Lightspeed Selects Grant Winners; WAI Offers Scholarships

Every year, the Lightspeed Aviation Foundation chooses five aviation charities to support based on the results of online voting, providing grants of $2,000 to $10,000. This year's top vote winners were Pilots N Paws, the Ninety-Nines, and Civil Air Patrol. Grants also went to NTM (New Tribes Mission) Aviation, to help them buy a new airplane for missionary work in Papua New Guinea, and to JAARS, which provides support to Bible translation efforts around the world. "Awarding these aviation charities provides the opportunity to advance their individual cause and together expand awareness and appreciation for aviation," said Allan Schrader, president of Lightspeed Aviation.

Women in Aviation International also announced this week it has $600,000 available in scholarships for next year, and the deadline to apply is Nov. 16. Applicants must be members of WAI as of Nov. 2. "This year we are offering 111 different scholarships," says WAI President Dr. Peggy Chabrian. "I can't say it too often - these scholarships are not just for college students; they are for people at every phase of their aviation lives." Scholarships are available to support tuition, flight training, type ratings and learning to fly for fun. Students, mechanics, engineers, ag pilots, flight instructors, engineers and a range of other diverse occupations can find support. The 2016 awards will bring the total amount of WAI's scholarship program to more than $10 million, disbursed to more than 1,300 WAI members since the program began.