AOPA Air Safety Foundation announces winners of year 2000 McAllister and Burnside scholarships

AOPA Air Safety Foundation announces winners of year 2000 McAllister and Burnside scholarships

Two university students have each won a $1,000 scholarship administered by the AOPA Air Safety Foundation and the University Aviation Association.

The 2000 McAllister Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Julie Ann Murray of Channahon, Illinois. Murray is a senior majoring in aviation administration at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois.

The Burnside Memorial Scholarship for 2000 was awarded to William K. Roe of Port Orange, Florida, a senior majoring in aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Daytona Beach.

Scholarship contestants were college juniors or seniors pursuing a degree in aviation and maintaining a grade point average of 3.25 or better on a 4.0 scale. Applicants submitted an essay addressing the topic, "What one item could be changed to improve student pilot training?" (for the McAllister Scholarship) and "How should the Air Safety Foundation educate pilots on avoiding VFR flight into instrument conditions?" (for the Burnside Scholarship).

In her essay, Murray said that increasing safety awareness is the key to improving student pilot training. "Safety can be influenced in three ways: improved training in emergency procedures, spin recovery using approved aircraft, and radio communications in controlled airspace," Murray wrote.

A 230-hour private pilot, Murray plans to pursue a career in aviation administration.

Roe's essay focused on "creating awareness and developing effective weather prediction methods" as a way of avoiding VFR flight into instrument conditions.

Roe believes that more attention needs to be given to recognizing marginal VFR conditions. "Marginal VFR is more problematic than solid IMC; visibility is often unknown, and the probability of losing horizontal reference is likely," Roe wrote.

With about 340 flight hours and an instrument rating, Roe is currently working on his commercial pilot certificate. He plans to pursue the MBA program at Embry-Riddle after graduation.

The McAllister Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1979 by friends of Eugene and Dorothy McAllister, enthusiastic pilots who devoted much of their lives to pilot training. The Donald Burnside Memorial Scholarship honors the aviation pioneer and co-founder of the Burnside-Ott Flight School in Florida.

Applications for next year's McAllister and Burnside Scholarships can be downloaded from AOPA Online or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Scholarship, AOPA Air Safety Foundation, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, MD 21701. Applications must be received by March 31, 2001.

The nonprofit AOPA Air Safety Foundation produces educational materials and conducts courses for continuing pilot education nationwide. The majority of ASF funding comes from individual pilots' tax-deductible donations.

The Air Safety Foundation is celebrating its fiftieth year of providing safety education and research to the general aviation community.

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September 15, 2000