Two new mechanic's scholarships offered

Two scholarships worth $3,000 each will be awarded to high-achieving individuals who are pursuing their next level of maintenance education.

The awards have been named after Rob Louviaux, who served as the lead mechanic on the 2019-2020 polar circumnavigation flight around the world on a 1983 Gulfstream Twin Commander 900 dubbed Citizen of the World. Pilot and circumnavigator Robert DeLaurentis said, “I traveled to 6 continents, 22 countries and 2 poles. Rob was always available to me by phone or text. When I was stuck at a remote airstrip in Sweden, Rob was talking and texting me wiring diagrams. He directed me to various fuses and connections in different parts of the plane. Eventually working together, we diagnosed a bad starter generator, and we were able to get it replaced.  Knowing he was there for me helped boost my confidence to go out into the world and take chances to connect humanity.”

The foundation stated that the purpose of the scholarships is to “encourage deeper learning, shared accountability and better overall communication between pilots and their mechanics” through diagnosing the heart of the problem rather than simply replacing a part.

“Mechanics today are being trained to do part replacement rather than diagnosing the issues on a deeper level and understanding what’s really going on,” stated the foundation. “This method of diagnosing issues costs pilots and the industry hundreds of thousands of dollars more making aviation more expensive and less accessible to aspiring pilots.”

Individuals interested in applying for the scholarship must submit a typed statement that includes the following information:

• Career goals.
• Career plans.
• Your work experience.
• Your aviation achievements.
• Details about your leadership ability and initiative.
• Your other interests and accomplishments.

Applicants must also include two typed letters of recommendation not from family members; official, unopened school transcripts reflecting a minimum GPA of 3.0; current mailing address; school email address; and a telephone number.

Applications are due April 30, and details on how to submit are online. Scholarship winners will be notified by July 1. Questions should be directed to DeLaurentis by email.