Submitted Photo Receiving the Gold award in the Fly North Dakota Airports Passport Program are, from left, Jeff Zarling of Williston, Ryan Starkey of Grand Forks, Thomas Sando of Williston, Greg Johnson of Stanley, and Jonathan DeLone of Rochester, Minn. At right is Kyle Wanner, director of the ND Aeronautics Commission.

BISMARCK – Area pilots were among those recently presented with awards for participating in the Fly North Dakota Airports Passport Program.

The program began in North Dakota in 2011 and it rewards pilots who fly to North Dakota’s publicly owned airports, attend Federal Aviation Administration safety seminars and visit North Dakota’s aviation museums. The program promotes safety and continuing education and encourages pilots to practice approaches and landings in different environments. It also offers an opportunity to promote and support North Dakota’s airports and their community businesses and tourism opportunities.

There are three award levels within the North Dakota passport program. The highest and most prestigious award level of Gold is achieved by flying to all 89 ND public airports, visiting the Fargo and Minot air museums and attending three FAA safety seminars.

The Gold award was achieved by 12 pilots during the past year and these individuals received a leather flight jacket embroidered with the North Dakota Flying Legacy logo. Achieving the Gold level in 2025 from the Minot region are Greg Johnson, Stanley; Thomas Sando and Jeff Zarling, both Williston; and Noah Stevens, Minot.

These pilots join the 102 others who have completed the passport program in previous years, making a grand total of 114 pilots who have achieved the Gold award since the program’s inception.

The awards presentation occurred on March 2 at the Fargo Jet Center, in conjunction with the North Dakota Aviation Association’s Fly-ND Conference.

The program is sponsored by the North Dakota Department of Commerce’s Tourism Division in partnership with the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, the Airport Association of North Dakota, and the North Dakota Aviation Association.