commercial airports like Dulles. “Because of the significant financial investment required and lack of available federal subsidy to support it, Part 139 certification to accommodate scheduled air carriers is not currently a priority,” he says. “However, nearterm opportunities we see includes the onset of Advanced Air Mobility, which will decrease the operating costs of aircraft and create new business cases for scheduled charter or air taxi services at airports like Winchester. This vision acknowledges the regulatory framework that we currently operate under and does not require new infrastructure,” he added. “We are very optimistic and are actively planning for that future.” TRAINING THE FUTURE OF AVIATION With a distinct shortage of aviation professionals in all areas of the industry from pilots to aviation mechanics, Winchester Regional Airport is helping to fill the aviation gap. Boasting two highly regarded flight schools operating on the airfield, training the next generation of aviation professionals remains an important priority. “We have Aero Elite Flight Training and Aviation Adventures.They provide both part 61 and 141 flight training.” Training opportunities at Winchester Regional Airport are not limited to direct flight instruction Sabo offers, the airport is also fortunate to have Aero Services, Fly Advanced, On Wing, and Valley Aviation of Winchester to provide vital piston and turbine maintenance services for based and transient customers. “I can’t stress enough how important maintenance services are, especially for a smaller airport,” Sabo relays. “Maintenance services are the lifeblood of an airport, because every pilot wants the assurance of knowing they can get things fixed in a timely manner,” he explains. Furthermore, “flight training demands prompt maintenance to keep their aircraft airworthy as much as possible.” WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TAKING FLIGHT. Increasingly, municipal and county efforts to support workforce development have extended to the role 156 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 04, ISSUE 03
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