Figure 1 Foundation awards training scholarships

Andrea Gilvray of Hondo, Texas, will receive upset recovery/spin training and introduction to aerobatics from aerobatic champion Patty Wagstaff at her St. Augustine, Florida, flight school. Katy Cowley of Squamish, British Columbia, will receive a tailwheel endorsement.

“Anything that improves stick and rudder skills is OK with me,” Wagstaff said. The airline industry’s pilot shortage means an influx of newer pilots, “and the more skill they have, the better,” she said.

Figure 1 Foundation was established in 2016, according to co-founder Chris Olmsted. The foundation is funded by corporate donations and aims to provide basic and advanced flight training opportunities to pilots from around the world. The foundation also started a flying club at Santa Paula Airport and has awarded three flight training scholarships to student pilots, he said.

Figure 1 awards scholarships on a quarterly basis, Olmsted said. The foundation aims to assist people who seek a career in aviation with financial assistance to learn to fly, and to provide advanced training opportunities for certificated pilots. Scholarships include primary flight training; upset recovery and introduction to aerobatics; tailwheel endorsement; and aerobatic judge certification. The deadline to apply for the aerobatic judge certification is Sept. 30. For more information, visit the website.