Author: Lisa Merhaut

The Washington Airports Task Force is honored to be guided by an outstanding Board of Directors whose diverse expertise and unwavering professionalism significantly enrich our organization. The relationships they bring and the opportunities they help foster are of immense strategic value to our mission. This recognition extends to the most recent appointment to our Board as of June 2025. We are pleased to formally welcome the newest member to the WATF Board of Directors, Mr. Tim Aldridge, CAM – Director of FBO and Operations, Atlantic Airlines.

Tim has a solid background in aviation, having worked in various roles at companies such as Atlantic Aviation, Professional Jet Management, United States Marine Corps, and Northrop Grumman. With experience as a KC-130 Flight Engineer and Director of FBO Operations, Tim brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the field of aircraft maintenance and aviation safety.

On behalf of the WATF and our Board Members, welcome, Tim.

The 13th Annual Dulles Airport 5K/10K Runway is fast approaching! The race will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025 @ 7:30 am, rain or shine. This is a great event for the entire family, strollers included!

Looking to splash your logo on race tees and enhance public awareness of your business or organization? Act now to sponsor the event:

Sponsorship Levels:

• Gold Medal Sponsorship: $5,000
• Silver Medal Sponsorship: $3,000
• Bronze Medal Sponsorship: $2,000

For detailed information, CLICK HERE to download the sponsorship form. Contact Mark Treadaway at [email protected] or call 703-572-8714.

Submit Your 2025 Williams Trophy Award nominations today by visiting https://lnkd.in/ebVpR9xw and answering three simple questions. The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2025.

If you should have any questions, please contact [email protected].

The Washington Airports Task Force is deeply saddened by the loss of life and the tragedy surrounding the recent events at National Reagan Airport (DCA). Aviation is a close-knit community that works together around the clock to ensure the success of air travel. When tragedy strikes and lives are lost, we are left in shock and sorrow, and we mourn together. Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and all those affected. We stand with the first responders, recovery teams, and all the professionals as they continue their challenging and vital work during this difficult time. The Task Force remains committed to supporting our aviation community and those directly impacted by this tragedy.

Currently, it remains too early to identify the cause of the accident on January 29 involving an arriving American Airlines regional jet flight from Wichita, Kansas and an Army Blackhawk helicopter based at Davidson Airfield, Ft Belvoir, VA. We encourage all to follow the NTSB investigation.

For the future: One point being reported after the accident, and likely to be highlighted moving forward, is the high level of congestion in the airspace around DCA. Furthermore, the increase in flights authorized by Congress last year (and in previous years), set to begin in the coming months as part of the FAA Reauthorization process, has raised additional operational safety concerns publicly expressed by MWAA in late 2023.

For years, the Task Force has publicly opposed any additional flights at DCA, arguing that the airport is already too congested. The increase of 5 roundtrips (10 flights) will only exacerbate the situation. We support an expanded and new air service at Dulles International Airport, where capacity is unfettered. We advocate for a balanced aviation system in the region.

Right now, our most important priority is to keep the 67 people who perished, and their families, in our thoughts and prayers. We are deeply grateful to our extended aviation family for their unwavering efforts, and we will be here to offer support throughout this incredibly difficult time.

The Virginia Airport Operators Council concluded their 50^th Annual Virginia Aviation Conference, on August 8, 2024, which was held at the Westfields Marriott. During the annual banquet, Virginia Director of Aviation and WATF board member, Greg Campbell presented four Virginia Aviation Awards which were the Directors’, Airport Manager of the Year, Person of the Year and Lifetime Achievement awards. The recipients are highlighted below:

• Virginia Airport Manager of the Year Award: Nick Sabo, Executive Director, Winchester Regional Airport
• Virginia Aviation Person of the Year Award: Carley Walker, Board member of the Winchester Regional Airport Authority
• Virginia Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award: Bud Oakey, President, Virginia Aviation Business Association
• Directors Award was presented to our own, President, Keith Meurlin

Greg’s comments while presenting the award to Keith included “Your efforts to advocate for aviation in the Commonwealth and Northern Virginia have and continue to be significant. You are an exemplary aviation leader, respected and admired by many, serving as a mentor for people like me and others around the Commonwealth. From your efforts to take the WATF to the next level, your previous leadership at MWAA, actively working legislative issues that have impacts on the airport system, etc., the selection was an easy decision!”

In Keith’s acceptance speech he said that aviation is a team sport and that the Task Force is dedicated to actively promoting economic development, jobs through aviation across the Commonwealth.

On the last night of the conference, WATF board member Chris Browne, Director of the National Air and Space Museum opened the doors to Udvar Hazy Center for an amazing self-guided tour of the museum and wonderful reception.

Julie Coons, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and WATF Board member has been honored with the 2024 Women in Leadership Award from Virginia Business, and a 2024 LGBTQ+ Business Award from the Washington Business Journal. Another write up from NVC can be found here. WOW! Congrats, Julie!

