Save the date!
Boeing Seafair Air Show set for Friday-Sunday, August 1-3
 The Blue Angels take off from King County International Airport-Boeing Field during a practice for last year's Boeing Seafair Air Show.
King County International Airport-Boeing Field will again host the U.S. Navy Blue Angels for the annual Boeing Seafair Air Show next month. The air show features the elite Navy pilots in their F/A-18 Super Hornets, along with the Marine Corps' premier logistics support aircraft, the C-130J Super Hercules known as "Fat Albert." The air show also showcases feats by civilian pilots, vintage aircraft, and parachute demonstrations.
The Blue Angels Walk Down will take place at the airport from 1 to 5 p.m. during the August 1-3 air show. Last year's event sold out with more than 1,500 attendees. Tickets are required. Parking is off-site for that event and should not affect airport passengers or employees.
Backcountry Aviation begins service to Bellingham
Three carriers now offer scheduled passenger flights from KCIA
 Backcountry Aviation took off from King County International Airport on June 13 for its first scheduled flight to Bellingham.
Backcountry Aviation began service from King County International Airport (KCIA) to Bellingham International Airport on June 13, bringing the number of passenger air carriers at the airport to three. Service will be offered once a week on Fridays. Passengers will fly in a Cessna 402C, a nine-passenger, twin-piston engine plane.
"We're excited to start once a week scheduled service between King County Airport and Bellingham International," said Abbas Hasnain, Managing Director at Backcountry Aviation. "These flights offer customers an easy and affordable way to get to and from Bellingham, which complements our charter flights."
"This route will allow us to see if there is a demand for this market as we begin to operate scheduled flights," Hasnain added.
While the initial schedule is one return trip daily on Fridays, Hasnain says the company hopes to provide two round trips later this summer, with a possible return on a Saturday or Sunday. In the meantime, he said the flights are very scenic and offer great photo opportunities.
"We look forward to continuing to partner with King County to meet the needs of regional Pacific Northwest fliers going forward," he said.
Get more information and book tickets, currently $65 each way.
Check out this short video of Backcountry Aviation's first flight.
Passengers can currently fly from the airport to San Juan Island, Orcas Island and British Columbia on Kenmore Air. Kenmore Air also offers scenic flights around Mount Rainier and Mount Saint Helens from KCIA. SeaPort Airlines offers flights to Portland, Oregon.
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Silvana Vasquez takes flight with Rainier Flight Services
Silvana Vasquez, promoted to Airport Operations Specialist this spring, has resumed flight training on her own time at King County International Airport.
"It's a dream come true," Vasquez said. "I didn't realize how exciting it was going to be to fly, especially here. I love this airport. It's more special that I get to do it here."
She had planned to learn to fly at Paine Field, nearer to her home, but when Rainier Flight Service moved to KCIA, doing her training here only made sense.
"It's easier since I can fly before work," Vasquez said. "My schedule is noon to 8."
Vasquez had put her dream of becoming a pilot on hold for about 10 years to complete her bachelor's degree and start her career.
"I've grown and I feel like I was preparing for this moment," Vasquez said. "I feel like I'm more ready to pursue this dream."
With the encouragement of airport management and through some persistence and good luck, she applied for and earned a $5,000 scholarship through Women in Aviation. The Wings for Val Foundation Lt. Valerie Cappelaere Memorial Scholarship honors Navy Lt. Val Cappelaere Delany, 26, of Anacortes, who died in 2013 during a flight mission.
"Her parents created the foundation to support women in aviation that cannot pay for their training," Vasquez said.
"I would like people to know that if they want to pursue a career in aviation it's never too late," she said. "I want to be an example, you can always go back and start where you left off," she added.
"I know I’ve always wanted to fly," she said. Love of flying runs in the family; Vasquez's dad is a pilot.
Her ultimate career goal is to be an airport manager.
"Knowing how to fly and being a pilot will make me a better airport professional," she said.
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Employees earn Certified Member designation from AAAE
 From left: Troy Chen, Derek Doell, Joshua Markovich, Silvana Vasquez and Gil White
Five airport employees received the Certified Member designation from the American Association of Airport Executives recently. This designation signifies that certified employees have a diverse knowledge of the primary functions of how an airport operates and can provide the opportunity to progress up the ranks.
Congratulations to:
- Troy Chen, Community Engagement Coordinator
- Derek Doell, Managing Engineer
- Joshua Markovich, Airport Duty Manager
- Silvana Vasquez, Airport Operations Specialist
- Gil White, Real Property Agent
Registration open for AAAE Inclusion in Aviation conference
 King County International Airport is gearing up to host the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) Inclusion and Aviation Conference in Bellevue November 17 to 19. Early bird registration is open now through October 3.
Vanessa Chin, Innovation Manager at the airport, is part of the planning team.
