The Cascade Warbirds is now taking applications for its 2023 flight scholarship program.
Based in the Puget Sound area of Washington state, Cascade Warbirds is Squadron #2 of EAA Warbirds of America. The non-profit organization offers its scholarships annually, which pay for Private Pilot Ground School with Introductory Flights for local youth.
Cascade Warbirds has teamed with several flight schools in the Puget Sound area to provide scholarship recipients with tuition, books and supplies, and two introductory instructional flights.
The ground school portion includes classroom lectures, visual presentations, group discussions, practical exercises, and field trips over a period of approximately 55 hours. Classes generally meet two nights a week 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 qualifies a student to take the FAA Private Pilot Written Exam.
The scholarship also includes two instructional flights. The first flight will occur partway 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.
The scholarship, valued at $1,350, is available for students between the ages of 16 and 21.
To learn more and apply, go to CascadeWarbirds.org. The deadline to apply is March 17, 2023.
Recognizing the cost of flight training required for a pilot certificate, 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.