EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship program reaches 600 pilots
More than 80 percent completion rate since 2019
EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (November 26, 2024) — The EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship program continues to make a difference for young people pursuing aviation dreams, as 600 scholarship recipients have completed flight training and earned their pilot certificates.
The scholarship program is funded by the Ray Foundation, managed by EAA, and administered through the EAA Chapter network. The program awards scholarships to qualified applicants to help them achieve their aviation aspirations. The foundation has expanded its funding for the scholarship program to $2.25 million for 2025, including a boost of up to $12,000 per individual scholarship.
“EAA and the Ray Foundation continue to see the direct benefit the Ray Aviation Scholarship program has on students with pilot aspirations,” says Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programming. “The completion rate of our scholars remains at approximately 80 percent, a near inverse of the national average.”
There are EAA chapter and scholar eligibility requirements for the Ray Aviation Scholarship that indicate a commitment to success. Once a chapter is approved for the program, it nominates the chosen scholar for EAA’s final review. Many chapters are granted the full $12,000 for their selected scholar, but some chapters have committed 25 percent of the award, to secure their slot in the program. All EAA and divisional chapters in the United States and Canada are eligible for a grant up to $12,000.
The Lightspeed Aviation Foundation and EAA award a Zulu 3 headset to each scholar after they complete solo flight or, if they soloed pre-scholarship, after passing the written exam. This recognizes the scholar as they progress and ultimately complete flight training.
More information on the EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship program can be found at EAA.org/RayScholarship.
About EAA
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and embodies The Spirit of Aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 300,000 members and 900 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org.
