Applicants Encouraged to Vie for $110,000 of Helicopter Training Before Oct 6 Deadline

Female aviators looking to break into the rotary wing industry may be in luck, as the Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund has announced that it's open season on their roster of scholastic assistance. 

Scholarships valued at more than $110,000 are up for grabs, available for both longtime, experienced pilots and wet-behind-the-ears newbies alike. This year, a series of sponsors are offering a range of assistance to prospective students, from initial or add-on helicopter ratings, trips to Heli-Expo, specialized mountain flight training, Airbus Inadvertent IMC training, Hughes MD500 flight training, Robinson safety courses and more. Southern Utah University is offering a $20,000 scholarship for training at the school for the recipient's private pilot, Instrument, and commercial ratings. In addition to the range of model-specific or general-use certifications, Whirly-Girls applicants have a chance at a Survival Systems USA egress and ditching course, excellent knowledge to have for pilots exploring the wilderness should the worst occur. 

The program, sponsored by the International Women Helicopter Pilots Association, is a non-profit, educational, organization dedicated to advancing women in the helo industry by uniting like-minded companies and supporters to offer their assistance to deserving students. They are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, growing from a single $500 scholarship in 1968 to a 6-figure pot today - and they're just picking up speed, from the look of things. 

This year, scholarship sponsors include Airbus, Bristow Helicopters, Central Oregon Community College, Colorado Highland Helicopters, Erickson, FlightSafety International, Garmin, Leading Edge Flight Academy, MD Helicopters, Oregon Aero, PHI Aviation, Robinson Helicopter Company, Southern Utah University, Survival Systems USA, Volo Mission and many private individuals.

Applications are completed entirely online and are due by October 2, 2022. The scholarships will be given out at the HAI Heli-Expo in Atlanta, Georgia in March 2023. 

FMI: www.whirlygirls.org