What started as a Christmas gift from a mechanically inclined dad to his seven-year-old son in 1953 gradually evolved and grew into what is now known as Walker Mowers – a family-owned manufacturing business headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado. The miniature model Caterpillar custom-built and gifted by Max Walker laid the groundwork for the 210-employee company that produces 13 different models of American-made, professional-grade zero-turn lawn mowers.
It wasn’t long after he gave his son this scaled-down earthmover (originally powered by pedaling) that the opportunity to outfit it with a gasoline engine become evident. Consequently, the “Power Track” was born. While it gained considerable local interest shortly after its debut in 1955, a limited set of tools, equipment, materials and capital prevented its commercial potential.
Nonetheless, Max Walker continued thinking of ways to utilize his mechanical aptitude in more ways than just in the fields of his farm. As fortune would have it, a friend remarked about the potential to create a gasoline-powered golf car. At that time, batteries could not take golfers through a whole round, and there was a need for a transportation method that could last 18 holes and beyond. Max quickly created a prototype of what would become known as the Walker Executive Golf Car.
Strong demand for these gasoline-powered golf cars remained for six or so years until improvements in electric battery life, at which time their design and intellectual property rights were sold. With this initial manufacturing success, several things became clear. Most evident, though, was Max’s ability to translate market demand into a viable product and the engineering prowess to make this idea a reality.
Aiding the Walker legacy throughout the years has been the continued inclusion of aviation in company operations. In 1945, Max’s dad, Wesley, purchased a Culver V for his two sons, who taught themselves to fly on their southwest Kansas farm. In 1947, the Culver was traded in for a used North American Navion, which was then traded for a new Ryan Navion the following year. The two aircraft were operated for a total of 10 years in support of business and farm operations, ultimately being replaced by an Aircoupe. The two-seater was flown by the family for the next few years, although less for business and more for leisure.
After a 15-year hiatus from flying that coincided with challenging business transitions and new product designs, the family obtained a brand-new Turbo Arrow from Piper Aircraft in 1977. Coincidentally, this was the same year Walker Manufacturing Company created the product that their name has become most synonymous with for producing.
After mowing with a “cumbersome and slow” rear-engine riding mower, Max and his two sons, Dean and Bob, channeled their varied equipment manufacturing and design experience into the lawncare vertical. As a result, their first compact tractor was created – designed to be “fast, easy to operate, and would deliver a beautiful cut.” Several prototypes were developed over the course of two years, and the design was then taken on an agricultural show tour. The product garnered significant interest that resulted in the production of the company’s first 25 mowers in 1980. As they say, “the rest is history.” Today, 170,000 mowers later, the Walker Family is still at the helm producing durable products, continually improved based upon customer feedback.
The familial legacy of hard work and virtue was passed down by Max (who passed in 2011) and those before him. Another thing that has remained in the bloodline through the generations is the apparent love for aviation. There are seven pilots within the immediate Walker family – many of whom are actively involved in the family business in one facet or another.
Bob, who currently serves as Chairman, was the young kid on the receiving end of the miniature Caterpillar Christmas present in ‘53. The strong mechanical influence of his father rubbed off on him, and he ultimately pursued a Mechanical Engineering degree from LeTourneau University. Upon graduation, he worked as a military aircraft structures engineer at Cessna Aircraft Company prior to joining his dad in the manufacturing business. Before school, he learned to fly in a Cessna 150 and continues to fly to this day, primarily in his Rans S-7.
Shortly after Bob learned to fly a Cessna, his brother Dean Walker graduated college and received his Private Pilot Certificate in a Piper Cherokee 140. He grew up “building vehicles and creative transportation devices that any young boy would only dream of” and has been integral in designing company products since his college graduation in 1975. Today, he is Walker Mowers’ vice chairman and executive vice president.
Dean’s two sons, Ted (vice president of engineering) and Ryan (president), both pursued initial flight ratings during high school, completing their PPL requirements in 2000. The two brothers learned to fly in their father’s Super Cub. Ted, the older of the two, earned a Mechanical Engineering degree while Ryan earned a business degree, both from Olivet Nazarene University.
