Economic Impact of General Aviation in

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 FAA data, Washington is home to 108 public-use general aviation airports, 29,335 pilots, and 10,504 registered aircraft.

Number of Jobs

According to the 2020 Washington Aviation Economic Impact Study, 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 93 repair stations, 25 FAA-approved pilot schools, 12,132 student pilots, and 4,942 flight instructors.

In addition, there are 59 fixed-base operators in the state of Washington according to the comprehensive AC-U-KWIK directory.

According to the University Aviation Association, flight departments in Washington include Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Everett Community College in Everett, Green River Community College in Auburn, Moody Bible Institute in Spokane, South Seattle Community College in Seattle, Spokane Community College in Spokane, and Walla Walla Community College in Walla Walla.

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."

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    Proclamations & Resolutions

    Across the United States, governors and mayors from all 50 states have signed proclamations recognizing the importance of aviation industry. See what has passed in Washington, choose from the list below.

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