Hayward Air Rally to award EAA Air Academy scholarships

The scholarships are open to students between the ages of 16 and 18, and will cover the cost of tuition as well as round-trip commercial air transportation to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the summer 2020 camp. There are no residency restrictions on scholarship applicants. Over the past 11 years, the rally has sent more than 25 students to this unique aviation summer camp.

Conceived by the mayor of Hayward, California, in 1964, the Hayward Air Rally was started to enhance general aviation safety by encouraging pilot proficiency in basic flight planning, navigation, and fuel management techniques. The annual event is staged by the Hayward Air Rally, Inc., a not-for-profit California public benefit corporation with IRS 501(c)(3) charitable organization status. The event is not a race; crews fly against their own planned time and fuel consumption; every second, and fraction of a gallon, higher or lower than what they planned will accrue penalty points.

The EAA Air Academy is a unique summer camp that elevates young people's’ interest in aviation to the next level. Participants spend a week at the Air Academy Lodge in Oshkosh. The camp immerses participants in aviation and provides the foundation for a lifelong love of flight, as well as the chance to create friendships with fellow aviation enthusiasts, said Mike Citro, a Hayward Air Rally volunteer. The 2020 Advanced Air Academy will take place July 24 through August 1.

Scholarship recipients will be selected through a competitive screening process. Completed written application, including essay and references, are due to the Hayward Air Rally by February 1, 2020. Winners will be selected after evaluation of application materials and appropriate follow-up by rally volunteers. The scholarship application and instructions be downloaded from the Hayward Air Rally website; and winners will be selected by March 1.

The fifty-sixth annual Hayward Air Rally, scheduled for October 1 through 4, will depart Hayward Executive Airport in Hayward, California, and participants will make their way to Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport in Bullhead City, Arizona. The event emphasizes traditional flight planning and pilotage skills, and scoring is like golf—the lowest number wins. To learn more about the event, read “Racing Against the Plan” (September 2017 AOPA Pilot) by AOPA Pilot Technical Editor Mike Collins, who tagged along on the 2017 rally.

More details and registration information for the 2020 Hayward Air Rally are available on the website.