Fall Flying, Food Drive, and more

Fall Food Drive, sponsorship opportunties, and recent Passpot Program jacket winners

Fly Washington Passport Program Update October 31, 2024 You can support the Fly Washington Passport Program annual Fall Food Drive now through November 15th. Take to the skies and help make the holiday season bright for those around us. Airports collecting donations include: Auburn Municipal Harvey Field Boeing Field/King County International Mears Field (Concrete) Prosser Richland Skagit Regional Drop donations off at the closest participating airport by land or by air. We ask that food be shelf-stable. All donations will be delivered to local community food banks. Thank you for helping brighten the holiday season for local families in need.   Recent Jacket Winners Dozens have completed the program since its inception, earning a Fly Washington Passport Program flight jacket. Many others have earned regional patches, benchmarking their achievements en route to program completion. Below are just a few of the faces who have earned FWPP jackets in 2024: Each aviator has a different level of experience, and a different story that led to their participation in FWPP. Those variables, plus challenges presented by differing aircraft types, terrain, weather and runways create immense opportunities for pilots to sharpen their skills and build confidence. The program takes pilots and passengers to all corners of the state, from the Pacific to the Cascades to the rolling hills of the Palouse. Click below to see all of our jacket winners to date, including their thoughts on the program and their favorite airports along the way. Click to see All Jacket Winners Fall Flying & Airport Closures Just a quick reminder to check NOTAMs before trying to collect a stamp at any of Washington's Passport Program airports. Some of our remote runways close for the season due to weather and field conditions, so landing there not only violates the airport closure but also puts your aircraft at risk. Despite the cool factor for some of those stamps (and they are cool, right?!), it's not worth damage to your aircraft or the possibility of getting stuck due to winter weather conditions. Be smart about your off-season flying and stamp collecting. The airport will still be there in the spring, we promise! STAMP STATUS Bowerman Field (KHQM Hoquiam) - stamp has been replaced Little Goose Lock & Dam State (16W) - stamp needs to be replaced Pru Field (33S Ritzville) - stamp needs to be replaced Quillayute (KUIL) - stamp has been replaced Stehekin (6S9) - stamp needs to be replaced (airport closes for the season, check before visiting) Tieton State (4S6) - stamp needs to be replaced, airport closed for the season Westport (14S) - stamp has been replaced   If a stamp is dry or missing when you arrive, simply take a picture of you with your passport at that location, note the date, and include it in your Passport Booklet.   Also, let us know so we can get it fixed! We rely on volunteers to get replacement stamps back in service. To advise the Passport Program of a missing stamp, or if you want to help get a new stamp back to its airport, drop us an email. Thanks  [email protected]  Click here to access Fly Washington's interactive map and download the most up to date list of participating airports: Map & Airports List Seeking Sponsors! We are seeking sponsors to help support the Fly Washington Passport Program in 2025-26. Join the ranks of those who make this all possible!  The value of the program is evidenced in a quick look participants' comments:   "This is the coolest thing you can do for aviation! Way to make flying fun!" - Nathan Schweiger, jacket winner 2021 James Balog, who earned his flight jacket in June 2023, wishes every state had a program like this, and feels strongly that it promotes GA as a whole. Dan Wood, our first ever jacket winner, completed the program in 2019. He reports that stamp collecting at airports around the state has improved his confidence. He learned a lot about his flying ability and his airplane throughout the process. Those sentiments are echoed by many others. Richard Beckert, jacket winner in 2021, notes that the Passport Program "encourages you to go flying and stay safe, it makes you stay on your game and encourages participants to stay sharp on skills." Devin Sinha, recent jacket winner, says to the sponsors: "Thanks for giving me a new mission!" Dave Canter, who completed the program in 2023, shared similar sentiments, including that the program has inspired him to go back to the smaller airports. He sends a thanks to the sponsors, and knows this program wouldn't exist without them. Thank you to all the Fly Washington Passport Program sponsors. Please give them your business and thank them for their support. If you or your business would like to help sponsor the Fly Washington Passport Program, please reach out to us at [email protected]. CLASS C AIRSPACE SPONSORS: Auburn Municipal Airport Chehalis Centralia Airport City of Arlington EdgeAir Aviation Services CityServiceValcon Inter-State Aviation Paine Field Port of Grays Harbor Renton Municipal Airport Spokane Airports Walla Walla Regional CLASS D AIRSPACE SPONSORS: Fitzpatrick Family Flyers Rob Kelly Northwest Aviation Medicine Port of Whitman County CLASS E AIRSPACE SPONSORS: Marjy Leggett Port of Orcas Port of Skagit Simmons Marine Service CLASS G AIRSPACE SPONSOR: T-O Engineers Copyright © 2023 Fly Washington Passport Program. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Fly Washington Passport Program, c/o Auburn Municipal Airport at 2143 E. St. NE, Suite 1, Auburn, WA 98002 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.