WAMA WAYPOINTS

Highlights from recent WAYPOINTS.
For the full version of the October 27, 2025 edition, click here.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW 2026 WAMA BOARD!

Donate to the Annual Food Drive

The Fly Washington Passport Program's Annual Food Drive runs through November 14. Participating airports gather thousands of pounds of food for those in need. Encourage your pilots, staff, and airport users to join in. 

Click here to download a printable poster.

2025 winner, Auburn Municipal Airport (S50), is issuing a friendly challenge to all other airports to top their total food weight of 10,548 pounds.  

All food must be for human consumption--dog or cat food does not count. Water, flour, rice, and canned goods are all acceptable. Cash is accepted and is calculated with the formula of $1.71 equaling 1 pound of food. 

Airports competing this year include:

• Richland
• Pearson in Vancouver
• Harvey Field
• Skagit

CARB Awards Over $1.7 million in Loans

The Community Aviation Revitalization Board (CARB) convened on October 16 to award Community Aviation Revitalization Loan requests from eligible, general public-use airports in Washington State. The Board selected three projects totaling $1,793,315. Projects included:

• Port of Moses Lake – Training/Testing Facility $1,200,000
• Sequim Valley Airport, Inc. – Four (4) Box Hangars $550,000
• City of Tekoa – Fuel Pump Replacement $43,315

The Board has approximately $3.8 million remaining to award and is accepting applications. The next Board meeting is scheduled for December 4, 2025. Contact the Aviation Loan Program Manager, David Chenaur, chenaud@wsdot.wa.gov, at (360) 628-1767, for an application or more information.

CLEAN ENERGY GRANTS DUE NOVEMBER 4

Commerce is now accepting applications for clean energy projects that modernize the electric grid, enhance community resilience, and promote solar energy deployment. Approximately $32 million is available to public and private entities.

Projects can include planning and predevelopment or construction projects for solar, energy storage, grid resilience, wind, biomass, renewable hydrogen, geothermal, and other technologies that use renewable resources to enhance Washington’s clean energy economy. Awards will range from $50,000 to $2.5 million.

 Commerce will prioritize “construction-ready” projects that are prepared to begin work immediately and complete construction by June 2027. Commerce will also prioritize projects that deliver benefits to or conduct meaningful community engagement with vulnerable populations and overburdened communities, including tribes.

Key dates (all times Pacific)
• Pre-application conference #1: 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30
• Pre-application conference #2: 10 a.m. Oct. 15
• Q&A deadline: 5 p.m. Oct. 24
• Application deadline: 1 p.m. Nov. 4

Technical assistance available.
Applicants interested in solar and energy storage may apply for a no-cost feasibility study from Commerce. If the project is feasible and cost-effective, the grantee may be eligible for additional funding for construction without completing an additional application. Review the Request for Applications (RFA) for more details.

Visit our website to review the program documents for full eligibility, evaluation criteria, application materials, instructions for applying, listening session resources, and weekly Q&A documents.

This opportunity is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.

Apply now for Clean Energy Grants – Washington State Department of Commerce

NWAAE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

$2,500 undergraduate scholarships now being offered by NWAAAE to students residing in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, Utah or Wyoming who are pursuing degrees in aviation. Application deadline is November 15, 2025 - additional information and application instructions can be found at https://lnkd.in/gum6QzEr.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, JUB, DOWL, Paine Field Snohomish County, CivilAir Engineers PLLC, Precision Approach Engineering, Applied Pavement Technology, Walla Walla Regional Airport, Arlington Municipal Airport and the City of Arlington, Century West Engineering, The Port of Skagit, and Morrison-Maierle for sponsoring the biweekly Waypoints news bulletin. Your support means so much to us.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all the sponsors of our recent Annual Conference. We couldn't have done it without you!

Washington State Airport Restaurants

(click here to download)

Warren Hendrickson has compiled an informal list of Washington State/PNW Airport Restaurant List (updated spring 2023) which includes additional pages for nearby Oregon (both east and west of the Cascades) and Idaho airports. This list is not complete and we ask that if you have suggestions or recommendations for restaurants at or serving your airport, please feel free to send your suggestions or recommendations to Warren Hendrickson, at: wbhendrickson@comcast.net.  He will continue to update the list as time allows. The list is primarily intended for use by pilots as they fly around the area. Perhaps providing everyone with an additional reason to visit your airport!