Scholarships Target Aviation Gender Gap

The I Hart Flying Foundation awarded $35,000 toward the flight training costs of five aspiring female pilots.

Friday, September 30, 2022 at 03:06 PM ET

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Hannah Rust is one of five aspiring female pilots who received the Industry Connect scholarship. [Courtesy: I Hart Flying Foundation]

Key Takeaways:

The I Hart Flying Foundation awarded Industry Connect scholarships to five women, aiming to close the gender gap in aviation by addressing financial barriers.
The scholarships provide $2,500 to $5,000 in flight training funds, plus over $3,000 in in-kind donations and mentorship, supporting women of all ages.
Five aspiring female pilots were selected from 160 applicants for their merit, character, and determination to pursue aviation careers.
Since 2017, the foundation has awarded over $150,000 in funding and resources to 26 scholars, empowering women in the aviation industry.

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Five women got a little closer to reaching their aviation goals this week, thanks to the Industry Connect scholarship made possible by the I Hart Flying Foundation. The foundation announced the scholarship opportunity during EAA AirVenture held July 25 through 31 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A four-week application process followed, and, at the end of it, five women were selected as the Class of 2022 Hart Scholars.

The purpose of the scholarship organization is to help close the gender gap in aviation—less than 10 percent of the pilots in the world are female. Finances are often the largest barrier a fledgling pilot faces. The scholarships, which range from $2,500 to $5,000 in the form of flight training funds, help the women student pilots overcome the obstacles.