These four Walker family members average around 2,300 flight hours each. All hold at least an ASEL and an Instrument rating. Ryan is also a commercially rated CFII and A&P with AMEL and ASES ratings.
Members of the family collectively own a fleet of aircraft, all of which the pilots fly and share. For business and other purposes, they fly a 2000 Piper Turbo Saratoga and 2003 TBM 700C2. Additionally, they recently acquired a 1988 King Air 300 that is currently undergoing an avionics upgrade to G1000 NXi, an interior refurbishment, and a fresh paint job at Stevens Aerospace. Alongside the turbine stock, they have several tailwheel aircraft in their hangar space, including a 1999 Rans S-7, a 2011 Rans S-6S, a 2008 American Champion Scout, and the same 1950 Piper Super Cub that Ted and Ryan learned to fly in.
Which family member takes the left seat in the aircraft when flying for business depends on who is available and other factors. Although Ted has now completed his initial TBM training, he typically flies the Saratoga. This aircraft is most often used for supplier visits, shows and events travel. They also use this aircraft for currency flying and maintenance logistics for the TBM. Both are maintained in Denver at Arapahoe Aero.
Ryan is almost exclusively the one flying the TBM, which is usually flown within the continental United States to fulfill supplier relationships, sales, marketing, and technical services functions. He says that the typical mission is an early morning departure from Colorado with midday meetings the same day. Depending on the agenda, the group is potentially home that night or will continue making additional flights and visits in a certain region of the country.
The company’s King Air, which is expected to enter service this November, will allow them to further build upon their ability to visit their valued suppliers and customers whenever the opportunity arises. While they considered a Pilatus PC-12 to expand their aerial footprint, they explained it didn’t improve on the TBM’s mission profile “other than useful load and cabin volume.”
The new aircraft will be important as business increasingly requires more employees at different locations for site visits. Ryan, who will soon get his type rating at King Air Academy, noted, “We believe in developing deep and long-lasting relationships with our supply chain, distribution network and customers, and there is still no better way to accomplish this than being together, in-person. It isn’t uncommon to have six adults in the TBM, and zero fuel weight, even in the TBM, is a limitation on some flights. The King Air 300 will drastically increase the weight and the number of passengers we can transport.”
and multiple tailwheel aircraft.
Another reason the family chose the twin-turboprop is its power plant redundancy. They frequently depart between 3 and 5 a.m., potentially in or over extensive weather and often over mountains. They also added that the aircraft is a “reliable, respected, and a proven airframe that also cruises faster, flies higher and can top more weather issues coming out of Colorado.”
Looking further into the future, Ryan’s son and oldest of four, Max, is set to become one member of the next generation of Walker pilots. At only 10 years old, he loves flying in the Rans S-6S and wants to be a “half-time lawn mower maker and half-time pilot…like his dad.”
Other pilots in the family are Suzanne, Dean’s wife, and her two sons Dan (deceased in 2008) and Kyle (Private ASEL, pending instrument rating). Bob’s grandson, Jacob, is currently pursuing an Aeronautical Science degree at Liberty University and is a practicing flight instructor with the goal of flying for American Airlines.
The Saratoga and the TBM (and eventually the King Air) are kept at KFNL, less than 15 miles from the Walker Mowers manufacturing facility. Except for the Super Cub that stays with Kyle in Nashville, the taildraggers are hangared at a grass strip adjacent to that facility. The 2,200-foot by 40-foot turf runway (65CO) is a common starting point for many of the family’s weekend adventures across Colorado. “We fly locally in Northern Colorado and enjoy flying the mountains, when weather permits, and the eastern plains of the state. We also enjoy exploring local airports and Saturday morning breakfast at the Barnstormer Restaurant in Greeley, Colorado (KGXY).”
The family tirelessly continues to build upon years of hard work and customer dedication by increasing the distribution of their product line, currently exported to nearly 30 countries. In the future, they foresee opportunities for more flying and possible fleet additions, with one thing for certain: No matter where business takes them, the Walkers will continue abiding by the family rule of owning airplanes that they can fly themselves.
