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Ambassadors Program
The Virginia Aviation Ambassadors Program encourages pilots and aviation enthusiasts to visit Virginia public-use airports and aviation museums and to attend a safety seminar and event such as a fly-in. Participants can collect stamps to earn awards while learning about Virginia’s excellent air transportation system, experiencing the beauty of the Commonwealth, and having fun.
How the Program Works
- obtain a Virginia Aviation Ambassadors Program passport
- have your passport stamped every time you visit an airport or aviation museum and attend a safety seminar or event, including a fly-in
- contact DOAV when you have collected the number of stamps to qualify for a bronze, silver, or gold level to claim your award
- when you have received the proper number of stamps entitling you to a bronze, silver, or gold level award, contact the Virginia Department of Aviation.
Levels and Awards
- reach the bronze level to earn an ambassadors cap and lapel pin
- reach the silver level to earn a flight bag
- reach the gold level to earn a leather flight jacket
Obtain a passport
- visit a public-use airport in Virginia
- visit an aviation museum
- visit the DOAV exhibit at a fly-in or event
Multi-state Challenge
- complete an ambassadors program from another state to earn a multi-state patch for your Virginia ambassadors flight jacket
Ambassadors Levels and Awards
Member Level
Level Criteria
Award
Bronze
- visit 25 Virginia public-use airports
- visit four aviation museums in Virginia
- attend 1 safety seminar in Virginia
- attend a designated fly-in or event
Silver
- visit 50 Virginia public-use airports
- visit four aviation museums in Virginia
- attend 1 safety seminar in Virginia
- attend a designated fly-in or event
Gold
- visit all 65 Virginia public-use airports
- visit four aviation museums in Virginia
- attend 1 safety seminar in Virginia
- attend a designated fly-in or event
- Awards for the bronze and silver levels are usually presented the same day as the level review is made. These awards may be distributed by mail if participants can not visit DOAV’s office or if supplies are not available at the time of review.
- Awards for the gold level will be distributed within 2 months from the time of review due to the customization of the jackets.
- Participants earning the gold level will be invited to attend the annual awards ceremony. A group photo will be taken for inclusion in the Virginia aviation calendar.
How the Program Works
- The Virginia Aviation Ambassadors Program is open to pilots, their passengers, and others. People do not have to be residents of Virginia to participate in the program.
- Participants should obtain a stamp in their passports when visiting an airport or aviation museum or attending a safety seminar, fly-in, or event.
- All stamps must be made in the appropriate location in a passport. No stamps may be made on any other document and placed in the passport.
- Each participant may receive only one stamp per airport or aviation museum visit or seminar, fly-in, or event attendance.
- Once a participant has collected stamps to complete a bronze, silver, or gold level, the participant’s passport, along with photos for unattended airports, must be submitted to DOAV for review. Participants need to contact DOAV at 804-774-4634 to schedule the review; participants may fly or drive to DOAV’s office, located at 5702 Gulfstream Road, Richmond, VA 23250. Passports may be mailed to DOAV for review. For the gold level, participants are encouraged to have an in-person review to be sized for the leather flight jackets; wrong-sized jackets cannot be exchanged.
- Passports will be returned after the review for the bronze and silver levels so participants may continue to the next level in the program. Passports for the gold level will be returned after the review.
- Gold level awards may be withheld from participants who own aircraft based in Virginia that have not been properly registered with DOAV until the registration is complete.
- No deadline has been set for completing the passport program while the program remains active.
Collecting Stamps
Virginia Public-Use Airport Directory
You can use the Virginia Public-use Airports Directory to locate airports. The directory enables you to search for a specific airport or filter airport information such as fuel and weather station availability.
Virginia Aviation Museum Directory
You can use the Virginia Aviation Museum Directory to locate museums. The directory enables you to search for museums by name or multiple amenities.
Seminars and Events
You can use DOAV’s events calendar to find information on safety seminars, fly-ins, and events being held in Virginia.
Ambassadors Multi-state Challenge
The Virginia Department of Aviation is partnering with other states to offer a program extension for participants who complete an ambassadors program in another state. Each state will award a patch to participants who complete 2 or 3 state aviation ambassadors programs. Participants will be awarded the Virginia patch once they have completed the Virginia program and another state’s program.
