News
Welcome to our News Room. Here you will find out what's going on in Virginia aviation.
-
Flight Training Scholarships Available
High school students in Hampton Roads may now apply for a scholarship that will cover the cost of obtaining a private pilot's license (PPL). This spring, local high school students with a passion…
-
Jacqueline Cochran: First Woman to Fly Faster than Speed of Sound
On May 18, 1953, Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to fly faster than the speed of sound and, at the time of her death in 1980, she held more speed, altitude, and distance records than any…
-
Diversify and Watch the Ranks Grow
During the 2021 International Women in Aviation Conference session "Pilot Talent Diversity: Minority Barriers Hindering the Majority", Boeing analyst Jacqueline Davidson posed the question, "When was…
-
Promotional Video Released by Danville Regional Airport
The Virginia Department of Aviation funded a new promotional video for the Danville Regional Airport as part of the agency's Airport Promotional Grant Program. The video highlights the role the…
-
93 CAP Cadet Scholarships Awarded
Nearly 100 Civil Air Patrol cadets from 35 wings are receiving academic and flight scholarships worth a combined total of $155,500 in 2021. Twenty more cadets were recommended for acceptance to the…
-
12-Year Old Girl Enrolls at Arizona State University with Intent to Work at
At just 12-years old, Alena Wicker is set to start college at Arizona State University (ASU), majoring in astronomical and planetary science and chemistry. She plans to be an engineer for NASA…
-
Virginia Resident Receives Aviation Scholarship
Abigail L. Welch received the International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISA+21) Scholarship. This organization is the world's largest single donor of advanced flight scholarships for women…
-
Reagan National’s New Terminal to Open Early
As air passenger counts continue to grow a year after COVID-19 became a global pandemic, Reagan National Airport is getting ready to open a new terminal in April, three months earlier than…
-
Students Encouraged to Become Aviation Professionals
As the Transportation Security Agency tracks an increasing number of passengers going through airport security checkpoints each day and commercial air carriers continue to add flights to their…
-
Boca Raton Airport First to Install LED Rotating Beacon
Florida's Boca Raton Airport (BCT) is the first in the country to install a Hali-Brite LED rotating beacon, the first navigation aid of its kind to receive FAA approval for use at public airports…
-
Skydiving in Suffolk
Why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane? The folks at Skydive Suffolk, which is based at Suffolk Executive Airport, have an answer to this age-old question. "Skydiving is something that…
-
WAI2021 is Virtual and Underway
The 32nd annual Women in Aviation International conference in online and underway. The virtual gathering features 30 education sessions during the two-day event, with general sessions highlighting…
-
IAC ANNOUNCES NATIONAL AEROBATICS DAY!
The skill, beauty, and excitement of aerobatic flight will be celebrated on Saturday, June 26, during the inaugural National Aerobatics Day, as announced today by Jim Bourke, President of the…
-
IATA Poll: Inability to Travel is Taking a Toll
A survey of recent travelers by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows that people are frustrated with the loss of freedom to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic as 68 percent of…
-
FAA Extends Comment Period for Noise Research and Survey
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has extended the comment period for the existing noise research portfolio, including the Neighborhood Environmental Survey, and additional areas recommended…
-
RIC, PHF Earn Disinfection Accreditation
Two Virginia commercial service airports have earned accreditation for their efforts to ensure the health and safety of passengers and staff. Richmond International Airport received the Global…
-
Laser Strikes on Aircraft Remain a Serious Threat
The FAA is continuing its awareness campaign and working with law enforcement to reduce laser strikes throughout the country. Pointing lasers at aircraft creates a serious safety risk to pilots and…
-
The WAI 2021 Virtual Conference runs from March 11-12
The 32nd Annual International Women in Aviation Virtual Conference features professional development seminars, an Aerospace Educators Workshop, and Education Sessions for career development, flying…
-
Pilot Shortage Expected to Return
A new study on the supply of pilots states that the pre-pandemic shortage will return again in two years and be back "with a vengeance" in 2025. Written by the consulting firm of Oliver Wyman, the…
-
NetJets Could Buy 20 Supersonic Aircraft
With production still at least two years away, supersonic aircraft developer Aerion already has an order backlog worth about $10 billion now that NetJets, the world's largest private jet company…
-
FAA Selects Five Airports for Unmanned Systems Tests
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today selected five host airports to evaluate technologies and systems that could detect and mitigate potential safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft. The…
-
Bernice Haydu: American Aviator, WASP and Advocate for Women Pilots
Bernice "Bee" S. Falk Haydu (December 15, 1920 – January 30, 2021) was an American aviator and served as a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) in World War II. Haydu remained active in aviation…
-
How Bias Impacts Aviation Safety
Aviation safety improves with the introduction of psychological safety and emotional intelligence, but the full benefit of these enhancements will be hindered if organizations and individuals fail to…
-
FAA Administrator Addresses Broad Range of Issues
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson announced the formation of a new executive council to help foster the development and safe integration into the aviation system of emerging Advanced Air Mobility…
-
Advanced Air Mobility Legislation Introduced
A bill to assist and promote the safe and secure development of advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies has been introduced in the United States Senate, and the National Business Aviation…