On March 2, 2022, Rosie Rivera, 18, a member of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 in Leesburg, Florida, earned her private pilot certificate and can now enjoy the wonders of flight on her own.
After completing her oral exam and her hour-long check ride with an FAA examiner (always a tense time for new pilots) they headed for home. Upon landing back at Leesburg International Airport (KLEE), she was informed that she completed the test successfully and was granted her certificate.
The Ray Aviation Scholarship provides $10,000 for the cost of flight instruction. The Ray Scholarship fund awards 100 of these scholarships each year to be given to a deserving young person through selected EAA chapters. Rosie’s award represents the third consecutive year EAA Chapter 534 has been able to award this scholarship.
The chapter was just recently given the opportunity to award a fourth $10,000 scholarship. The new candidate has not been selected yet.
On March 5, EAA Chapter 534 held a lunch in its hangar at the airport to celebrate Rosie’s accomplishment. More than 40 of the chapter’s members turned out.
At noon all building activity came to a halt, the recently sold Zenith 701 was pushed out of the hangar, tables and chairs were set up, the grill was hauled outside, and a barbeque commenced.
Before everybody sat down, Gretchen Crecelius, scholarship coordinator, introduced the other Ray Scholarship winners who are now certificated pilots, Mateo Colmenero and William McCarthy. She mentioned that they were both now working on their instrument ratings. She then introduced Rosie to the crowd and talked about the scholarship program and how it will affect the future of these young people.
This was followed by a speech from Rosie who expressed her thanks to the chapter members who worked with her and encouraged her to pursue her dream of flight. Her ultimate goal is to become a missionary pilot. She will soon begin instruction for a seaplane rating, for which she has also won a scholarship from the Seaplane Pilots Association, and begin studying for her instrument rating.
She has spent three years in the chapter’s aviation youth program, Squadron 534, learning how to build and repair airplanes, practicing basic flying skills on one of the two simulators, and participating in ground school classes with other squadron members. She has had many opportunities to fly with Young Eagles and adult members of the chapter, as well as others.