Ato

About the Ato

The Waco ATO is an American single-engine, three-seat biplane featuring a traditional open-cockpit layout where two passengers sit side by side ahead of the pilot. Its structure is built around a welded steel-tube fuselage framework combined with wooden wing ribs and fabric coverings, featuring split-axle fixed landing gear with hydraulic shock absorbers.

Designed as a development of earlier models, the aircraft received a major transformation when its original wings were replaced with tapered panels, earning it a distinct nickname and enhancing its overall performance. The type became immensely popular for utility work and air racing, capturing a substantial share of the small aircraft market and finding widespread use among civilian operators and flight instructors.