Plane raffle to benefit future pilots

AKRON, Ohio — The East Central Ohio Pilots Association (ECOPA) has launched its largest fundraising effort to date, raffling off a 1967 Cessna 150H.

Proceeds from the raffle will go towards the association’s Education and Safety Foundation, a non-profit that provides training scholarships to future pilots.

“Not only are you getting a chance to win a pristine aircraft, but your donation is extremely important to furthering our ambitions to expand our annual scholarship and safety and education outreach programs,” said Ron Becker, ECOPA president. “Since our scholarship program began in 2013, we have changed the lives of over 40 recipients. During this same time frame, our Education and Safety Outreach Programs have educated over 1,000 pilots.”

“This fundraiser will give us the opportunity to further train young, aspiring pilots and provide valuable safety education to pilots in the region,” added Stephen Smith, an ECOPA board member.

Past scholarship recipients have gone on to fly for the United States Air Force, as well as private corporations.

“When an entire pilots association gets behind you, it really boosts your own belief in yourself,” said Griffin James, a 2016 scholarship recipient. “Since receiving the scholarship, I’ve earned my private, instrument, commercial, multiengine, flight instructor, CFI-Instrument, Instrument Ground Instructor, and Advanced Ground Instructor certifications while studying finance at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business.”

Raffle tickets will be sold exclusively online at ECOPAPilot.com. Those who buy a ticket will be entered to win one of five prizes, including the grand prize, the Cessna-150H. Other prizes include a $2,500 flight training scholarship, a Bose A20 headset with Bluetooth, a 10.5-inch iPad and Stratus 3 ADS-B receiver, and an Icom A-16 Radio with Bluetooth.

Tickets are $50 or five tickets for $200. No more than 4,000 tickets will be sold, according to organizers. Ticket sales will stop when 4,000 tickets have been sold or at 1 a.m. on April 4, 2020, whichever occurs first.