Montgomery County Airpark

05/20/2026

🛩️ Future pilots in the making at Goshen Elementary!

Airpark Manager Justin Bollum recently joined Chelsea Dorman of the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) at Goshen Elementary School's "Propelling Our World" STEM event, and what a day it was.

Together, Justin and Chelsea connected with hundreds of students and families, handing out Pilot's Guides to the Montgomery County Airpark and Maryland aeronautical charts. Both are licensed pilots, and they used aircraft models and hands-on demonstrations to teach kids the basics of how planes actually fly and all the different parts of an airplane.

The best part? Students who answered aviation questions correctly took home a balsa wood plane courtesy of the MAA. (We're pretty sure a few flight paths were tested in the school parking lot afterward.)

Events like this are exactly why the Airpark exists in the community to inspire the next generation of pilots, engineers, and aviation professionals right here in Montgomery County. Huge thanks to Goshen Elementary for the invitation and to the MAA for being a great partner.

✈️ Know a school or community group that would like a visit from the Airpark? Reach out: [email protected]

04/28/2026

Aviation Fuel and the Transition to Unleaded: What KGAI Neighbors Should Know

At the March town hall, several community members asked about aviation gasoline (avgas) and lead emissions. Here's what everyone should know about where the industry stands and where it's heading.

The Current Situation - Most small aircraft engines still use 100LL (low-lead) aviation gasoline, which contains tetraethyl lead. This fuel has been the industry standard for decades because it prevents engine knock in high-performance aircraft engines. The EPA estimates that general aviation accounts for about 70% of atmospheric lead emissions in the United States.

Why This Matters Lead exposure poses health risks. While aviation lead emissions are a small percentage of total lead exposure sources, the EPA and the aviation industry recognize the need to eliminate them entirely. Airborne lead emissions have been reduced by 99% since the 1980’s by the phase out of leaded car gas.

The Path Forward - The FAA launched the EAGLE (Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions) initiative with a goal of transitioning the fleet to unleaded fuel by 2030. Several unleaded aviation fuels are in testing and certification phases. Some aircraft can already use unleaded alternatives, and that number grows as more fuels gain approval.

At KGAI As unleaded aviation fuels become commercially available and certified for the aircraft based here, Montgomery County Airpark will support the transition. This is an industry-wide change happening at airports across the country, driven by federal policy and aircraft manufacturer approvals.

The Bigger Picture - Environmental monitoring for aviation facilities falls under EPA and state environmental agency oversight. The Maryland Department of the Environment discontinued statewide ambient lead monitoring in 2017 with EPA approval because levels were consistently below detection limits.

Questions about aviation fuel or environmental regulations? Email [email protected] or call (301) 978-7009.

Learn more about the EAGLE initiative: https://www.faa.gov/unleaded

04/11/2026

One of the most common questions we hear is some version of: who is actually responsible for what at the Montgomery County Airpark?

It is a fair question. The answer is more layered than it might appear, and we want to be clear about it.

The Montgomery County Revenue Authority (MCRA) owns the land and is responsible for the runways, taxiways, and airfield safety. MCRA is also the FAA grant sponsor, which means federal infrastructure investment - like the North End hangar project currently in development - flows through MCRA.

The day-to-day operation of the terminal, hangars, tie-downs, fueling, and line management is handled by DC Metro Aviation LLC, a private company that operates those parts of the Airpark under a long-term master lease agreement.

The FAA licenses and oversees pilots, flight schools and aircraft operations. The Maryland Aviation Administration licenses the airport and conducts annual inspections.

Understanding who does what matters - especially when you have a question or a concern. If it is a noise or safety issues, start at https://www.montgomerycountyairpark.com If it is a question about hangar or terminal operations, that falls under DC Metro. If it is about airfield infrastructure, that is MCRA.

04/01/2026

On March 24 the Airpark Community Advisory Committee hosted a community town hall to discuss the Airpark, and we were glad to be part of the conversation. Pilots, neighbors, business owners, and community members all showed up and spoke honestly. That's exactly the kind of dialogue this community deserves.

The conversation touched on three main areas.

On Fly Friendly, we heard a consistent message. The program needs to be more visible and more embedded in how pilots learn and operate here. Ideas ranged from better signage and AWOS messaging to incorporating Fly Friendly into flight training from day one. We are taking all of it seriously, and planning a worksession in the coming weeks to dig deeper into the guidelines. Details to come.

On a control tower, there was genuine interest from both pilots and neighbors, along with thoughtful questions about cost, process, safety impacts, and what it would actually mean for operations. We support the comprehensive dialogue that looks at all of those questions carefully.

On accountability and transparency, people asked good questions about roles and responsibilities, complaint tracking, facility maintenance, and how decisions get made. We heard the frustration and we understand it.

We also heard from people who love this Airpark. The life-saving flights. Young people learning to fly and the community that has built up over 65 years. Those voices were part of the conversation too.

We are reviewing everything we heard and will be sharing updates in the weeks ahead.

03/27/2026

Montgomery County Airpark has been part of this community since 1960, and this page has been here for a while too.

What's changing is how we use it.

Going forward you will see facility updates, community programs, aviation news, and real conversation about the things that matter to our neighbors and our pilots. We're here, we are paying attention, and we want to hear from you.

Stay tuned for more.

11/26/2025

11/07/2025

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