Newsline:

Katelyn Miller, the daughter of a Dulles Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority employee, has received the most honored and highest Dulles Airport Scholarship Award named after retired WATF Vice President, Carol Welti. She is a graduate of Loudoun Valley High School, in Purcellville, Virginia. (continue reading)

Katelyn’s selection stemmed from her academic achievements, leadership acumen, community engagement in extracurricular or volunteer pursuits, and unwavering commitment to academic progression.

The committee was honored to have received Katelyn’s application and to learn about her journey as she approaches this new chapter in her life. Here are a few examples what set her apart for others:

She is a solo student pilot getting 1st place in the Simulator Contest at Virginia Pathways Flight Academy.

• She earned a quantum power certification from a George Mason University special Quantum Immersion program while in 11th and 12th grades.
• She got the highest course grade of 400 scholars studying at the Virginia Space Coast Scholars Program.
• She was a teacher’s assistant in the 11th and 12th grade in the Aviation Maintenance Electricity Basics Course.
• Her community service includes
• President of Purcellville Library Teen Leadership Council
• Vice President of Loudoun Valley High School American Red Cross
• Committee Chair of Loudoun Valley NHS
• Co-founder and co-President of Loudoun Valley Computer Science Honor Society

Accepted by eight universities, Katelyn will begin her pursuit of mechanical engineering at Harvard College this fall. She also wants to teach flight and aviation as a commercial flight instructor while there. After graduating, her goal is to work in the aerospace industry and then become an astronaut. You can learn more about Katelyn and her recent adventures via LinkedIn and Loudoun Now.

The Committee for Dulles (CFD), in partnership with the Washington Airports Task Force (WATF), formed the Committee for Dulles Community Outreach (CFDCO) in 2012. The CFDCO is pleased to announce it has awarded 41 Dulles Airport Scholarship Program scholarships totaling $40,500 to local graduating high school seniors who are employed or volunteer at Washington Dulles International Airport or are dependents of employees or volunteers at the airport. These students attended various high schools all over the region. 

Of the 41 students:

• Came from 30 different high schools in our region.
• Came from 10 companies at Dulles including Dulles Jet Center, TSA, SP Parking, United, Duty Free, NASM, Washington Flyer Ground Transportation, Swissport, Travelers Aid and MWAA.
• These 41 students have been accepted and are going to 23 colleges and universities across the United States.

Including this year’s scholarships, to date since 2012, CFDCO has awarded 263 scholarships totaling $415,000. Visit the link below for more information regarding the Dulles Airport Scholarship Program https://www.committeefordulles….

Washington Dulles International Airport officials recently announced major expansion plans for both flying passengers and cargo shipping, 7News reported. The major change for travelers is a new $700 million 14-gate concourse set to open in 2026 that will have a direct link with the underground Aerotrain system. There are also plans to add a fifth runway at Dulles.

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) hosted a media tour of the airport, providing reporters with a behind-the-scenes look and unprecedented access to film cargo operations, new concourse construction and conduct interviews on the runway. Additional attendees included representatives from Dulles International Airport, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), the Washington Airports Task Force, United Airlines, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, and Loudoun Economic Development.

Washington Dulles International Airport is an emerging air cargo gateway in the Mid-Atlantic region serving a large catchment area along the East Coast, according to MWAA. VEDP is partnering with the Washington Airports Task Force on a consultative study to evaluate cargo market share opportunity for the airport. Currently, Dulles handles more than 300,000 tons of cargo annually and is serviced by 41 airlines providing connections to 57 international and 86 domestic destinations.

“The cargo operation would just expand the capabilities of the airport and really feed the business environment in the region,” Washington Dulles International Airport Manager Richard Golinowski said to Washington Business Journal. “It’d be a huge boon for the DMV to get more cargo into this area, and we really think that long-term, we’re going to have it. We are ready for it.”

The airport connects to all major U.S. markets via the interstate highway system and over 56 percent of the U.S. population resides within a one-day drive. As the primary international airport for the Washington metro area, Dulles serves one of the major economic regions in the United States with a continuously growing number of international airlines. WUSA has more.

June 1, 2024 

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) has collaborated with the Task Force and engaged a group of consultants, headed by FTI, to conduct a study that aims to explore the possibilities of enhancing global air freight capacity at Washington Dulles International Airport. As part of this study, VEDP has asked the consultants to engage with a wide range of industry and government stakeholders and is on track to deliver a roadmap to success by the end of 2024.

VEDP is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s economic development organization and is working closely on this study with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and the Dulles cargo community. The Task Force is pleased to be a funding partner with VEDP on this study and is working hard to bring future air cargo expansion opportunities to Dulles, the region’s gateway to expansion and growth.

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• Washington Dulles International Airport to Expand Passenger and Cargo Operations – Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) hosted a media tour of the airport. More details here. 
• On July 10, 2024, The Legislative & Economic Development Committee of the Committee for Dulles organized an event featuring Eric Jehu, VP Logistics at VEDP, who presented a study on capturing a portion of the cargo market for Dulles Airport. To access the meeting recording click here and/or view Eric’s deck click here.