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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.

Point of Contact

Ambassadors Program

Tony Sotelo

anthony.sotelo@doav.virginia.gov

804-774-4634

Ambassadors Levels and Awards
How the Program Works
Collecting Stamps
Public-use Airport Directory
Aviation Museum Directory
Seminars and Events
Multi-state Challenge
Current Ambassadors Listing

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.
Learn more...

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
Learn more...

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
New Ambassador Hat
Ambassadors Cap and Lapel Pin

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
FlightBagAward
Flight Bag

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
FlightJacketAward
Leather Flight Jacket
  • 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

Stamps can be collected at public-use airports, aviation museums, safety seminars, and fly-ins or events. Stamps may be collected by participants who fly or drive to airports.
  • Stamp markers are located inside airport terminal buildings. Stamps are also available at fixed base operators at larger airports. If an airport does not have a terminal building, the stamp marker is located inside a residential mailbox accessible to participants.
  • If an airport is attended, participants must present a photo ID matching the name in the passport.
  • If an airport is attended but the stamp marker is not available, participants should ask an airport operator to sign and date their passports, and they should take a digital photo of themselves in front of a sign clearly identifying the airport.
  • If an airport is not regularly attended and the stamp marker is not available, participants may take a digital photo of themselves in front of a sign clearly identifying the airport; the date taken needs to be displayed on the photo. The program allows up to 2 digital photos to substitute for passport stamps at airports that are not regularly attended. If a participant needs to use more than 2 digital photos, the participant needs to contact DOAV for instructions at 804-774-4634.

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.

Public-use Airport Directory

  • Stamp markers are located at the front desk of an aviation museum.

You can use the Virginia Aviation Museum Directory to locate museums. The directory enables you to search for museums by name or multiple amenities.

Aviation Museum Directory

  • Stamps will be available at qualifying in-person safety seminars. Qualifying seminars include FAASTeam events, flight and ground reviews with FAA, AOPA’s Rusty Pilot program, aviation weather programs presented by the National Weather Service, and FAA’s Operation Rain Check.
  • If a safety seminar does qualify but a stamp is not available, participants should ask an instructor to enter the name, date, and location of the seminar with the instructor’s signature in the space reserved for the stamp.
  • Aviation safety webinars are considered as safety seminars for the program. Participants must provide proof of completion when their passports are reviewed.
  • Please contact DOAV at 804-774-4634 for information on qualifying seminars and webinars.
  • Fly-in and event stamps are available at aviation events at which DOAV has an exhibit.
  • A fifth aviation museum stamp may be substituted for a fly-in stamp.

You can use DOAV’s events calendar to find information on safety seminars, fly-ins, and events being held in Virginia.

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.

Full list of current ambassadors

This is a listing of all of the ambassador program participants who have completed the requirements to receive a ranking assignment by DOAV arranging from the first ambassador to the most current ambassador throughout the years of the program.

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