Industry Scholarships

Aug. 14, 2008
Where to go to get the money for furthering your career

One of the main factors holding us back is the money to try something new, go somewhere we haven’t been, or perfect a skill. So here are some of the scholarships available from industry associations that can help you in your career advancement. And this is just a start to get you looking, there are other resources to draw from.

Aircraft Electronics Association

  • Johnny Davis Memorial $1,000 Scholarship. Named in memory of Johnny Davis, president of Dallas Avionics, Dallas, TX. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Lowell Gaylor Memorial $1,000 Scholarship. Named in memory of Lowell Gaylor, president of AvEL Co., Dallas, TX. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Bud Glover Memorial $1,000 Scholarship. Named in memory of Bud Glover, former vice president of general aviation sales for Bendix/King. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • David Arver Memorial $1,000 Scholarship. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Chuck Peacock Memorial $1,000 Scholarship. This scholarship is offered to recognize the importance of management skills and is available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an aviation management program.
  • Thomas J. Slocum Memorial Scholarships to Westwood College of Aviation Technology (three at $6,000 each). Available to students who plan to attend Westwood College of Aviation Technology in Broomfield, CO, in the avionics program. These scholarships are for tuition only. All other costs (tools, fees, room, and board) will be the responsibility of the student. The applicant may not be currently enrolled at Westwood College of Aviation Technology.
  • Given by Pacific Southwest Instruments, the $2,500 Lee Tarbox Memorial Scholarship is available to high school seniors or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Leon Harris/Les Nichols Memorial Scholarship to Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology (more than $35,000). Available to students who plan to pursue an Associate’s Degree in applied science in aviation electronics (avionics) at Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology campus in Tulsa, OK. The award will cover all tuition expenses for eight quarters or until the recipient completes an Associate’s Degree, whichever comes first. All other costs will be the responsibility of the student.
  • Tom Taylor Memorial Scholarship to Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology (more than $35,000). To be awarded to an individual desiring to pursue an Associate’s Degree in applied science or a diploma in aviation maintenance Technology (AMT) at Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology’s campus in Tulsa, OK. The award will cover all tuition expenses for eight quarters, or until the recipient completes the program, whichever comes first. All other costs will be the responsibility of the student. The applicant may not be currently enrolled in the AMT program at Spartan.
  • Named in memory of Kei Takemoto, this $500 scholarship is available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Named in memory of Don C. Hawkins, this $1,000 scholarship is available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Sponsored by AOPA this $2,000 award is available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Garmin $2,000 Scholarship. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Plane & Pilot Magazine/Garmin $2,000 Scholarship. Available to high school, college or vocational/technical school students who plan to or are attending an accredited vocational/technical school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Honeywell Avionics $1,000 Scholarship. Available to high school, college, or vocational/technical school students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • L-3 Avionics Systems $2,500 Scholarship. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Sporty’s Pilot Shop/Cincinnati $2,000 Avionics Scholarship. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Field Aviation Co. Inc. $1,000 Scholarship. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited college/university in an avionics or aircraft repair program. The educational institution must be located in Canada.
  • Mid-Continent Instrument $1,000 Scholarship. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Dutch and Ginger Arver $1,000 Scholarship. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Rockwell Collins $1,000 Scholarship.Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Texas State Technical College $1,000 Scholarships. The intent of these 10 scholarships is for attendance at Texas State Technical College in Waco, TX, for enrollment in the avionics program. The scholarships will be awarded to individuals wanting to pursue an associate degree in avionics. Applicants cannot be currently enrolled in the avionics program at TSTC.
  • Duncan Aviation $1,000 Scholarship.Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Southeast Aerospace Inc. $1,000 Scholarship. Available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program.
  • Monte R. Mitchell Global $1,000 Scholarship. Sponsored by Mid-Continent Instruments Co., this scholarship is named in honor of retired AEA president, Monte Mitchell. The scholarship is available to a European student pursuing a degree in aviation maintenance technology, avionics or aircraft repair at an accredited school located in Europe or the United States.
    For more information visit www.aea.net.

AMTSociety
Two AMTScholarship awards from AMTSociety will be presented each year. They are named after individuals who have spent their professional careers promoting and advancing the skilled craft of the AMT:

  • The Charles E. Taylor Award $1,500
  • The William F. “Bill” O’Brien $1,000

Deadline is Dec. 15 of each year. Details can be found on the AMTSociety website www.AMTSociety.org under Scholarships.

Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance
Scholarships for 2009 aren’t available on the website. Last year’s scholarships included Abaris Training, CAE SimuFlite, FlightSafety Principles of Troubleshooting, Girard AMT School Scholarship, Helping Hand from Rice Family, Horizon Air Technical Training, jetBlue Maintenance Scholarships, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, Pratt & Whitney, and Southwest Airlines Maintenance Training Scholarships. All applications must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2008. More details should be available soon at www.awam.org.

Helicopter Association International

  • Helicopter Foundation International (HFI) is offering five Bill Sanderson Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) scholarships. Each of the winners will have a choice of one of the following courses made available by helicopter airframe and engine manufacturers.
  • Agusta Aerospace Corporation (A109 series)
  • Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (any model)
  • Eurocopter (all current models except Super Puma)
  • MD Helicopters (500/600/900 series)
  • Pratt & Whitney Canada Inc. (PT6T, PT6B-36/37 or PW-206 engines)
  • Rolls Royce (250 series engine – any model)
  • Schweizer (269C-C-1, 300C/300CB) (10-day course)
  • Turbomeca (Arriel 1&2 series and Arrius 2 series engines)

In addition, the first place winner will be awarded $1,600 from HFI to defray expenses. Those finishing second, third, fourth, and fifth place will receive $1,150, $850, $750, and $650, respectively.

