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Welcome to our News Room. Here you will find out what's going on in Virginia aviation.

  1. Jeanette Epps Joins 2021 Spaceflight Mission

    NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps joins the first Operational Boeing Crew Mission to the Space Station. This will be the first spaceflight mission for Epps. She earned her bachelor's degree in physics…

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  2. Used Business Jet Sales Are Up This Summer

    Used aircraft sales picked up sharply in June and July after a slow April/May brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact. Dealers accredited by the International Aircraft Dealers…

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  3. U.S. Bans Private Charter Flights to Cuba

    Effective Oct. 13, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will suspend charter authority of all U.S. and foreign carriers between the U.S. and Cuba, except for authorized public charters to and…

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  4. Gander Flight Training Works to Increase Number of Women in Aviation

    On July 22, Lauren Kattenbusch and Victoria MacKenzie earned their commercial pilots licenses, marked by a third white stripe. The licenses mean they have the ability to fly any single-engine…

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  5. BVLOS Waivers for Public Safety

    Beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) waivers from the Federal Aviation Administrations are now available to public safety organizations that fly drones. The FAA released the BVLOS waiver guide for…

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  6. ICON A5 Arrives at DOAV to Assist with Aviation Education

    The Virginia Department of Aviation partnered with Virginia VSATSLab to purchase an ICON A5 to help introduce more youth to aviation. The ICON A5 is an amphibious light sport aircraft with foldable…

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  7. Delta to Furlough 2,000 Pilots

    Nearly 2,000 Delta Air Lines pilots will be furloughed October 1 – the most recent impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Delta's Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) called the planned layoff of…

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  8. FAA to Test and Evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Detection & Mitigation Equipment

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it plans to evaluate technologies and systems that could detect and mitigate potential safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft. The effort…

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  9. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost Becomes Military’s Fifth Female Four Star General

    When newly commissioned 2nd Lt. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost tossed her cover in the sky as the Thunderbirds roared over Falcon Stadium, she was graduating into an Air Force that would repeatedly tell her…

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  10. FAA Launches Pilot Program to Translate UAS Content into Spanish

    The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a pilot program to translate into Spanish select web content for users of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS commonly referred to as drones). The program…

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  11. Dierks Bentley and Michael Goulian Team Up For Aviation

    They are at the top of their respective industries: one an award-winning country music superstar, entrepreneur, and pilot; the other a renowned airshow performer, aerobatic champion, and 13-year Red…

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  12. AI 5, Fighter Pilot 0

    An experienced F-16 pilot went head to head with an artificial intelligence algorithm and lost in five straight simulated dogfights as part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency test. In a…

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  13. Aerospace Advisory Council Meeting Postponed

    Due to the special session of the Virginia General Assembly, the Aerospace Advisory Council that was scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, has been postponed. A rescheduled date has not…

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  14. VFR Mail Tower Raised at Chase City Airport

    On August 18, 2020 Chase City Airport made history by raising one of only two VFR mail towers in existence in the US. The Virginia FAA will make this a historical airport for this structure in the…

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  15. PlaneEnglish Develops Radio Skills

    If you worry about your skill using an aviation radio, a group of Purdue University graduates has developed an app that can reduce your anxiety and develop your proficiency. PlaneEnglish is an…

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  16. 2021 Aviation Design Contest

    On National Aviation Day (U.S.), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) announced that registration for the 2021 Aviation Design Challenge has opened. This annual competition promotes…

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  17. U.S. Air Force Changes Weapon Design to Utilize More Women and Minorities

    In 2022, the U.S. Air Force will take delivery of the F-15EX, a new and improved version of the nearly 40-year-old F-15E Strike Eagle. Despite all of the modern advances of the new jet, only 9…

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  18. Counter-Drone System Testing to Begin

    The Federal Aviation Administration will begin testing and evaluating drone security systems for safe use at airports in the United States. Though counter-UAS systems have found success in military…

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  19. NATA Establishes General Aviation Airports Committee

    The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is pleased to announce the establishment of a General Aviation Airports Committee to assist the Association's policy priorities and advocacy efforts…

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  20. Counter-Drone Technology Advisory

    Four federal government agencies issued a joint advisory to clarify federal laws and regulations that apply to "the use of capabilities to detect and mitigate threats posed by Unmanned Aircraft…

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  21. Celebrate National Aviation Day

    August 19 is National Aviation Day in the United States. It is also the annual celebration of Orville Wright's birthday. You can celebrate by taking some time to learn about aviation history by…

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  22. Wednesday is National Aviation Day

    National Aviation Day is observed in the United States on August 19 each year to celebrate the history and development of aviation. It coincides with the birthday of Orville Wright who, together with…

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  23. Virginia Aviation Week

    A House Joint Resolution in 2017 designated the third week in August each year as Virginia Aviation Week. Virginia has a long aviation history and aviation plays a critical role in the lives of all…

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  24. Rolls-Royce to Close Engine Components Plant

    Rolls-Royce is closing its commercial aircraft engine components plant at Crosspointe, Virginia. The Prince George plant, which opened in 2011, will close down in mid-2021 because of the economic…

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  25. MAG Aerospace Buys RPS

    MAG Aerospace, a Fairfax-based defense contractor, has acquired Dallas-based aviation company Remotely Piloted Solutions (RPS). The purchase adds more than 300 command, control, computers…

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