Flying Musicians Assn. Marks 25 Years, And ‘Solo’ Scholarship Program

John Zapp led off the celebration marking 25 years of the Flying Musicians Association during EAA AirVenture. Founded in 2009, the association started with 23 founding members and now boasts some 1,000 members worldwide, including 31 lifetime members and four honorary members.

But this occasion honored more than just a quarter century of pilots who love to play music—and musicians who love to fly. This year also marks 10 years of Flying Musician scholarships. Dubbed the FMA Solo program, the initiative is dedicated to giving young people the financial boost to begin their training and reach the solo flight milestone.

Over the decade the program has been in place, more than 250 candidates have been nominated for the scholarship. “There are no megabucks here,” Zapp said. “But there is a spirit and a soul to inspire nominations from all over North America.” He said that, in many cases, the inspiration of having Flying Musicians Association members supporting scholarship winners has been the push they need to continue beyond the solo accomplishment and carry through to a college program—and more.

Nathan Nothelle, winner of the 2018 scholarship, spoke at the press briefing. He told the story of his family’s musical heritage, and how, when Nathan showed a burning desire to pursue flying alongside his musical career aspirations, his father discovered the Flying Musicians—and the scholarship.

“The scholarship was the Holy Grail for me,” he said. “I wouldn’t have gotten into aviation without it. It was a stepping stone and a motivation to continue on to get my private pilot license before college, rather than waiting until after college.”

Nothelle continued his musical commitment, winning a college scholarship in music.