AOPA Awards Pilots Primary, Advanced Flight Training Scholarships

July 1, 2019
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FREDERICK, MD, June 27, 2019 – As part of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA’s) You Can Fly program to get more pilots flying and keep them flying, 23 scholarships have been awarded to student pilots and already certificated pilots to continue their primary and advanced flight training.

This brings the number of scholarships given through the AOPA Foundation in a single year to an all-time high of 123, totaling more than $1 million. On June 17, AOPA announced that 80 high school students and 20 teachers each earned $10,000 scholarships funded through a generous grant from the Ray Foundation to the AOPA Foundation (see scholarship winners here). “We are excited to offer scholarships to help members wherever they are in their training,” said Elizabeth Tennyson, executive director of AOPA’s You Can Fly program. The primary and advanced flight training scholarships were available to AOPA members. The primary scholarships, ranging from $2,500 to $7,000 can be applied toward private, sport, or recreational pilot certificates. The advanced rating scholarships, ranging from $3,000 to $10,000, allow AOPA members to apply the funds toward their instrument rating or commercial, flight instructor, flight instructor-instrument, or multiengine instructor certificates. This is the second year AOPA has offered advanced rating scholarships. The scholarships are made possible by donations to the AOPA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients!

AOPA Primary Flight Training Scholarship winners

  • Chloe Billman (TX)
  • Michael Brickey (SC)
  • Jessica Citrin (CT)
  • Melody Cosgrove (TN)
  • Emily Hogenson (TX)
  • Rachel Jones (TX)
  • Christopher Keys (TN)
  • Summerleigh Martin (AZ)
  • Sophie Perrella (FL)
  • Hannah Sadowski (PA)
  • Aaron Mitzel (TX)
  • Edward Seidman (MA)
  • Mason Spain (TX)
  • Kyle Spawn (MD)
  • Anders Walter (OR)

AOPA Advanced Rating Scholarship winners

  • Jaydon Ayache (AZ)
  • Nobi Buntin (HI)
  • Aurthur Chu (IL)
  • Alexandra Ferullo (TX)
  • Sonia Jimenez (CA)
  • Jack Maechtle (IL)
  • Mindy Nye (OR)
  • Kyle Orangio (FL)

Read AOPA’s story.

About AOPA

 Since 1939, AOPA has protected the freedom to fly for thousands of pilots, aircraft owners and aviation enthusiasts. AOPA is the world’s largest aviation member association. With representatives based in Frederick, Md., Washington, D.C., and seven regions across the United States, AOPA provides member services that range from advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels to legal services, flight planning products, safety programs and award-winning media. To learn more, visit www.aopa.org

U.S. Air Force photo by Giancarlo Casem