Travel Air Words of Recognition
My friend and restoration shop owner Rob Lock sent me a photo of the “Sport Aviation” magazine cover from 2018 featuring him, Clay Adams and Jared Calvert flying their Travel Air biplanes during that years Barnstormers Tour. I’ve always wanted to go barnstorming and, in fact, Michael McCafferty’s book “The Spirit of Adventure” inspired my love of Waco biplanes and desire to go barnstorming.
Telling Rob that was on my “bucket list” he said “buy a Travel Air and come with us in 2025 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Travel Air. That is exactly what I’m going to do! Rob introduced me to Howard Clark who spent three decades working to restore the airplane I bought from him. When we first talked he told me “you’re asking me to sell my grandfather!” and he was only partially kidding. We get attached to these things and his entire family has had a hand in it. When the day came to pick it up in Michigan I had been exposed to Covid 19 and couldn’t go for fear of infecting others. I missed a wonderful BBQ the Clark family put on for us as they helped load the project for its long journey to Florida and the future. But, lots of promises of rides and a serious effort to win Howard an award at Airventure for his years of painstaking work sealed the deal.
There are many things left to do to get NC 13906 back in the air and Rob is busy in his shop putting it together. We hope to test fly in advance of Sun N Fun 2025 and have it ready for a busy flying season.
This airplane is of special interest in that it was owned by the Department of Commerce Aeronautics Department and used to help map airways. It is being painted in the livery it had during those days thanks to painstaking research by Howard.
