The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday issued Washington Manassas Airport its Part 139 Airport Operating Certificate, the last federal approval the field needed before it can host scheduled passenger airlines.
City and airport officials called it a historic step. It is not the start of commercial service.
Washington Manassas Airport celebrated the ribbon cutting of its new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Station 41, a key step in strengthening emergency response capacity as the airport prepares for commercial passenger service.
The two-story, 4,596-square-foot facility includes a day room, dining room, full kitchen, training room, office space, and three apparatus bays for the airport’s ARFF vehicles. It is currently staffed daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is designed to improve the airport’s ability to protect tenants, operations, and future travelers.
The Federal Aviation Administration has officially approved the renaming of Manassas Regional Airport to Washington Manassas Airport as its commercial and ticketing name, marking a significant step in the facility’s rebranding ahead of planned passenger service.
The airfield will continue to operate as Harry P. Davis Field, and the airport’s three-letter identifier HEF remains unchanged. The approval clears the way for updated signage, marketing materials, airline ticketing systems, and other operational changes at Virginia’s largest general aviation airport.
The Manassas City Council on Monday night unanimously approved renaming Manassas Regional Airport to Washington Manassas Airport as its commercial and ticketing name, moving forward with a rebranding effort supported by airport stakeholders but met with mixed reactions from some residents.
In a 7-0 vote, the council adopted Resolution R-2026-881. The airfield itself will continue to be known as Harry P. Davis Field, and the airport code HEF will remain unchanged. Officials estimated the cost of the name change at $100,000, to be funded entirely from the airport enterprise fund (fees collected at the airport) with no impact on the city’s general fund or taxpayers.
Manassas Regional Airport successfully completed its first Full-Scale Exercise on March 11 to test the Airport Emergency Plan (AEP), a key step in maintaining readiness and supporting its path toward commercial passenger service.
The drill, required under 14 CFR § 139.325 by the Federal Aviation Administration for Class I airports, must occur at least once every 36 consecutive calendar months. It simulated a realistic scenario involving coordination among multiple agencies to ensure effective response capabilities.
