SCHOLARSHIP OVERVIEW
The SSA board of directors directed donated funds be used to help glider student pilots complete their glider ratings. The challenge of this award is to assess whether funds will create the opportunity for applicants that qualify to achieve their glider rating within six months.
The post-solo SSA member STUDENT pilots 16 (by July 1st, 2025) through 25 (by October 31st, 2024) years old may apply if they have a successful, current FAA Knowledge Test result for Private/Glider or Private/Airplane Single Engine Land. Applicants must express both desire and a plan for successful completion of their rating by October 31st, 2025. If under 18, must have parent/guardian support for this award. Applicants must make a good case through a personal statement, in the form of an essay, and letters of recommendation supporting their financial need, plan, and promise in completing this challenge in the allotted time. At least one letter of recommendation must be from an instructor that will help you meet this challenge. This means frequent access to instructors, gliders, and tows during the time-frame of this award. The flight training organization must be willing to cooperate on the reimbursement process. Do not accept this challenge if you have competing interests or activities that will impact your progress toward this goal.
AWARD DETAILS
Award of $2000 in SSA credit for direct flight training expenses. Detailed invoices of flight training expenses must be invoiced to the SSA at scholarships@ssa.org for payment to the servicing organization or for reimbursement of paid expenses. No expenses incurred six months after the award date of May 1st, 2025 will be paid without the consent of the SSA Junior Soaring Committee.
Promotion and fulfillment of the program are a cooperation between SSA, which administers and judges the scholarship, and local soaring chapters, clubs, and schools, who get reimbursement for their qualified charges; tows, glider rental, instructional costs, and costs of successful exams. The flight training organization must be willing to cooperate on the reimbursement process. Funds are not available for dues, joining fees, or other non-training costs.
FAQS
- Demonstrates commitment to soaring by contributing through both flying and non-flying activities and is known for being willing to help with anything.
- Demonstrates a strong interest in aviation and had specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T) goals related to soaring.
- Includes a personal statement that explains how they will use the scholarship. Ideally, this is a project or goal that relates to the item above.
- Has various skills and talents and uses them to promote their club, soaring in general, etc.
- Ideally, demonstrates a financial need for the award (this should NOT discourage anyone from applying)
- Read the award biographies in the section above for all of the awards that you are eligible for.
- Find a mentor (at your flying club/operation, school, family, etc.) who will read your application completely and help you revise it.
- Ask for reference letters several weeks before the application is due so that they are well written and not rushed.
- The scholarship selection committee is looking to invest the money in people who have earned these awards through their contributions to soaring. Give specific examples of things you did that benefit the soaring community. Some common examples:
- Instead of saying: “I help get gliders ready”, try: “Every weekend I help with/conduct pre-flight inspections, clean the canopies, wipe the wings, and walk the gliders to the flight line for others.”
- Instead of saying: “I talk about gliders at school”, try: “During my Science class, we had to give presentations on (insert topic here) and I shared the story and photos of my first glider ride and a summary of how gliders fly.”
- Convince the scholarship selection committee that you love glider flying and that you have a plan to use the scholarship money. If applying to use the money for flight training, don’t leave the scholarship committee wondering what club you will be flying at, how you will get there, etc. If applying for the Bultman, be creative with your application and intended use – some ideas to get started might be: going to fly cross country or wave camp or contest, going to fly at a new location (maybe not even in the US), taking friends for rides, getting a winch/aerotow/motorglider endorsement, etc.