Fri, Mar 02, 2018
Twenty-One Scholarships Announced At Heli-Expo 2018
Whirly-Girls International, a non-profit, educational, and charitable organization dedicated to advancing women in the helicopter aviation industry, has announced the recipients of the 2018 Whirly-Girls Scholarship Awards.

The scholarships were awarded February 25 at the Whirly-Girls Annual Awards Banquet during HAI HELI-EXPO in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thanks to the support of aviation leaders, 21 scholarships were bestowed upon deserving female aviators, the largest scholarship program in the helicopter industry.
Recipients of the 2018 Whirly-Girls scholarships are:
- Maria Metcalf: Airbus Flight Training Scholarship
- Michelle Payne: FlightSafety International Bell 206 Scholarship
- Esther Beckett: Night Flight Concepts NVG Initial Qualification Scholarship
- Anne Paya: Erickson Vertical Reference/External Load Scholarship
- Louise Nutter: Robinson Helicopter R66 Safety Course Scholarship
- Josilyn Lundquist: Robinson Helicopter R22/R44 Safety Course Scholarship
- Krista Holstrom and Samantha Hansen: ForeFlight Pro Plus Scholarships
- Chelsea Atwater, Julie Kelly, and Grace Wagner: Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM Instructor Training Scholarships
- Pamela Garrity and Allison Leinen: Survival Systems USA Aircraft Ditching Course Scholarships
- Julie Klein: Embry-Riddle Commercial Helicopter Pilot Ground School Course Scholarship
- Grace Wagner: Antipodean Aviation and Embry-Riddle Wire and Obstacle Environment Awareness Course Scholarship
- Michelle Hovey, Julie Kelly: Garmin GTN & G500/600 Training Scholarships
- Renate Buchner: Advanced Mountain Flight Training Scholarship
- Carrie Schwausch: Thurn-Herr Annual Advanced Flight Training Scholarship
- Fallon Blattner: Whirly-Girls Memorial Flight Training Scholarship
- Andrea Garcia: Whirly-Girls Helicopter Add-on Flight Training Scholarship
“Women hold only 6% of pilot certificates. This represents missed opportunity in talent and diversity of thought for the helicopter industry,” said Alison Martin, Whirly-Girls Vice President of Scholarships. “With the help of our sponsors, we are providing mentorship and training that will result in great advancement for our aviation sector. These 19 women embody an exciting promise of future change and innovation.”
(Source: Whirly Girls news release)
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