“This is the first year it’s ever been brought to the West Coast,” Chin said. “Inclusion and belonging is at the heart of our organization. To invite others to share our inclusive community in the Seattle area is really exciting.”
While the agenda is still being firmed up, event organizers promise a robust conference with two keynote speakers and opportunities to engage in the community. The conference will include an afternoon at Mary’s Place, a non-profit organization that helps women and families move out of homelessness into more stable situations. Participants will help put together care packages at Mary’s Place.
“Our team is being very intentional and thoughtful with planning the conference, ensuring that we are sharing stories and history from different communities in the Seattle area,” Chin said.
Conference topics will be broad enough to be of interest to equity practitioners from other industries and organizations beyond aviation. Chin encouraged local equity practitioners, especially from around King County, to attend.
Get more information about the conference and register today.
The conference is being presented in partnership with the Northeast Chapter of AAAE.
Ella Wilson wraps up one airport internship, starts another
Ella Wilson just wrapped up a CAD (computer-aided design) internship in Innovation at King County International Airport. She’s taking a short break before starting another internship in Engineering at the airport on July 14.
“It’s still a shock that I got the engineering internship,” Wilson said. “I haven’t taken any engineering classes in college yet. I’m beyond excited to start this summer, especially with the runway rehabilitation going on.”
She’ll report to Derek Doell, Managing Engineer. Her internship will be full-time this summer and part-time during the coming school year.
“In her new role as Undergraduate Engineering intern, Ella will be assisting KCIA project managers with administering the 14L/32R Runway Rehabilitation, Taxiway B TOFA Safety Corrections, and Main Terminal Electrical Upgrades projects as well as performing construction field work that includes inspections and documentation of site conditions,” Doell explained.
Wilson said she is most excited about getting to use different software and applying things she has already learned.
“It’s going to be fun,” she said. “It’s going to be different.”
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Wilson, who graduated from Roosevelt High School last month, spent part of her “break” at the national competition for the Technology Student Association (TSA) in Nashville, Tenn. Her school team was named Washington State champion for their film, “Fly,” in the TSA annual competition in Spokane this spring.
Already accepted to the University of Washington’s engineering program, Wilson has big dreams. She’s considering starting ROTC her freshman year and aspires to be an astronaut.
“Most astronauts do have some military experience,” Wilson said.
In college, Wilson is also pondering minoring in Chinese. She has family in Taiwan and she hopes to spend a semester or year abroad, either in Taiwan or Europe.
“There’s so many things I want to do,” she said excitedly.
“Aviation drives her,” said Vanessa Chin, Innovation Manager. “Everything she does is around aviation.”
“I’ve had a lot of interns. They’re all amazing,” Chin said. “But Ella, there’s something that stands out about her. I know she’s going to have a very bright future. I’m so grateful I got to spend the time to mentor her. I’ve learned a lot from her as well.”
Editor's note: The airport hires interns for a variety of positions each year. Plane Talk will introduce several new interns in an upcoming edition.
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"Small airports doing big things"
Matt Sykora, Airport Business Manager, spoke at the national AAAE conference in Atlanta last month. He sat on a panel addressing the theme of “small airports doing big things.”
“We’re facing some of the same issues other airports are facing across the nation,” Sykora said, referring to standards the Federal Aviation Administration is asking airports to meet.
He was joined on the panel by Clinton Nemeth from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Tyler Miller from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky.
“I presented on our 14L/32R rehabilitation project that is currently under construction and the challenges we are going through during the planning phase to relocate Taxiway Bravo,” Sykora said.
King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) is rehabilitating the small runway and making changes to taxiways used to access the runway so that they comply with new FAA design standards. The Taxiway B project is improving the runway-to-taxiway separation between Runway 14R/32L and Taxiway B.
For more information see Runway 14L/32R Rehabilitation and Taxiway B Safety Improvements.
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Roosevelt High School students visit airport
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A group of Roosevelt High School students visited the airport recently to learn more about what it takes to operate. They toured the terminal, airfield, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, maintenance and Modern Aviation. They also met with the airport leadership team. |
Vision 2045 Airport Plan and Part 150 Study update
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accepted the Part 150 Study Final Noise Exposure Map (NEMs) Report in June. The study team is developing the Noise Compatibility Plan (NCP), which will identify measurable actions to reduce aircraft noise and promote compatible land uses near King County International Airport. A public hearing for review and comment on the draft NCP will be held later this summer or in early fall.
The study team is developing draft alternatives for the Vision 2045 Airport Plan, which will enable the airport to adapt and evolve to meet changing aviation demand. The project’s advisory committee reviewed the first set of preliminary draft alternatives at a Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting in June. The public will have an opportunity to comment on alternatives and their evaluation process at two open houses in the fall, before the airport chooses a preferred facility plan.
The Vision 2045 Airport Plan and the Part 150 Study both began in January 2024 and will be complete by mid-2026. Learn more and share input at KCIAplanning.com.
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