Cascade Warbirds, an organization that promotes the restoration, preservation, operation, and public display of historically significant military aircraft, is offering scholarships for private pilot ground school with introductory flights to inspire today’s young people to become the aviation pioneers of tomorrow.
Cascade Warbirds has teamed with several flight schools in Washington State’s Puget Sound area to provide scholarship recipients with tuition, books and supplies, and two introductory instructional flights.
The ground school portion comprises classroom lectures, visual presentations, group discussions, practical exercises, and field trips over a period of approximately 55 hours. Classes generally meet two week nights for two and a half hours and one Saturday a week for four hours over a period of six weeks. Successful completion of the ground school will qualify a student to take the FAA Private Pilot Written Exam.
This award also includes two instructional flights in a light aircraft, the make and model of which will be matched to the student. The first flight will occur part way through the ground school, based on the instructor’s recommendation, and the second flight will occur after the successful completion of the ground school course. These two flights will be logged in the student’s logbook and count toward the minimum flight time required to earn a private pilot certificate.
This scholarship is available for students between the ages of 16 and 21 at the time of award. This scholarship is valued at $1,350.
Recognizing the cost of the flight training, the scholarship program offers an additional $2,500 Continuing Aviation Education Grant to one scholarship recipient who intends to earn their FAA private pilot certificate within the following year. Applicants must complete the ground school course, both introductory flights, and submit an essay by Sept. 30 of the scholarship year. Funds are released to the winner of the best essay in stages as the recipient completes training milestones: $1,000 after completing their first solo flight, $1,000 after completing their long solo cross-country, and $500 after earning the private pilot certificate.
Deadline to apply is Feb. 28. 2021. The application is at CascadeWarbirds.org/Youth.
Cascade Warbirds is Squadron #2 of EAA Warbirds of America. It is the largest squadron with more than 250 members. Its mission is to promote and encourage the flying, preservation, and display of warbird aircraft, honor veterans, and engage in aviation education.