Learn to fly for FREE

gprellwitz

gprellwitz

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Jun 19, 2005
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Romeoville, IL
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Grant Prellwitz
Well, this past week has seen TWO opportunities to learn to fly for free cross my desk. The first one I knew about, though it was the second one announced, is at my home airport! A & M Aviation is offering a full ride grant to a high school student in the western suburbs of Chicago. The winner will be announced at our annual Cavalcade of Planes in June, 2011. The rules and application are available at http://www.aandmaviation.com/grant.html.

I also saw last week that Tailwheels, Etc., a flight school in Winter Haven, Florida is doing a similar program. Their information is available at http://www.tailwheelsetc.com/private-pilot-license-scholarship-competition.html

Both of these are aimed at youth interested in learning to fly. A & M is asking for an essay on "What General Aviation can do for a community and how you as a new pilot can influence General Aviation in your community."
and Tailwheelsis asking for a YouTube video on why they would benefit from receiving a private pilot's license.

I applaud both of these schools for their efforts to try to increase the pilot population.
 
gprellwitz said:
Well, this past week has seen TWO opportunities to learn to fly for free cross my desk. The first one I knew about, though it was the second one announced, is at my home airport! A & M Aviation is offering a full ride grant to a high school student in the western suburbs of Chicago. The winner will be announced at our annual Cavalcade of Planes in June, 2011. The rules and application are available at http://www.aandmaviation.com/grant.html.

I also saw last week that Tailwheels, Etc., a flight school in Winter Haven, Florida is doing a similar program. Their information is available at http://www.tailwheelsetc.com/private-pilot-license-scholarship-competition.html

Both of these are aimed at youth interested in learning to fly. A & M is asking for an essay on "What General Aviation can do for a community and how you as a new pilot can influence General Aviation in your community."
and Tailwheelsis asking for a YouTube video on why they would benefit from receiving a private pilot's license.

I applaud both of these schools for their efforts to try to increase the pilot population.
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Cool.

On a somewhat related note, IAC chapter 78 is offering a $2000 scholarship for aerobatic training:
The Applicant should be a certified flight instructor (CFI) or be receiving flight instruction with the intention of becoming a CFI and be attending College or other post-secondary school. The successful applicant will have demonstrated that he or she has the basic flying skills and potential to benefit from and pass on lessons learned from this type of training.
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http://www.iac78.org/dys.html
 
Last November, I started a new job at a subsidiary of Pratt & Whitney. Turns out that under their employee scholarship program, a Part 141 training program qualifies for partial reimbursment. Unfortunately this doesn't apply to additional ratings beyond PP ASEL:incazzato:
 
A number of EAA chapters have scholarship programs but not full ride. WAI and the 99s both at the organization and chapter levels have scholarships. WAI gave out more than $900K this year, and some are very extensive...(translate - lots of money)
 
Nice! Hoping a very deserving (and motivated) student gets to take advantage of it, and fulfill a dream while starting a lifetime of adventure!
 
These are all great resources for our future aviators.

Does anyone know of any scholarship/grants for a pre-solo student? A friend of mine is pre-solo and trying to finance the rest of her training but is struggling a bit. If you have any links please share them.

Thanks! Also, good luck to those applying for scholarships!
 
Friend of mine is looking into setting up a 501(c) in the NJ area to provide HEAVILY discounted instruction to kids.

Part of the deal is they will have to help out with working on the planes (ie. learn an aditional skill) so he's looking for rustbucket 150s to have the students bring back to life. So if you know of any...
 
Skylane81E said:
Friend of mine is looking into setting up a 501(c) in the NJ area to provide HEAVILY discounted instruction to kids.

Part of the deal is they will have to help out with working on the planes (ie. learn an aditional skill) so he's looking for rustbucket 150s to have the students bring back to life. So if you know of any...
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How soon is he thinking he'll be started on it? I'm in Flemington currently and if I can do something to help out...PM me.
 
Donno just yet, he's still exploring just how possible the whole thing is.

Then there's the fact that most folks don't seem to realize that the 150 that they parked outside for 10+ years with a broken windsheild isn't worth 10 grand.
 
Skylane81E said:
Donno just yet, he's still exploring just how possible the whole thing is.

Then there's the fact that most folks don't seem to realize that the 150 that they parked outside for 10+ years with a broken windsheild isn't worth 10 grand.
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I know, it's worth 20 grand!
 
Skylane81E said:
Donno just yet, he's still exploring just how possible the whole thing is.

Then there's the fact that most folks don't seem to realize that the 150 that they parked outside for 10+ years with a broken windsheild isn't worth 10 grand.
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It might be after it gets some TLC from aviation addicted kids! (Present company included:D)
I'll try and reach out to the few folks I know anymore, one has at least one 150, and it couldn't hurt to see if he'd be interested should the opportunity arise...
 
If he get's his not-for-profit a tax write off might be possible too.
 
A & M announced the winner of the 2011 Grant at the Cavalcade, Joseph C. Lempa, a senior at Lyons Township (IL) High School.:
http://www.aandmaviation.com/grant.html

BTW, the Cavalcade blew away previous attendance records, with an estimated 15,000 people attending the two day event. (Okay, some of those may have been counted twice because they attended both days! :))
 
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jasc15 said:
Last November, I started a new job at a subsidiary of Pratt & Whitney. Turns out that under their employee scholarship program, a Part 141 training program qualifies for partial reimbursment. Unfortunately this doesn't apply to additional ratings beyond PP ASEL:incazzato:
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So? You just get the flight school to bill your next rating As PP, or file for a lost license (gets you a Temp and resets the date) get them issue you a billing statement for PP, submit the bill, get the reimbursement and take that to the flight school for the next rating.
 
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acropilot said:
These are all great resources for our future aviators.

Does anyone know of any scholarship/grants for a pre-solo student? A friend of mine is pre-solo and trying to finance the rest of her training but is struggling a bit. If you have any links please share them.

Thanks! Also, good luck to those applying for scholarships!
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Tell her to contact the 99s - though often for advanced ratings beyond the private pilot level, they sometimes do offer "basic training" scholarships. She will need to have passed the written already, and own at least a third class medical student pilot certificate first however.
 
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