As current Aviation Director Bobby Walston’s retirement date draws near, the process has begun to recruit a new Aviation Director. “While we go through that process, I have named [Rebecca] Becca Gallas as our Interim Aviation Director,” noted Julie White, Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. “During her 10-year […]
State News
Sustainable Aviation Fuel for Falcon Aircraft in Little Rock
All customer acceptance and departure flights from the Dassault Aviation completion facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, will use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The use of SAF at this site is part of the SAF plan implemented by Dassault to reduce the carbon footprint of its aviation operations. Under this plan, all flights operated by company-owned […]
Epic Flight Academy Expands Training Fleet with Cessna Skyhawk
Textron Aviation announced an agreement with long-term customer Epic Flight Academy at the 2023 Sun n’ Fun Aerospace Expo for the order of 15 new Cessna Skyhawk 172 aircraft. As a Cessna Pilot Center, Epic Flight Academy has been training pilots since 1999 and thousands of students from over 80 countries have graduated from the […]
ALSIM Provides Cirrus Aircraft with Second ALSR20 Simulator
ALSIM announced that Cirrus Aircraft has acquired a new ALSIM SR20 Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD) simulator for its new flight training operation in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is Cirrus Aircraft’s second ALSIM device for the SR20, with the company currently operating an ALSIM SR FTD at its Vision Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. The new SR20 […]
Kenji Sugahara Named Department of Aviation Director
Kenji Sugahara has been appointed by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to be the next Director of the Oregon Department of Aviation (ODAV). He is expected to be confirmed by the Senate in April and will succeed current Director Betty Stansbury, who is retiring at the end of April. Sugahara is a Salem resident with a […]
United Airlines and Archer Announce First Commercial Electric Air Taxi Route in Chicago
Archer Aviation Inc. and United Airlines announced plans to launch the first air taxi route in Chicago, between O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Vertiport Chicago. Vertiport Chicago, North America’s largest vertical aircraft take-off and landing facility, is located in the Illinois Medical District near the Chicago Loop. This site was selected as the takeoff and […]
Eleven Roaring Fork Valley Students Receive $100,000 in Scholarships from Aspen Flight Academy
The Aspen Flight Academy (AFA) in partnership with Atlantic Aviation, the operator of the Aspen FBO, will award a generous total of $100,000 in scholarships to 11 Roaring Fork Valley high school students to learn to fly and obtain their Private Pilot’s Licenses. Atlantic Aviation has been a supporter of the Aspen Flight Academy since […]
Hartzell Propeller Boosts Green Flying Technology
When Universal Hydrogen’s De Havilland Dash 8 hydrogen fuel cell-powered testbed first flew earlier this month, its powertrain included a prop designed and tested for the experimental aircraft by Hartzell Propeller. The 91-inch diameter five-blade swept airfoil carbon fiber propeller utilized derivative blades, hub and retention components from an existing 14 CFR Part 35 certified […]
Women’s Aviation Career Symposium Marks Successful Event
Photo above – Scholarship Winners The fifth annual Women’s Aviation Career Symposium (WACS) was held on Saturday, March 18th at the Western Michigan University (WMU) College of Aviation. This event was a professional career conference (for women only) designed to introduce women to aviation and promote networking, education, and scholarships while building up the aviation […]
NATCA President Rich Santa Testifies Before the House Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Rich Santa offered testimony last week to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Aviation under the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The topic of the hearing was “FAA Reauthorization: Navigating the Comprehensive Passenger Experience.” President Santa’s official written testimony can be found here. A recording of his oral […]




