Image: Screenshot of the Month winner Ben D.

Boston Virtual ARTCC's Community Newsletter · March 3, 2026

BVA's Training Staff Welcomes Two New Mentors

By: Braden Kearney

BVA’s Training Staff is pleased to announce the addition of two new Mentors: Brian Cheng (CG) and Chanyn Carbone (CE).

A certified Class B Approach controller, CG joined our community on March 8, 2024 and has logged more than 600 hours on ATC positions throughout our ARTCC. 

CE was added to our controller roster on March 10, 2023 and became certified on Boston Center earlier this year. CE also has more than 600 hours as an air traffic controller. 

Mentors are the backbone of BVA’s air traffic control training program, which is available for free to all members. Together, the 18 BVA Mentors and Instructors issued almost 200 new certifications in 2025. On average, it takes 5 training sessions for a controller to earn a new certification, which typically happens within 1 month of being assigned to a Mentor or Instructor. 

By: Evan Reiter

Wings Over New England (WINGS) is BVA’s free pilot training program. Through a series of 30 structured flights, pilots learn to navigate the air traffic control system in the United States. Starting out with VFR closed traffic at KACK, the program builds to cover complex IFR subjects like missed approaches, holds, diversions, contact approaches, and more.

WINGS was first introduced in 2012 and has been updated regularly throughout its history. The first version of the program was designed to be flown entirely without the use of GPS technology, reliant only upon ground-based navaids like VORs and NDBs. Over the years, additions to the program introduced GPS technology in later flights, while the original flights were still “/A only”. 

However, as airspace modernization projects continue, and approaches like LOC BC or NDB become increasingly rare, the program is evolving again. 

The new program will still start and end at KACK, and will continue to cover VOR navigation and non-precision approaches. However, the program will now be GPS-friendly from the outset, with RNAV concepts built into the very first IFR flights. Destinations have been updated, content refreshed, and a new flight that focuses on lesser-known elements of airliner flying has been added. 

The newest edition of the WINGS program is being reviewed now by a team of BVA volunteers. As the review progresses, we’ll share more information about when you can expect to see the new material available. Until then, the existing flights remain available for our members to fly any time air traffic control is online in our airspace. 

Pilot Tip of the Month

Hold Short!

When receiving taxi instructions, you’ll frequently be told to “hold short of” an intersecting taxiway or runway. “Hold short of” instructions can be given to allow traffic to land or depart on a crossing runway, or for sequencing you with other taxiing traffic—and either way, they are extremely important.

When instructed to “hold short of”, you must stop before entering any part of the intersecting surface. In the case of a runway, this means to stop prior to the marked location. In some cases, taxiway intersections may have markings denoting the point to stop at; if not, make your best estimate of where the intersecting taxiway starts and leave plenty of room for an aircraft to cross in front of you. 

During a recent event, some pilots misinterpreted instructions like “hold short of C” as “hold short on C” and incorrectly entered taxiways, cutting off other traffic. You will never be told to “hold short on”, so if you hear “hold short”, stop before reaching the point mentioned in the instruction. 

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