� Q: I am nearly halfway through training for a private pilot certificate. I recently graduated from a local university with a bachelor of arts in education. I have been working full-time as a substitute teacher to fund my future goal: finding a career in aviation. Since many career pilots are required to go through extensive training at the university level or beyond, I wonder if there are similar scholarships for such programs, or any options to help pay for training. —Jack from West Virginia
� A: The question that has perplexed more than a few aspiring aviation professionals is simply, “How do I fund my education and training?”
What you will find is a scattering of scholarship resources mostly aimed at collegians. They have very strict guidelines and limitations such as a minimum grade-point average, membership in an organization, or attendance at a specific academic institution. Generally, competition is quite fierce for the few dollars available. As one example, the National Business Aviation Association offers more than $100,000 in scholarship awards annually (www.nbaa.org/prodev/scholarships).
The AOPA Foundation is a source of scholarships for flight students of any age or occupation. The foundation will award 25 scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $12,000 in 2015. The deadline to apply is August 9 and more information is available online (http://flighttraining.aopa.org/ftscholarship.html).
AOPA lists other scholarships from organizations such as the Experimental Aircraft Association and Women in Aviation International, online (www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources/Learn-to-Fly/aviation-scholarships). There is no source of direct funding that will grant an aspiring aviation professional tens of thousands of dollars to reach his goals. I suggest you mine the Internet for possibilities. Simply enter “flight training scholarship” in any search engine and start digging. There just may be something that will suit your needs, even if just a few thousand dollars.
Aviation is a professional career track. Just like medicine or law, it requires a substantial investment with very little up-front payback. Only after years in the business will a physician or lawyer recoup the investment. Until then, it’s long hours, low pay, and belt-tightening.
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