Multiple scholarship windows open

September 14, 2021 By David Tulis

Women in Aviation International (WAI), Sporty’s Flight Crew, Lightspeed Aviation, and the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals are continuing their commitment to grow the aerospace and aviation community through a multitude of scholarships.

Lightspeed Aviation President Allan Schrader with 2020 Ray Foundation scholar Hobie Lippold. Photo courtesy of Lightspeed Aviation.

WAI offers 101 fall scholarships topping $480,000

The deadline for 101 WAI fall scholarships totaling $487,005 to further members' interests in aerospace and aviation is October 12. The group has awarded more than $14.5 million since 1995.

The support of a $250,000 grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and $6,000 pledged by the WAI recognized 48 recipients in July who were awarded a total of $256,000 during the spring scholarship program.

Sporty’s Flight Crew Scholarship awarded

In August, commercial pilot Isaac Love-Jackson of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was awarded a $2,500 Sporty’s Flight Crew Scholarship by Sporty’s Academy Chief Instructor Eric Radtke. Love-Jackson is pursuing a professional pilot career, and he intends to use part of the scholarship to pay for his flight instructor certificate. He recognized his Wisconsin Aviation instructor Marco Van Viegen as a mentor who guided him “all the way” from his private through commercial certificates at Truax Field in Madison.

“Isaac just really got after his training and took a lot of initiative,” said Wisconsin Aviation Flight School Coordinator Lisa Braun. “He was just an incredible student and his instructor bragged about him all the time. He’s going to be an excellent instructor.”

Sharing aviation with others “is awesome,” Love-Jackson said in a video acknowledging the award. “I just love giving younger people rides.”

Lightspeed Aviation, EAA celebrate $3.4 million in scholarships

Headset manufacturer Lightspeed Aviation and the Experimental Aircraft Association acknowledged the awarding of 276 scholarships totaling $3.4 million to flight school students since the program began in 2019. Each scholarship is valued at $10,000 and is dispersed through EAA’s Ray Aviation Scholarship fund.

The Lightspeed Aviation Foundation recognizes young aviators for their achievements by awarding a Lightspeed Zulu 3 headset to scholarship recipients who have completed specific flight training milestones. To date, 177 scholars are using Zulu 3 headsets, the company announced during EAA AirVenture.

OBAP tech scholarship available

OBAP, a group dedicated to increasing diversity in the aviation and aerospace industry, is making a $20,000 aircraft maintenance scholarship available to a member pursuing an A&P certificate. Training will occur at Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and the application deadline is September 25. OBAP has awarded $5.8 million in scholarships to 470 diverse recipients since the group was founded in 1976.

David Tulis

Senior Photographer

Senior Photographer David Tulis joined AOPA in 2015 and is a private pilot with single-engine land and sea ratings and a tailwheel endorsement. He is also a certificated remote pilot and co-host of the award-wining AOPA Hangar Talk podcast. David enjoys vintage aircraft and photography.

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Topics: Scholarship, Experimental Aircraft Association, Women in Aviation International