  • The HFI is sponsoring six $2,500 scholarships for helicopter maintenance technicians.
  • Michelle North Scholarship for Safety. This scholarship consists of full tuition plus travel expenses, not to exceed $3,000, to HFI’s Safety Management Course offered at HAI’s annual HELI-EXPO. Deadline for this scholarship is Oct. 1, 2008.

Other HFI applications must be postmarked no later than Nov. 15, 2008. The winners will be announced prior to Helicopter Association International’s Technical Committee meeting held in conjunction with HELI-EXPO 2009, Feb. 22-24, in Anaheim, CA. For more information visit www.rotor.com.

National Air Transportation Association

  • NATF – the research and educational arm of the National Air Transportation Association – established the Pioneers of Flight Scholarship Program in 1989 to offer financial assistance and encouragement to young people in the pursuit of academic excellence. The $1,000 scholarships are for one year of full-time study. Two awards will be granted each year. Awards are given for undergraduate study only. Scholarship recipients may be offered internship opportunities.
  • The annual NATA Business Scholarship Award in the amount of $2,500 is to be used for continuing education for employees of NATA member companies. All applicable studies should be directly related to furthering the skills applicable to working at an FBO, charter company maintenance facility, or flight school. Applicable training includes any aviation maintenance program under the aegis of Part 147 or 65; any pilot certificate or rating under Part 61 or 141; and any aviation-related two-year, four-year or graduate degree program at an accredited college or university.

For more information visit www.nata.aero.

National Business Aviation Association

  • The NORDAM Dee Howard/Etienne Fage Scholarship was created by The NORDAM Group to honor the lifetime achievements of two aerospace engineering pioneers, Dee Howard and Etienne Fage, and administered by NBAA. This annual scholarship, worth $2,500, will be awarded to an undergraduate who is officially enrolled full-time as an aerospace engineering or aeronautical systems maintenance engineering major at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Applications are due Aug. 1.
  • The William M. Fanning Maintenance Scholarship is named in honor of retired NBAA staff member William M. Fanning, who was active in maintenance issues during his nearly 20-year tenure at the association. NBAA annually awards $5,000 to two applicants pursuing careers as maintenance technicians. One award will benefit a student who currently is enrolled in an accredited airframe & powerplant (A&P) program at an approved FAR Part 147 school. The second award will benefit an individual who currently is not enrolled but has been accepted for enrollment in an A&P program. See application form for details.Aug. 1 deadline.
  • NBAA offers the Maintenance Technical Reward and Career Scholarship (Maintenance TRACS), which offers current and aspiring maintenance technicians the opportunity to receive initial technician training courses for several aircraft models. Maintenance TRACS also provides scholarship courses for aircraft, engines avionics, and professional development. Recipients must complete all professional/educational training and redeem the award within one year. Recipients also are responsible for costs associated with the scholarship, such as travel and lodging expenses, unless otherwise noted.

For more information visit www.nbaa.org/public/education/scholarships.

Women in Aviation International

  • Delta Air Lines will award a $5,000 scholarship to a student currently enrolled in a baccalaureate degree in aerospace/aeronautical, electrical, or mechanical engineering. In addition to the $5,000 scholarship, the recipient will receive a trip to the 20th annual conference (includes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, and conference fee). Applicants must be full-time students at the junior or senior level with a minimum of two semesters (as of March 2009), with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens.
  • FedEx Express will award a $2,000 scholarship to a woman who wishes to advance her career in the commercial aviation industry. The scholarship will be awarded for further education specifically in the fields of aircraft maintenance, engineering, aviation management, or any other aviation technical related field. This award is to be used for educational purposes only and may not be applied toward flight hours. Qualified applicants should have completed at least three years of undergraduate level education at an accredited college or university, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). The funds will be directly deposited into the academic institution in which applicant is enrolled.
  • If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It” $500 Scholarship. Nicole Cagnolatti, A&P/pilot, has been the recipient of several WAI scholarships. Now she wants to personally contribute to the WAI Scholarships (for the third year) by offering other aviation dreamers the opportunity to pursue their dream. Applicants must use funds within one year of acceptance.
  • Delta Air Lines will award a $5,000 scholarship to a student currently enrolled in an aviation maintenance technician program (A&P) or a degree in aviation maintenance technology. In addition to the $5,000 scholarship, the recipient will receive a trip to the annual conference (includes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, and conference fee).
  • Delta Air Lines would like to extend a 2009 Summer Internship (13 weeks) opportunity to a student currently enrolled in a baccalaureate degree in aerospace/aeronautical, mechanical or industrial engineering. In addition to an internship position, the recipient will receive a trip to the annual conference (includes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, and conference fee). Applicants must be full-time students at the junior or senior level with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale). Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Lodging accommodations will be provided for the duration of the 15 weeks.The primary role of the intern is to participate in and lead projects in support of engine maintenance production. (Internship value $10,159 -$10,681 including salary, lodging, and conference)
  • Pratt & Whitney will award six maintenance scholarships to individuals pursuing careers in aviation maintenance. Winners will have the option to attend any one of the maintenance courses offered by Pratt & Whitney or Pratt & Whitney Canada, such as System Familiarization, Line and Base Maintenance, and Borescope Inspection Procedures on JT8D, JT9D, PW2000, PW4000, PT6, or PW100 engines. Housing is also included for the duration of training. (Scholarship value $800 - $3,200 each depending on course taken.)
  • Delta Air Lines will award a $5,000 scholarship to a student currently enrolled in an associate or baccalaureate degree in aviation maintenance management or aviation business management. In addition to the $5,000 scholarship, the recipient will receive a trip to the annual conference (includes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, and conference fee). Applicants must be full-time college students, with a minimum of two semesters left (as of February 2009), with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. (Scholarship value $6,000.)

For more information visit www.wai.org.