Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, Florida
“We all fly in our dreams…and when we awake…we long for that inner freedom…I hope that Fantasy of Flight …will help light that Spark within…to continue you on our journey.” Kermit Weeks, Creator and Founder of Fantasy of Flight
For Kermit Weeks, planes are vehicles of freedom, a means of of pushing boundaries and reaching for the sky and stars. His private collection of vintage planes at Fantasy of Flight is the largest in the world.
It was moved to Polk City after the Weeks Museum in Miami was devastated by Hurricane Andrew. His Orlampa Airport is aptly named for being midway between Orlando and Tampa.
“We all fly in our dreams…and when we awake…we long for that inner freedom…I hope that Fantasy of Flight …will help light that Spark within…to continue you on our journey.” Kermit Weeks, Creator and Founder of Fantasy of Flight
Weeks started building his own plane as a teenager and went on to collect and restore rare and vintage planes to their original flyable condition as precisely as possible while meeting current safety standards.
A visit to Fantasy of Flight begins with multi-sensory interactive exhibits on history and innovation from early flight to World War 2.
There are pioneer flying machines and historically significant aircraft on display flown by military heroes, like the B-17 Flying Fortress that changed the course of World War 2.
Others belonged to the rich and famous, like Howard Hughes’ plane that was confiscated for World War 2, returned, and used in the movie The Aviator.
The tram tours brought us behind-the-scenes and right up to planes under maintenance and restoration and to see aircraft in various stages of repair.
There were talks on topics like period engines and wood working.
Visitors were donning helmets and goggles to try their wings in a vintage open-cockpit biplane.
Thrill-seekers were venturing out to the 40’ high Wing WalkAir, a 30-challenge Confidence Course, inspired by daredevil Barnstormer pilots and Wing Walker acrobats. It connects to a 600’ zip line.
There’s a daily aerial demonstration. They told us to watch carefully. The pilot could be Kermit Weeks himself.