airshow, where he watched a pilot flying rides in a New Standard and knew it was what he wanted to do. Over the next three decades he learned the trade alongside Craig Sinclair of Sinclair Aircraft and his own father, Bob Lock.

Signature restorations

• ✦ New Standard Biplanes — Built to recapture the excitement of barnstorming’s heyday, these aircraft safely carried over 300,000 passengers during their flying service.
• ✦ 1942 Boeing Stearman — The same type that trained thousands of WWII cadets at Mustang Field.
• ✦ 1929 Travel Air — Nine years of restoration, a test flight in 2018, then the American Barnstormers Tour across five states.

At Mustang Field, the Waldo Wright Restoration Shop serves as more than just a workspace — it’s a living exhibit, where visitors can witness firsthand the artistry and precision required to breathe new life into antique aircraft.

The shop also offers Owner Assisted Restoration. Owners work on their own airplanes alongside the shop crew. They learn the airplane from the inside and leave better able to care for it for years to come.

Every airplane that comes through the shop has a history behind it: a trainer that taught WWII cadets to fly, or a barnstorming workhorse that gave thousands of people their first ride. We restore the airplane so that history stays in the air.

Services

• Full frame-up restorations — Complete disassembly, structural repair, refinishing, and return to flight.
• Annual inspections — FAA-compliant annuals for vintage and antique aircraft.
• Pre-buy evaluations — Independent assessment before you purchase a biplane.
• Owner-Assisted Restoration — Participate hands-on in the restoration of your own aircraft.