Aviation View | Volume 2, Issue 1

57 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 Raleigh Exec is invested in its community, hosting tours for civic groups, opening its meeting rooms to local organizations and holding civic events. The largest is Family Day, which welcomes the community to explore aircraft and enjoy aviation-related exhibits. Another is free flights for children in partnership with EAA Young Eagles, a national organization. Some events were paused during early stages of the pandemic, but are now beginning to return. “We want to give children an experience that may trigger an interest in aviation,” says Heuts. “Last fall, we restarted Family Day in a smaller format, allowing children to see, touch and experience different kinds of aircraft on the field. As in all industries, there’s a real struggle for aviation companies to find qualified employees and a real need for new pilots. That’s why it’s so important to grab young people’s attention.” Another example of attracting youth to aviation is the Civil Air Patrol Cadet program for youth interested in aviation or considering a career in the U.S. Air Force. The local squadron based in Apex meets regularly at Raleigh Exec to learn about aircraft mechanics, avionics, and more. Those activities and the variety of organizations on-site help make Raleigh Exec a vibrant airport RALE IGH EXECUT I VE JETPORT community. Wings of Carolina, one of the nation’s oldest and largest flying clubs with about 550 members, is stationed at one end of the runway and provides a community for pilots as well as a flight school with a legacy of quality aviation training. Some members don’t have a pilot’s license, but simply want to be a part of the aviation community; others, who are pilots, have access to about a dozen aircraft the club uses for flight training and leases to licensed pilots on an hourly basis. “It’s a wonderful asset to have on the field, to have that many people come to the airport,” Heuts says. “They’re part of what makes Raleigh Exec such a dynamic place.” A similar but smaller organization, Odyssey Flying Club, has recently established itself at Raleigh Exec. Elite Aircraft Services manages planes and sells, services, and maintains Cirrus aircraft. AeroServices, an avionics shop that moved from RDU about 20 years ago, has customers fly in regularly for work on their aircraft communications systems. MAG Aerospace, an international company, also provides avionics services along with maintenance for single-piston through twin- turboprop aircraft. The North Carolina Forest Service even operates its statewide aviation maintenance facility and regional firefighting service from Raleigh Exec.