Washington
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According to the 2020 Washington Aviation Economic Impact Study, airports in Washington support over $107 billion in business revenue.
Aviation by the Numbers
According to the Washington Department of Transportation Aviation Division, Washington is home to 134 public-use airports and 7,158 registered aircraft, which, according to the FAA, serve 24,356 pilots.
Jobs by the Numbers
According to the 2020 Washington Aviation Economic Impact, airports in Washington support over 407,000 jobs and a payroll of more than $26.8 billion.
Economic Impact
According to the same study, airports in Washington support $107 billion in business revenue each year.
According to FAA data, Washington is home to 107 repair stations, 22 FAA-approved pilot schools, 7,969 student pilots and 4,401 flight instructors.
In addition, there are 57 fixed-base operators in the state of Washington according to the comprehensive AC-U-KWIK directory. According to Helicopter Association International, there are 207 heliports in Washington.
According to the University Aviation Association, the WSDOT Aviation Division and the National Center for Education Statistics, flight departments in Washington include Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Charter College in Vancouver, Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Green River College in Auburn, Walla Walla University in College Place and Moody Aviation-Moody Bible Institute in Spokane.
The Port of Seattle has cut greenhouse gas emissions by 46 percent in 2021 over its 2015 baseline.
David Fleckenstein, Director of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Aviation Division
"Aviation, including general aviation, is a critical part of the economy in Washington. Given the need to address the impacts from fossil fuel use, companies like Boeing, Gevo, Avfuel, Northwest Advanced Bio-Fuels, SkyNRG and many others, are making significant investments in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the required technologies, while companies like magniX, Eviation, Joby Aviation, Hyundai and many others are developing electric propulsion technologies and aircraft.
Committing to a much more sustainable aviation future will significantly reduce the environmental impacts, while supporting economic and technological growth, and providing improved access and opportunities to communities."
Tim Mensonides, Airport Manager, Auburn Municipal Airport
"As the Airport Manager of Auburn Municipal Airport, I see firsthand the critical role of general aviation in our economy every day. Our airport is a major economic hub, supporting 232 jobs and $43 million in economic impact locally. It is a flight training hub and supports essential services like medical response and law enforcement. Our local airport is an example of general aviation's wide-reaching impact across Washington and across the country."
