Operations
Special Olympics Airlift Delivers Athletes to Twin Cities
Special Olympics USA Games run June 20 to 26 across Minnesota’s Twin Cities
Special Olympics Airlift takes flight nationwide; Dove 1 arrives at St. Paul Downtown Airport
Dove 1 arrives at St. Paul Downtown Airport on June 19. © Textron Aviation

The 2026 Special Olympics Airlift has delivered more than 800 Special Olympics athletes and coaches to St. Paul Downtown Airport (KSTP) on Friday, with roughly 130 “Dove” missions flown by volunteer pilots from 26 locations nationwide ahead of this week’s Special Olympics USA Games. The airlift coordinated by Textron Aviation includes Cessna Citations, Beechcraft turboprops, and Hawkers.

A Cessna Citation Latitude operated by Prent Corp., given the call sign “Dove 1,” was the first to land at St. Paul on Friday, carrying athletes and delegation members.