Remembering Tuck McAtee

With heavy hearts we announce Tuck McAtee, our co-founder and greatest advocate, passed away on Friday, 24 January 2025. Tuck was in peace and surrounded by his family. 
 

In 2013, Tuck and a few other local airport bums decided to start a flight scholarship program for high school aged aspiring pilots in the local area. The Williamsburg Aviation Scholarship Program was incorporated in 2014 and every year since, each Scholarship class has grown, from just five candidates in the beginning, to the fourteen who were selected in the current class of 2025. 
 

Tuck logged 60+ years of flying himself, most notably as a Vietnam F-100 pilot, then one of the initial F-16 Test Pilots, and finally an Oshkosh race pilot in his mighty cherry-red Swearingen SX300 you may have heard above Williamsburg. Tuck knew how expensive flight training had become and was keenly aware of a looming global pilot shortage. He contributed significant amounts of his own time, energy, and funds to get our Program off the ground, and then he turned to spearheading our annual WASP Golf Tournament. Tuck was the first President of the Board in 2015.
 

Tuck leaves behind his wife Ann, grown children Kathy, Molly and Bear, and many grandchildren, though we think they would all tell you WASP was like another family member. He believed in our mission and the future of aviation with a passion and commitment that rarely escaped mention in any conversation with him. He loved deeply what WASP does, and he was so proud of all of the students he had seen succeed in earning their private pilots license – even a handful that became pilots before getting their driver’s license. He was proud of the success of the Williamsburg Aviation Scholarship Program and enjoyed hearing about the success of our alumni too.
 

As we prepare to select our 11th class this spring, WASP moves forward because of Tuck’s passion and drive to make us a success. He was an inspiration to all of us and made us better board members, mentors, and pilots. We will not forget his positive attitude and love for all things aviation.
 

Blue skies Tuck!