The Lightspeed Aviation Foundation named 15 aviation charities as finalists in the 2014 Pilot's Choice Awards program April 2 at Sun 'n Fun.
The foundation distributes grants to aviation organizations dedicated to growing the pilot community or using aviation to serve others. Finalists in 2014 comprise the Academy of Model Aeronautics, Agape Flights, Angel Flight West, the Civil Air Patrol, the Flying Doctors, Mission Aviation Fellowship, Missionary Flights International, New Tribes Mission, The Ninety-Nines, Patient AirLift Services, Pilots N Paws, Sun 'n Fun, Think Global Flight, Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum, and Whirly Girls International; they will receive awards of up to $10,000 based on online voting on the foundation website.
“The Pilot's Choice Awards promotes engagement and awareness for our finalists to pilots and their constituents affected by general aviation,” said Lightspeed Aviation President Allan Schrader in a media release. “By encouraging outreach by our finalists, we have witnessed hundreds of thousands of lives touched through aviation. We're excited about the impact each of these organizations are having in their areas of service.”
Vote ranking will be posted regularly on the Lightspeed Aviation Foundation Facebook page, the foundation said, and the final awards will be announced in November. The organization distributed $60,000 in grants in 2013, to 10 charities that included 2014 nominees Angel Flight West, the Civil Air Patrol, Mission Aviation Fellowship, Missionary Flights International, New Tribes Mission, The Ninety-Nines, and Pilots N Paws.
