WMU Certified Flight Instructor Scholarship
Posted by Reina Cooke on February 21, 2019The WMU College of Aviation is seeking highly qualified and motivated individuals who are willing to train for their FAA flight instructor certificate at WMU and then teach for WMU once FAA certification is obtained. To facilitate this, WMU CoA will provide scholarship funds to an undetermined number of flight instructor candidates. Award recipients must use the funds to offset training costs for their flight instructor certificate. Training will be conducted during the Summer 2019 semesters.
The CoA is providing these scholarships with the understanding that award recipients will reinvest in the college through employment as a flight instructor. Award recipients are required to reinvest in the CoA through continued paid employment for a minimum number of aircraft instructional hours. The minimum number of instructional hours that an award recipient is expected to complete is calculated by the scholarship dollar amount divided by 10 (Example: $5,000 scholarship ÷ 10 = 500 hours of aircraft instructional hours.) Flight instructor positions are paid positions at hourly rates ranging from $18 to $29 per billable hour of instruction and $15 per hour for select non-instructional duties. [View this as an interest free loan that is forgiven by serving as a WMU flight instructor.]
Failure to fulfill the continued employment expectation will require the award recipient to pay back their scholarship award less credit granted for hours of instruction given. Credit will be granted on a tiered scale once the scholarship recipient reaches 300 hours of instruction given. Sample agreements will be available at time of interview.
Qualifications:
- Have previously completed AVS 4030 – Flight Instructor Fundamentals or take it concurrently during the Spring semester
- Cumulative university/college GPA of 2.75 or higher at time of application
- Hold an FAA commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and instrument ratings at least one week prior to CFI flight course start
- Hold a valid FAA medical that will allow the applicant to exercise at least third class privileges
- U.S. Citizen or non-citizen with eligibility to work in the United States
- Preference will be given to those applicants that have completed their FAA commercial pilot training at WMU
Scholarship Recipients:
- May enroll in AVS 4030 (not required)
- Required to enroll in AVS 4060 so that scholarship award can be posted against fees
- Must have good availability throughout the week during the spring semester (four to six training flight slots per seek plus significant time for home study/preparation) and be available for occasional night training at night
Scholarship funds will be paid directly to the recipient’s ETA/Banner account. Funds can be used for tuition, flight training and other directly related expenses to the flight instructor training. Payments or reimbursements from the University to students may impact financial aid budgets
To Apply:
To apply you will be required to upload the following:
- Copy of your driving record
- Resume (include any volunteer experience, involvement in any social or professional organization)
- A 300-700 word essay, typed and double spaced, addressing the following topics:
- How does a flight instructor certificate fit into your overall career objectives?
- Who was the best flight instructor you have flown with and what made that instructor the best?
- Why are you the most qualified candidate for the WMU Flight Instructor Training Course Scholarship?