Aviation Education & Career Expo draws 1,100 students, ~$300K aid
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HAGERSTOWN — November 12, 2026 -- The 20th annual Aviation Education & Career Expo drew about 1,100 high school and college-age students to Rider Jet Center in Hagerstown, Md., on Nov. 6, with sponsors providing just under $300,000 in scholarships. That works out to roughly $270 per attendee by FairsOnline's calculation, and about 17 students for each of the roughly 65 vendors on the hangar floor.
Organizers say it is the largest event of its kind in the mid-Atlantic. Rider Jet Center, a full-service Fixed Base Operator, has hosted the expo for the past three years. It converts part of a hangar into an auditorium for presentations and sets up vendor booths for one-on-one consultations. This year's theme was "Dreams with Wings."