Waco Aircraft Company Ymf

Single Piston

The Waco YMF is a modern recreation of the classic 1930s open-cockpit biplane, built by the revived Waco Aircraft Company starting in 1986. While the original Waco biplanes were workhorses of barnstorming and early commercial aviation, today's YMF series are handcrafted luxury sport aircraft that faithfully reproduce the golden-age flying experience with modern materials and safety standards. Each aircraft is built to order in Battle Creek, Michigan, featuring traditional fabric-covered steel tube fuselages, wooden wing spars, and the distinctive radial engine — typically a seven-cylinder Jacobs R-755 producing 275 horsepower. The YMF's tandem open cockpits, generous wingspan, and docile handling make it a favorite for aerobatic training, scenic tours, and airshow demonstrations, offering pilots the rare opportunity to experience aviation as it was in the barnstorming era. With a cruise speed around 105 knots and a service ceiling near 14,000 feet, the YMF trades speed for character — this is an aircraft built for the joy of flying low and slow, feeling the wind and hearing the radial's unmistakable rumble. The type remains in limited production, with each airframe representing months of skilled craftsmanship and commanding prices well into six figures. SkyMeter has tracked 103 flights across 26 airframes and 26 operators, with ZELIFF AVIATION LLC the largest observed operator.