Applications now open for 2019 Royal Aero Club Bursaries

The Royal Aero Club Trust administers a Bursary Scheme for young people as part of its Flying for Youth program.

The scheme and the bursaries comprise all types of air sports and aviation-related activities including: paragliding, gliding, hang-gliding, parachuting, microlight aircraft, helicopter, light aircraft and the designing, building and flying model aeroplanes (including multi-rotary wing – eg drones).

48 bursaries were offered in 2018 and the recipients were able to start training in April. Bursaries include The Patron’s Scholarship (two bursaries each worth up to £750), a further bursary worth up to £1,000 (The Peter Cruddas Foundation Scholarship), the Breitling Bursary also worth up to £500.

Additionally, the following bursaries, each worth up to £500 are also offered: The Bramson Bursary, The George Farha Bursary, The John Downer Bursary and the Royal Aeronautical Society Bursary.

A number of additional bursaries worth up to £500 each to suitable candidates were also granted. No applications were received in 2018 from aero model flyers who are encouraged to apply for future bursaries.

The scheme is divided into four categories of Bursaries:

1. Flying Bursaries/Grants for those wishing to advance from one recognised level of air sport to the next higher level and wish to upgrade their existing qualifications.

2. Flight Simulator Bursaries/Grants for Computer Flight Simulation enthusiasts wishing to gain practical experience of flying or an air sport.

3. Aeromodelling Bursaries to enable flyers upgrade equipment or to gain further qualifications.

4. Advanced Bursaries to enable well-qualified air sports persons enter international or national competitions or other prestigious events or to advance their existing qualifications to a higher level to the benefit of the sport (eg to gain an instructor qualification).

In 2019, it is anticipated that the trustees will award the following bursaries (in all instances, the value of the bursaries will not exceed the cost of training and are inclusive of any VAT due and all other charges):

• The Royal Aero Club Trust Patron’s Scholarships – total value £1500 (two bursaries each worth up to £750);
• The Peter Cruddas Foundation Scholarship (a single bursary worth up to £1,000);
• The George Farha Bursary (2 bursaries each worth up to £500);
• The Breitling Bursary (worth up to £500);
• The Bramson Bursary (value up to £500);
• The John Downer Bursary (worth up to £500);
• The Royal Aeronautical Society Bursaries (each worth up to £500);
• And a number of other bursaries worth up to £500 each.

FLYING BURSARIES.

To apply, applicants must already have a basic qualification (solo in the case of light aircraft and gliders, and the equivalent in other sports) in an air sport recognised by the Royal Aero Club and who wish to progress to the next higher level.

ADVANCED BURSARIES.

Exceptionally, a limited number of bursaries will be available to committed air sportsmen and women who have benefitted from an initial bursary and who are subsequently selected to compete in international and national competition or other similar high level achievement or activity to the benefit of the individual and the air sport.

FLIGHT SIMULATION BURSARIES

Applicants must have extensive experience of flight simulator flying on a Personal Computer and will be required to justify this experience in writing and quote software which has been used.

In addition, Flight Simulation Bursary applicants must be members of a recognised local, regional or national organisation.

AEROMODELLING (including Drone) BURSARIES.

Applicants must be members of the British Model Flying Association (eg through the BFPVRA) and have basic qualifications in the sport. Bursaries will be awarded for designing, building and flying model aeroplanes, including indoor and outdoor flight, free-flight, control line, pylon racing, radio-controlled, rotary wing, multi-rotary (ie drone) and rocketry.

Author: FTN Editor

Share This News On