Event at State Capitol showcased Pennsylvania’s global leadership in aerospace and aviation
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry today partnered with Lt. Governor Austin Davis, chair of the Aerospace States Association, and the Keystone Space Collaborative to host the 3rd Annual Aerospace and Aviation Day at the State Capitol. The event brought together students, industry leaders, policymakers, educators, and innovators to showcase Pennsylvania’s expanding global leadership in aerospace and aviation, while advancing important conversations about the investments and reforms needed to accelerate growth now and for future generations.
“Pennsylvania’s aerospace and aviation story is one of momentum—powered by the talent coming out of our world-class universities, driven by innovation from companies investing here, and strengthened by policy reforms that are delivering real results,” said PA Chamber President and CEO Luke Bernstein. “From cutting-edge technologies to record-setting infrastructure and industry investment, the Commonwealth is proving it can compete and lead on a global stage. Aerospace and Aviation Day is about celebrating that progress and continuing the work to ensure Pennsylvania remains a top destination for the businesses creating the jobs of tomorrow.”
The day started with a session for 80 students from high schools across Pennsylvania, where industry professionals delivered presentations about career opportunities in aerospace and aviation. Speakers included representatives from Aerium, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the aerospace talent pipeline, and Horizon Aerobotics, a Texas-based aerial intelligence company, who recently partnered to establish an autonomous aviation hub at the Johnstown-Cambria County Airport expected to create 247 highly skilled jobs; the Civil Air Patrol, the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force; Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, a two-year trade school for certified aviation technicians; as well as former and current NASA astronauts.
“The Shapiro-Davis Administration is laser-focused on creating ladders of opportunity, so that every Pennsylvanian can live their American dream, right here in the Commonwealth,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who serves as chair of the Pennsylvania chapter of the Aerospace States Association. “The aerospace and aviation industries offer tremendous opportunities for our young people, and they represent our economic future. In addition, it’s inspiring to think that humanity’s future could be found in the stars – and that those scientific discoveries could be made right here in Pennsylvania.”
Later, state legislators belonging to the bipartisan, bicameral Aerospace Caucus held a policy hearing where they heard testimony from aerospace and aviation industry leaders and the PA Chamber about Pennsylvania’s aerospace ecosystem and legislative priorities to support the sector’s continued growth and make the Commonwealth a top aerospace state. The Pennsylvania Aerospace Caucus was officially launched at last year’s Aerospace and Aviation Day, and this year’s policy hearing highlighted the progress made to advance workforce and economic opportunities and identified key gaps that the public and private sector must work collaboratively to address.
Workforce development took center stage at a PA Chamber–led panel, “Aligning Workforce Development with Aerospace and Aviation Needs,” exploring how the next generation of workers can become better prepared for careers in the industry.
Throughout the day, students, educators, and industry leaders met with lawmakers and networked among dozens of exhibits showcasing innovations and opportunities being driven by Pennsylvania aerospace and aviation organizations.
Progress Across Four Key Areas
This year’s program focused on highlighting Pennsylvania’s measurable progress across the aerospace and aviation sectors in four key areas: workforce, research and development, advocacy, and industry investment.
Workforce
From K–12 pathways to postsecondary education, credentialing, and internship programs, Pennsylvania is strengthening the talent pipeline needed to support its growing aerospace and aviation sectors. The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics’ NextGen Aviation Pathway Grant is one example of how students are supported throughout their aviation career journey, along with targeted opportunities in industry-aligned training, career and technical education, and higher education partnerships to ensure employers have access to job-ready talent statewide.
There are 7.1 million acres of farmland and 16.6 million acres of forests in Pennsylvania. Drones are already playing a major role in changing the dynamics of agriculture and forestry, and that impact is only going to accelerate. It’s a key reason Aerium is building its ‘Drones as Tools’ program for students, equipping them with training that leads directly to needed career fields. This education model functions as a workforce engine that attracts industry and prepares students for real jobs.
This education model functions as a workforce engine that attracts industry and prepares students for real jobs.
Leading aerospace and aviation companies are also making critical investments in workforce development. For instance, Lockheed Martin is coordinating an Aerospace Fellowship that includes a virtual symposium in June, allowing a no-cost way for high school and college students to learn more about the aerospace industry and job opportunities. Additionally, Lockheed Martin is committed to overall significant capital investments in Pennsylvania. Most recently, the company invested about $96 million in its Valley Forge facilities. These investments provide workforce growth opportunities and drive strategic advancements to meet customer needs.
Organizations are focused on engaging future leaders in exciting career opportunities in aerospace. The Pittsburgh-based Moonshot Museum, working with Dr. Scott Lindsey and the team at Benjamin Franklin Elementary, has continued to lead K–12 student engagement and workforce development programming through Aerospace and Aviation Day. These efforts have created meaningful, teachable moments for hundreds of students in Harrisburg, York, and Lancaster.
The museum’s digital programming – featuring an Artemis II–focused curriculum and engagement with NASA astronaut Mike Fincke – is expanding this impact, reaching hundreds to thousands of students through a virtual Commonwealth Aerospace Challenge. In addition, the museum is building on a nearly $800,000 NASA TEAM II award focused on workforce development and career readiness and is partnering with NASA and industry leaders to provide direct, career-connected aerospace experiences and clear pathways to aerospace careers.
Research and Development
Pennsylvania institutions and industry partners are driving breakthroughs in aerospace engineering, unmanned systems, advanced materials, and sustainable aviation – turning research into real-world applications and commercial opportunities.
