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Guidance Helicopters - pilot training in Arizona
Prescott, Arizona – On August 17, 2011, the Guidance Academy Scholarship was established by Guidance Aviation of Prescott, Arizona to provide financial assistance to students in need who are enrolled in the Yavapai College Professional Pilot Program pursuing their Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Professional Pilot – Helicopters.
Guidance Aviation is donating $11,000 in the month of August 2011 to Yavapai College Foundation to kick off the fund and plans to donate at least $15,000 per semester which totals at least $45,000 per year.
The scholarship was created by Guidance Aviation’s CEO John Stonecipher, working with Mr. Steven Walker, Director of the Yavapai College Foundation and Mr. Paul Kirchgrabber, Director of Development, Yavapai College Foundation.
On August 26, 2011, the establishment of the Guidance Academy Scholarship will be announced officially at the Guidance Aviation Student Recognition BBQ at the Guidance Aviation flight training facility at the Prescott airport (PRC). In attendance will be Dr. Penelope Wills, President, Yavapai College. Guidance Aviation’s CEO, John Stonecipher, will be presenting an $11,000 check to Dr. Wills at the ceremony.
Learn more about Guidance Aviation, a career placement academy specializing in high altitude flight training in both helicopters and airplanes.
Inactive service men and women such as members of the reserves, or the National Guard, will now receive GI benefit credits for participation in educational endeavors that do not lead to full college degrees. Vocational education, such as flight training, on-the-job training, and apprenticeship programs now qualify for tuition eligibility, and applicable living stipends.
Distance learning students, who were previously not eligible for living stipends, are now eligible. However, they will only be extended half of the allowable amount. Another stipulation extends more benefits to active duty members as well. Because active duty personnel already receive living stipends, there are no additional funds in this area; however, they are now eligible for a $1,000 a year book and supply allowance.
These developments facilitate a significant expansion of services that will promote the advancing education of our service members; but despite the changes for the better, making room for such additions has caused other cuts. Tuition caps are now set based on a national average instead of being capped separately for each state. This new cap on tuition assistance is now $17,500 a year; and will apply to all military students regardless of graduate or undergraduate status, or whether they currently enjoy full tuition coverage that exceeds this amount.
Additionally, the revision of the living stipend reward eligibility calls to base monetary compensation on the number of credits taken. Those who take less than a 50% course load will not be eligible for living expense payments, while those with a maximum course load will be eligible for the full amount. Also, implemented by this bill is a cut off concerning living stipends. Allowances received for these expenses will not be extended during periods where school is not in session.
All in all, this bill provides educational assistance to those who were not previously extended significant benefits. The cuts implemented to make these additions more feasible are expected to affect a minute number of people, as compared to those who will benefit.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/01/military-obama-signs-into-law-gi-bill-changes-010411w/
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Flight school is expensive; with every flight you take, your pocketbook shrinks. It’s an unfortunate consequence of becoming a pilot. While the costs vary from place to place, prices are still high no matter where you get your training. With dreams of becoming a pilot and an empty bank account, it’s time to find ways to pay for flight training.
The first option is to borrow the money, either from your family or through financial aid programs. Borrowing money from your family is not always advisable because it can create unwanted tension between relatives. But if you are confident (or desperate) enough ask for help, then it is a cheaper solution than financial aid since your family will generally not ask for interest. Financial aid grants and loans are typically available through accredited colleges, universities, and trade school flight academies. This type of financial aid is sponsored by the U.S. federal government and you apply using the free FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) application form. Check with the schools you’re interested in to see if they offer federal student financial aid programs. If they do, they can help you with questions about how it all works and with filing the appropriate paperwork. However, if the school you want to attend does not offer financial aid programs, you may need to get even more creative.
Another option is to obtain a personal loan or loans through lending institutions such as Sally Mae, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and many others. Private loans look at your credit score, and if it is low or you do not have a score you’ll need to find someone with a good credit score to co-sign your loan. With proper search and diligence, a personal loan may be found.
