NAAA ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarship Program Spreads the Wealth
Up to five scholarships, $22,500 in training money available under new scholarship program
NAAA is pleased to announce its scholarship program has expanded and will now award up to five flight training scholarships a year under the new NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program. Thanks to the generous support of BASF, GE Aviation and Thrush Aircraft, the proceeds available to assist aspiring ag pilots in their training have tripled from $7,500 to $22,500 in scholarship funds.
The new scholarship program builds upon the Agricultural Aviation Scholarship NAAA and BASF awarded since 2010 and will be administered under similar terms and conditions. The “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship developed after GE Aviation and Thrush offered $15,000 in additional scholarship funds to NAAA. Since NAAA and BASF already offered a scholarship to develop new ag pilots, NAAA approached BASF about partnering with GE and Thrush. BASF welcomed the expansion to further benefit the industry and agreed to team up to sponsor the new “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program.
With its goal of helping NAAA Operators bring new pilots into the aerial application industry, “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” is a win-win for NAAA Operator members and ag pilots of the next generation. Aspiring agricultural pilots now have three more opportunities to earn scholarship funds to support their training and development. NAAA will award up to four scholarships valued at $5,000 and one scholarship valued at $2,500 each year. The deadline to apply for this year’s scholarships is Aug. 31. NAAA will award the recipients of the 2017 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarships in December at the Ag Aviation Expo in Savannah, Ga.
Anyone interested in applying for the scholarship may do so on two conditions: 1) Applicants must be sponsored by an NAAA Operator member, and 2) scholarship recipients must use the proceeds for flight training or aviation-related coursework at a university, college, community college or other institution of higher learning.
“The partnership between BASF, GE Aviation and Thrush on the ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarship means a great deal to the National Agricultural Aviation Association, but it will mean even more to the industry,” NAAA Executive Director Andrew Moore said. “This scholarship will help sustain the aerial application industry by bringing in new pilots while also enhancing education and professionalism.”
“It’s about supporting aspiring aerial applicators today who will make improvements to the industry tomorrow,” said John Sabatka, BASF’s Northern Corn Belt IS Manager. “We want to ensure that our aerial applicators are knowledgeable, efficient and safe in the skies, especially with today’s rapid technical advancements.”
“GE Aviation is a strong supporter of NAAA’s mission to help small businesses and pilots aid farmers in producing a safe, affordable and abundant supply of food, fiber and biofuel, in addition protecting forestry and controlling health-threatening pests,” said Norman Baker, president and managing executive of GE Aviation Czech, GE’s Business & General Aviation Turboprops. “We’re honored to partner with NAAA, Thrush and BASF to offer $5,000 scholarships to strengthen that mission by incentivizing more pilots to enter this vital industry in the years to come.”
How to Apply
NAAA is now accepting applications for the 2017 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program. To be considered for a 2017 scholarship, along with completing the two-part application, every applicant must submit:
▪ A letter of recommendation from the NAAA Operator member sponsoring the applicant.
▪ An essay of 250 words or less explaining why you want to pursue a career in agricultural aviation and how you would use NAAA’s “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship to further your education and training.
▪ A one-page résumé or list of activities detailing all agricultural and aviation experiences, education and training.
To learn more about the 2017 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program, review the full application instructions at AgAviation.org/scholarship.
Again, the deadline to apply for a 2017 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship is Aug. 31. Please contact NAAA at (202) 546-5722 or information@agaviation.org for clarification about any of the application requirements.
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