The WINGS Act of 2026 amends federal financial aid rules to help students afford aviation training programs by allowing certain aviation-related costs to be counted toward a student's cost of attendance when determining federal student aid eligibility. Specifically, the bill includes expenses such as aviation laboratory fees, aircraft and simulator training costs, ground instruction, training materials, and licensing exam fees for students enrolled in qualifying aviation degree programs at colleges and universities. The legislation affects students pursuing associate or bachelor's degrees in aviation-related fields, making it easier for them to access federal financial aid to cover these typically expensive training requirements. The changes take effect on July 1, 2027, and apply starting with the 2027-2028 academic year forward. The bill also updates rules for professional student loans to include aviation training programs.