Virginia Civil Air Patrol conducts mountain flying training
WINCHESTER, Va. (June 28, 2025) – Civil Air Patrol’s (CAP) Virginia Wing held a Mountain Search and Rescue Flight Training Course, known as “Mountain Fury,” at Winchester Regional Airport.
Civil Air Patrol pilots from units across the commonwealth including Manassas, Newport News, Fredericksburg and other areas gathered in Winchester for training. After classroom instruction, each pilot flew with a mountain-flying-qualified mission check pilot to become certified. The course covered key topics surrounding the mountain terrain such as crossing mountain ridges, canyon turns, density altitude, hypoxia, changing weather conditions and more.
Virginia Wing operates 12 aircraft and supports missions upon request, primarily search and rescue for downed aircraft or missing persons. In addition, it has provided imagery of key areas before and after hurricanes and tropical storms to state and federal agencies. The wing has also flown aerial surveys of roads at the request of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Department of Transportation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the wing flew COVID-19 test kits to the Eastern Shore and transported them back to the University of Virginia.
“Despite what some may think, the Commonwealth of Virginia is quite mountainous and can present unique challenges for search and rescue units,” said Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Van Etten, Incident Commander and Course Director. “Keeping our skills sharp and pilots trained are all key to maintaining readiness in the event we are asked to assist in such an effort. Thank you, Winchester Regional Airport, for supporting this event!”
More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/vawgcap/albums/72177720327207279
About Virginia Wing
Civil Air Patrol's Virginia Wing is home to 21 squadrons spread throughout the Commonwealth and has approximately 2,250 members, 12 light aircraft, 6 small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), and 28 multi-mission vehicles. These assets are available to federal, state, and local governments, as well as to emergency responders and law enforcement agencies to perform search and rescue, homeland security, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, and counter-drug missions. For more information on Virginia Wing, visit the wing’s website at https://vawg.cap.gov.
About Civil Air Patrol
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.
Visit CAP.news or GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
For More Information:
Maj Jacob Bixler pa @ vawg.cap.gov