Every young pilot’s dream is to win a grant or scholarship that will get them through flight school. But for most students a scholarship is a dream, not reality, as it is extremely competitive to get one. However, with persistence and fabulous grades, a scholarship or grant could be within your grasp. A few aviation scholarship types include flight training, avionics technician, aerospace engineer, and sport pilot. It also helps to look into your past to see if you apply for any random, but very real scholarships. For example, if you have an ancestor that was a Native American, it is possible to apply to the Native American Scholarship. But keep in mind scholarships can be very tricky, and require time-consuming paperwork, but if you succeed in landing one, it will be worth the effort. The Wolf Aviation Fund awards grants each year to individuals who wish to learn more about aviation. They encourage anyone who wishes to receive a grant to apply. The only catch is they generally do not give out awards to people who wish to do individual flight training. Although grants my be harder to find than scholarships, they can be just as useful.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association on Friday, June 17, announced the creation of two new $5,000 scholarships, the AOPA Flight Training Scholarship and the Erral Lea Plymate Memorial Scholarship, which will help two student pilots pursue an FAA Sport, Recreational, or Private Pilot certificate. Applications for the scholarships are now being accepted online. The deadline for application is August 19, 2011. The scholarship winners will be announced at the AOPA Aviation Summit in Hartford, Conn., Sept. 22-24, 2011.
“The decision to create the AOPA scholarships is a direct result of the study we commissioned for our Flight Training Student Retention Initiative,” said AOPA President and CEO Craig L. Fuller. “Although student pilots told us they are more concerned about receiving good value for their training dollar than they are about the cost of training per se, the fact remains that learning to fly requires a substantial financial commitment.”
“Even though we’re unable to fund everyone’s flight training, it’s undoubtedly worthwhile to help two dedicated student pilots succeed,” added Jennifer Storm, AOPA’s director of flight training initiatives. “Both the AOPA Flight Training Scholarship and the Erral Lee Plymate Memorial Scholarship will certainly ease financial concerns for the two recipients.”
The scholarships are available to any AOPA member who is a U.S. citizen, is at least 16 years old, and holds a student pilot certificate but has not yet passed the FAA practical test. Complete eligibility requirements are available online.
Scholarship recipients will be chosen on merit, including previous accomplishments, ability to set goals, and demonstrated commitment to flight training.
All applications must be filled out and submitted online. Applicants only need to fill out the form once to be considered for both scholarships. In addition, applicants must obtain two recommendations which must also be submitted online using a simple form.
“Earning a pilot’s certificate is a tremendously rewarding experience and we are committed to helping more people achieve that goal,” concluded Storm.
The Erral Lea Plymate Memorial Scholarship is a living memorial to the wife and flying partner of AOPA member Glenn Plymate. The Plymate family is also a generous supporter of the AOPA Foundation’s Air Safety Institute.
With more than 400,000 members, AOPA is the world’s largest civil aviation association, dedicated to expanding the pilot population and protecting the interests of general aviation.
Source: http://www.aopa.org/newsroom/newsitems/releases/2011/11-2-031.html
Patrick Marzitelli Flight Training Scholarship will offer two $3,000 awards per year.
Patrick Marzitelli’s family recently launched a new flight training scholarship program in memory of their son, Patrick who died tragically in May 2010. According to a Marzitelli family press release, “John and Maria Marzitelli have established the Patrick Marzitelli Science and Aviation Scholarship Fund and launched a website to provide exceptional young men and women with the means and support to pursue their passion for learning about science and aviation. Two $3000 scholarships will be awarded annually, one to the White Bear Lake High School (Patrick’s high school in Blaine, Minnesota) senior demonstrating the strongest interest in science, and one for aviation study – reserved for employees of airports similar in size to the one Patrick worked at. Both winners will also have demonstrated a strong commitment to community service and their families.”
Patrick worked as a lineman at Cirrus Flight Operations at the Anoka County airport in Blaine, MN. On the evening May 21, 2010, Patrick reported to his girlfriend that he’d been “splashed with jet fuel” and was coughing. Later that evening, a co-worker found Patrick with his head submerged in fuel in the inspection hatch of a tanker truck he’d been refueling. His cause of death was accidental aviation fuel inhalation.
The family’s press release goes on to say “Patrick was a very special kid and we really want people to know what was lost,” said John Marzitelli. “We are also pleased to announce that White Bear Lake Area High School will offer Aviation and Aerospace as an elective course for students beginning in 2011. It is our goal to expand this offering to other high schools over the next two years.”
To learn more please visit http://www.patrickmarzitellifund.com/
