The 1920s were a golden age of aviation here in Troy, Ohio. WACO Aircraft Company was born out of the innovation and business acumen of Clayton Brukner and Elwood Junkin, who teamed up with pilots Charles William Meyers and George Weaver. They established the WACO Aircraft Company as a reliable manufacturer of civil biplanes and grew the business into the largest civil aircraft manufacturer in the world.

Today, the WACO Education Center & Air Museum, led by executive director Nancy Royer, exists to prepare and inspire future generations through STEM and aviation education, foster personal growth and professional development, and preserve the WACO aviation legacy. WACO offers summer camps, a lecture series, robotics teams, 6th-grade Aviation Invasion Day, and more, with a new building in the works to support additional programming.

Funding STEM Education

The Duke Foundation has been a longtime supporter of the WACO Education Center & Air Museum. In 2013, the foundation helped launch the beginnings of the Aviation Cadet program, where kids aged 11 through 19 meet with master mentors every Thursday afternoon to restore aircraft to flyable conditions. The program offers an early introduction to welding, woodwork, and fabric work, giving students an opportunity to learn valuable skills and decide if this is a career path they’re interested in.

They even get to leave their mark on the aircraft they restore – literally. Students can write their names on the wood ribs of the wing before recovering them in new ceconite fabric.

WACO’s programming has expanded each year to meet demand, from its summer programs to robotics teams.

“The need for summer camps alone is significant for parents,” Royer shared. “Especially as many households have both parents working. With limited options to keep their children engaged during the school break, parents often plan for these camps well in advance to secure spots given the high demand.”

One day, the Duke Foundation’s Tom and Pat Robinson came out to see the closing program for the robotics team, were extremely impressed, and inquired about WACO starting more teams. At that time, every nook and cranny of the museum was already occupied with eager learners and 50+ educational meetings happening every month. 

Having seen the fruits of their prior grants to the museum, the Robinsons made Royer a proposal: ‘What if we gave you a million dollars to start a new building?’

Dreams Take Wing

The Robinsons’ query led to what is soon to be the new learning center at WACO – set to open in fall 2025. The center has been a collaborative initiative with the Troy Foundation and many other community donors. At over 17,000 sq. ft, the learning center will support:

• ▪️ An aviation lab for the Aviation Cadets and Aviation Invasion programs that can hold up to three aircraft
• ▪️ Hartzell Family Robotics Lab for high school students 
• ▪️ Foundations Hall for large programs and flying unmanned aerial vehicles
• ▪️ Six classrooms
• ▪️ Collins Aerospace flight simulator lab, with six desktop flight simulators and one FAA-certified flight simulator
• ▪️ A catering kitchen for events and camper lunch storage
• Three showers to support future overnight camps

“We’re anxious to share this with the whole community,” Royer said. “I want to express my deep gratitude for the Duke Foundation and their significant gift for this project.”

Discovering What’s Possible

With a robust volunteer network, WACO has become an intergenerational hub for knowledge sharing and community connection. From retired teachers and engineers to high school volunteers, there are opportunities for everyone to get involved. 

For the young people of Troy and the surrounding areas, WACO has become more than a cornerstone of Ohio’s aviation innovation – it’s a place where they can go to realize the impossible is possible, Royer said. 

“Aviation is proof that if you have the determination to do the impossible, you can,” she added.