Sitting in a circle of mismatched chairs in a hangar on the Hagerstown Regional Airport in Maryland, the members of EAA Chapter 36 welcomed me in February 2020 as a pilot recently relocated to the area—and they introduced Aidan Bedwell, the chapter’s second winner of a $10,000 James Ray Foundation scholarship.
Ray Foundation Propels New Pilots into Aviation
Key Takeaways:
- The EAA's Ray Aviation Scholarship, supported by the James Ray Foundation, provides $10,000 scholarships to young people aged 15-19 to help them earn their private pilot certificates.
- Local EAA chapters are responsible for nominating candidates, often with involvement in the chapter being a key selection criterion.
- The scholarship program has seen significant success, awarding over $1 million annually since 2019 and helping 133 out of 276 recipients achieve pilot certification.
- EAA also offers a Matching Scholarship Fund to chapters that successfully mentor a Ray Scholar, encouraging further support for aspiring pilots.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
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