With graduates embarking on careers in aviation, from engineering to commercial flying, Cotswold Airport’s scholarship programme has changed the lives of many young people over its ten-year history.
One of the past scholars from 2012, 21-year-old Laura Mayer, will be one of the flying instructors for this year’s scholars. Laura works at Cotswold Airport based Freedom Aviation as a flying instructor.
Laura went on to get her Private Pilot’s Licence after completing the scholarship in 2012, and most recently passed both her CPL (Commercial Pilot’s Licence) and her Flying Instructor Certificate.
Laura went on to get her Private Pilot’s Licence after completing the scholarship in 2012
During this year’s scholarship programme Laura will be doing some instructional flights and teaching the scholars the basics of flying an aeroplane and what a PPL course would entail if they were to continue their training. Laura said: “I think the scholarship is a brilliant and unique opportunity for teenagers.
“It provides a tremendous insight into the industry and can really highlight that it isn’t just pilots that make up the network of aviation. It will be a privilege to fly with the scholars and seeing what they go on to achieve in the future, it’s amazing to be a part of it all.”
The scholarship programme was founded by Cotswold Airport owner, Ronan Harvey, an ex-RAF engineer, aviation expert and successful entrepreneur, who wanted to open up the broad and exciting world of aviation career opportunities to young people from the local area.
The scholarship programme has been significantly enhanced, with the generous addition of a sponsorship package from World Fuel Services, enabling the organisers to include additional aviation industry site visits and an increased number of loggable flying hours in fixed wing aircraft, helicopters and gliders.
2018 marks the eleventh year of the Cotswold Airport Aviation Scholarship and also marks the 100th year of the founding of the RAF and the centenary of the end of WWI. In celebration of these two historic anniversaries, the best performer of next year’s scholarship will be financially supported through to their first solo circuit as part of their PPL.
