The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association application\nwindow to apply for 2021 AOPA Flight Training Scholarships opened on Dec. 1,\n2020, and will remain open until Sunday, February 14 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). AOPA members are invited to apply for primary\nand advanced flight training scholarships. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last year, 124 scholarships totaling more than $1 million\nwere awarded, and with the help of generous donations to the AOPA Foundation,\nAOPA has awarded more than $2.5 million in scholarship funding to 345 aspiring\nand enduring pilots over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAOPA\u2019s mission is to protect your freedom to fly, and these\nscholarships bring this vision alive by opening the sky to more people with\nthat passion,\u201d said Elizabeth Tennyson, executive director of AOPA\u2019s You Can\nFly program. \u201cThese scholarships help current and future aviators at all points\nof the flying spectrum, especially for those from segments who may not have\nseen a path to the cockpit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With different goals for different aviators \u2013 and those\naspiring to become pilots \u2013 AOPA is offering flight training scholarships in\nseveral categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AOPA HIGH SCHOOL FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to the generosity of the Ray Foundation, a number of\nexceptional high school students, ages 15 to 18, will receive flight training\nscholarships in 2021. In 2020, 80 students were awarded $10,000 each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur recent You Can Fly High School Symposium reaffirmed how\nexciting flying can be for a student,\u201d added Tennyson. \u201cSome past scholarship\nrecipients mentioned how thrilling it was to have a pilot\u2019s license, while\neveryone else was \u2018only\u2019 driving.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scholarship recipients will be able to use the money for\ndirect flight training expenses to pursue a primary pilot certificate, such as\na private, sport, or recreational pilot certificate. They must also complete a\nflight training milestone: achieving either a solo flight or earning a primary\npilot certificate within one year of receiving a scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The overall milestone success rate for scholarship winners\nstands at an impressive 87 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Click here<\/a> for eligibility requirements and frequently asked questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure your AOPA membership is current. Not a member? Take advantage of a free AOPA AV8RS<\/a> or free 6-month student pilot membership<\/a> options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few things you\u2019ll need to have handy when completing your\napplication:<\/p>\n\n\n\n AOPA TEACHER FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To complement our support of student-learners, and thanks to\nthe generosity of the Ray Foundation, a number of teachers will be awarded\nscholarships to pursue a primary pilot certificate (private, sport, or\nrecreational pilot).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2020, 20 teachers each received a $10,000 scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be eligible, a teacher must be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n AOPA PRIMARY FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These scholarships, ranging in awards from $2,500 to $7,500,\nare open to current AOPA members who are at least 16 years of age by the\napplication deadline. The scholarship award can be applied to training for a\nprivate pilot, sport pilot, or recreational pilot certificate. As with the\nother AOPA Flight Training scholarships, these are funded by generous donations\nto the AOPA Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Click here<\/a> for eligibility requirements and frequently asked questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re not an AOPA member, take advantage of a free 6-month student pilot membership<\/a> or click here to review membership options<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AOPA ADVANCED RATING SCHOLARSHIP<\/p>\n\n\n\n For those accomplished pilots who may have dreams of making\naviation a career, the AOPA Foundation will award various scholarships, ranging\nfrom $3,000 to $10,000, to AOPA members seeking one of the following ratings or\ncertificates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSeeing a new pilot, or someone who advances on their\njourney, is what makes our You Can Fly team burst with pride,\u201d added\nTennyson. \u201cWe do recommend that those\ninteresting in applying to start their process as soon as possible. February\nwill be here before we know it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n