Aerium, in conjunction with ATA Aviation and other technology partners, utilized a U.S. DOT Smart Grant to build and test a minimum viable infrastructure application supporting safe beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations while maintaining separation from other airspace users. This hands-on deployment allowed the team to validate what infrastructure is truly required, versus what is optional, and produced a strong, practical framework for designing scalable hub-and-spoke systems for BVLOS operations.
The University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences announced the launch of the Trivedi Institute for Space and Global Biomedicine, one of the first dedicated institutes focused on applying insights from spaceflight to improve human health on Earth. The $25 million institute is led by Kate Rubins, a former NASA astronaut and the first person to sequence DNA in space and led multiple investigations in genomics and human health under extreme conditions. The cutting-edge research facilitated through the institute and its world-class team will help define a new frontier of science that bridges human health on Earth and in space. The institute is working with Carnegie Mellon and other universities, space agencies, nonprofits, and industry partners to build a global research and training ecosystem, bringing expertise across physics, medicine, spaceflight, synthetic biology, engineering, and entrepreneurship. The initiative will train the next generation of scientists, clinicians and entrepreneurs at the intersection of space biology, biomedicine and translational health, with missions and projects planned into the 2030s.
Advocacy
Through sustained advocacy, the PA Chamber and its partners have advanced policies that reduce regulatory barriers, improve permitting certainty, invest in workforce development programs, and encourage innovation. Additionally, the PA Chamber fought to increase Pennsylvania’s net operating loss carryforward cap from 40 to 80 percent prospectively by 2029. 2026 was the first year this phaseout began. These efforts are helping aerospace and aviation companies scale operations, attract and retain talent, and invest with confidence in the Commonwealth.
Looking ahead, raising EITC private capital funding limits would be a game-changer for Pennsylvania’s Career and Technical Centers. 84 CTCs serve over 70,000 students across 18 career clusters (14 of which integrate drone technology), positioning Pennsylvania to lead on the jobs of the future. Greater access to Educational Improvement Organization funding means more of those students get the programs students need to meet the needs of Pennsylvania businesses.
Industry Investment
Recent public and private sector investments underscore Pennsylvania’s momentum, including:
Aerium is working to transform the Southern Alleghenies region into a national hub for next-generation autonomous aviation. The company has invested in a new 63,000-square-foot facility serving as a comprehensive center for aviation and workforce development; developed a new BVLOS sensor network enabling safe, real-time deconfliction between drones and crewed aircraft across Cambria County; and, established the nation’s first operational BVLOS medical drone delivery network—redefining what is possible in emergency response.
Pittsburgh International Airport has emerged as a national model for aviation innovation and economic development, with a $1.7 billion state-of-the-art terminal modernization, the creation of Neighborhood 91 – the world’s first airport-based additive manufacturing campus – and plans for the nation’s first on-airport sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility. Together, these investments reinforce Pennsylvania’s leadership in advanced manufacturing, resiliency, and sustainability.
What Public and Private Sector Leaders Are Saying:
“Events like Aerospace and Aviation Day demonstrate that Pennsylvania has the foundational assets to lead in building the infrastructure that will enable the future space economy,” said Justine Kasznica, Founder and Board Chair of Keystone Space Collaborative. “The imperative now is to align investment, policy, and regional coordination to scale space industrialization and translate that advantage into durable economic impact.”
“If we are serious about building the future aerospace workforce, we have to start by giving students real access to it,” said Dr. Jimyse L. Brown, Executive Director of the Moonshot Museum. “At Moonshot Museum, our work in K–12 ensures that students are not only inspired by aerospace, but are actively developing the skills, awareness, and confidence needed to pursue it. Being invited for a second year to lead the K–12 component of Aerospace and Aviation Day reflects both the demand for this work and the impact it is having. By reaching more than 300 students in a day, expanding programming into additional communities, and connecting hundreds to thousands more across the Commonwealth through our virtual initiatives—and through direct engagement with leaders like NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke—we are preparing, empowering, and positioning the next generation of Pennsylvania’s aerospace workforce.”
“As Senate Co-chair of the Aerospace Caucus, I am proud to help highlight the incredible work being done across Pennsylvania’s aerospace industry,” said Senator Tracy Pennycuick. “From cutting-edge research to high-tech manufacturing, aerospace is a powerful driver of innovation, job creation, and economic growth in our Commonwealth. I look forward to continuing our work to grow this increasingly vital sector.”
“As a retired Air Force officer, it’s easy for me to talk about how valuable the aerospace industry is and the potential that it has for Pennsylvania,” said House Aerospace Caucus chair Rep. Joe Webster. “I’m always impressed by the brain power and the technical skill represented in our own community, our people and our industries. The future is about investment and opportunity, and the aerospace industry in Pennsylvania is a key component in workforce and economic development.”
The 3rd Annual Aerospace and Aviation Day at the State Capitol reinforces Pennsylvania’s commitment to innovation-led growth and its role as a national and global hub for aerospace and aviation excellence.
The PA Chamber thanks Lt. Governor Austin Davis and the companies who made the day possible: Aerium, Babst Calland, Greene Tweed, Lockheed Martin, and the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics.
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The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry is the state’s largest broad-based business association, with its statewide membership comprising businesses of all sizes and across all industry sectors. The PA Chamber is The Statewide Voice of BusinessTM.