SouthWings

09/02/2026

Earlier this week, we joined SELC , National Parks Conservation Association , South Texas Environmental Justice Network and StopSpaceX in submitting comments in opposition to the FAA's proposal to waive requiments for FAA to consider thirteen federal statutes in licensing and permitting decisions for commercial space operations. These 13 statutes include such bedrock legislation as the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and Clean Air Act. Thank you to SELC for putting together thorough comments!

SouthWings has supported and continues to support advocacy groups fighting to protect ecosystems and communities from the threats of commercial space launch proposals in Georgia, Texas, and now Louisiana.

08/28/2026

Your action is needed by Monday, August 31st to weigh in on a sweeping FAA proposed rule change. The FAA is proposing that the 13 following environmental laws would not apply to any commercial launch site in the country, including the 125,000 acre SpaceX development just announced for a large portion of coastal Louisiana's still-intact wetlands. Our partners South Texas Environmental Justice Network in Brownsville, and many others, will also be significantly impacted.

National Environmental Policy Act
Endangered Species Act
Clean Water Act
Clean Air Act
Coastal Zone Management Act
Marine Mammal Protection Act
National Historic Preservation Act
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
Rivers and Harbors Act
Noise Control Act
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
National Marine Sanctuaries Act
Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act

Your chance to tell the FAA what you think about this proposed change is now. Please submit your comments today! If you need help writing, links to templates from various organizations are in the comments.

FAA proposes to amend its commercial space licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden for applicants. Specifically, FAA proposes to invoke the Secretary of Transportation's statutory authority to waive requirements of laws of the U.S. for a license or...

08/27/2026

In 2023, SouthWings volunteers Christopher and Justine Noth took writer, publisher, and broadcaster James Crawford above Florida's Bone Valley in support of his new book, "The Vanishing Earth: Dispatches from the Frontiers of Extraction."

Ride along with James and the Noths in this breathtaking reel, and check out his new book (link in comments). https://www.instagram.com/p/Dciv6jlCQDU/

08/26/2026

Please show support for our partners in Cancer Alley by submitting a comment on the Hyundai Steel Plant being imposed on the small community of Modeste, LA! RISE ST. JAMES Concerned Citizens of St John Refined Community Empowerment Healthy Gulf Environmental Integrity Project

08/25/2026

We are so excited that Volunteer Pilot Rolf Wallin will be celebrated at the National Aeronautic Association's Public Benefit Flying Awards banquet in November. Rolf was honored with the 2025 Distinguished Volunteer Pilot Award and will be acknowledged at this year's banquet. Congrats Rolf! We are so glad you are part of this mighty team!

The National Aeronautic Association has announced its 2026 Public Benefit Flying Award recipients — honoring pilots, volunteers, and organizations using aviation to make a real difference in the lives of others.

From transporting patients and rescuing animals to expanding access to adaptive flight experiences and supporting conservation, this year’s honorees demonstrate that aviation is about far more than getting from one place to another. It’s about service, compassion, and community.

Congratulations to:
✈ Ace Ellinwood — Distinguished Volunteer Pilot | Angel Flight West
🐾 Brenda Walsh — Distinguished Volunteer | Pilots N Paws
✈ Mark Hanson — Outstanding Achievement in the Advancement of Public Benefit Flying | Air Care Alliance
🪂 Project Airtime — Public Benefit Flying Teamwork Award
✈ Douglas Wohl — Champion of Public Benefit Flying | SkyHope
🌎 Rolf Wallin — 2025 Distinguished Volunteer Pilot | SouthWings

Read more about the 2026 honorees from the National Aeronautic Association:
https://naa.aero/the-national-aeronautic-association-announces-2026-humanitarian-awardees/

08/25/2026

Have you seen the SouthWings store? There's a variety of styles that let you rep SouthWings! Check it out: https://southwings.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Orders are processed & shipped on the first of the month 📆

08/21/2026

Environmental wins often take years, sometimes decades, to achieve. SouthWings is here for the long haul, and we thrive through powerful collaboration like the one below described by SkyTruth

We are grateful for SkyTruth's partnership and for the incredible tools they bring to the environmental movement!

In October 2018, The Washington Post ran a story describing a long-running crude oil leak from hurricane-damaged wells in the Gulf of Mexico operated by Taylor Energy. The reporting was built upon eight years of work by SkyTruth and our partners.

08/19/2026

Join us in welcoming our newest Volunteer Pilot, Garrett DeMeyer!

"I'm inspired by the natural world when viewed from above and am excited to share that experience." Read more in his bio: https://www.southwings.org/volunteer-pilots/garrett-demeyer

08/17/2026

08/17/2026

Thanks to pressure from advocates acoss NC and the Southeast, secrecy and Non Disclosure Agreements are no longer cutting it for winning the public approval of proposed data center projects. Read more in Lisa Sorg's recent article (that features photos from a recent SouthWings flight): https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14082026/data-center-pr-blitz-backfiring/

SouthWings flights help provide transparency about what's really happening behind fences and treelines.

Front group lauds purported benefits of data centers without disclosing its backer.