Rural Promise launched the 2026–2027 Advancing Aviation Education and Rural Opportunities (AAERO) Network with a kick-off gathering in Dare County, N.C. on September 27-29. The national network connects K-12 school districts with community colleges and aviation industry partners to establish career pathways in fields such as aviation maintenance, drone systems, engineering, airport operations and more. Participating districts include:
- Alexander County Schools
- Brunswick County Schools
- Catawba County Schools
- Dare County Schools
- Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools
- Gaston County Schools
- Iredell Statesville Schools
- Lenoir County Public Schools
- Lexington City Schools
- Macon County Schools
- Martin County Schools
- McDowell County Schools
- Yancey County Schools
The kick-off event schedule included an opening reception, keynote address and welcome dinner. The next day included district vision-setting, field learning and role-alike roundtable discussions. The event concluded with a school visit at First Flight High School and a trip to the Wright Brothers National Monument.
Participating teams will receive ongoing technical support, virtual deep-dive sessions, industry site visits and statewide collaborative tools to support their aviation programs.