MD Helicopters Award Transition Training Scholarship to Embry-Riddle Student
Mesa, Ariz., Nov. 11, 2021 - MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) is excited to announce that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Campus student Brandon Hutchins was selected as the 2021 recipient of the MD 500 Transition Training Scholarship. Hutchins received a training opportunity valued at approximately $12,000.
The MD 500 Transition Training Scholarship was developed to support the next generation of rotorcraft pilots. Over the scholarship’s 10-year history, MD Helicopters has awarded more than two-hundred thousand dollars in training opportunities to 12 students.
An industry favorite, the MD 500 is an advanced, turbine-powered helicopter that delivers the highest speed, payload, and productivity in its class. To be qualified to fly, student pilots attend a week-long, one-on-one training course held at MD Helicopters’ headquarters and production facility in Mesa, Arizona. In addition to learning how to operate the aircraft, students learn integral helicopter systems and important emergency procedures.
"I am very thankful to MD Helicopters and Embry-Riddle for making this scholarship available to student pilots,” said Brandon Hutchins. “This opportunity for specialized training in one of the industry’s best and most recognizable helicopters will allow me to further both my education and my career in aviation.”
In addition to a current or impending Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) rating, the scholarship applicants are required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0, have a first or second class FAA-medical certificate, and submit two letters of recommendation and a video essay explaining how MD Transition Training would help launch their career.
Applications for the 2022 scholarship year will open after the Thanksgiving holiday, with a winner selected by February and announced at Heli-Expo 2022 in Dallas, Texas. ERAU students are encouraged to apply directly through Embry Riddle.
