Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association

Applications are now open for the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) scholarship applications designed to help aspiring pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians (AMT) and airline managers to pursue their careers.

“Despite the pandemic, accelerated retirements will mean workforce shortages will return and become more acute when the industry recovers," said RACCA President Stan Bernstein. "This is not the time to stop your education and we need to ensure funding is available to help students overcome the barriers associated with the high cost of an aviation education. In recent years, we have helped students pursue AMT, airline management, and pilot careers. Ensuring funding is available is an important part of the RACCA mission.”

The RACCA Aviation Scholarships were established for the purpose of promoting and assisting in pursuing aviation as a career choice and to make students aware of the opportunities in the air cargo industry. RACCA, representing 50 air cargo carriers, many of which feed the FedEx, DHL and UPS networks, provides scholarships to assist in the payment of tuition, flight training, or to obtain new or additional licenses. The organization makes four awards each year in November.

Bernstein noted flying for a RACCA carrier is a valuable way to build flying time because it gives pilots experience in flying to a schedule, inclement weather, dealing with inflight and procedural issues surrounding cargo as well as night flying, operating in busy airspace, cockpit resource management issues and required recordkeeping, all of which are part of airline operations. One of the most important things an aspiring pilot can do to build time is to maintain the professionalism and discipline they had as a student.

To qualify for the scholarships, applicants must be:

• A college student currently enrolled in an accredited aviation program.

• A resident of the United States.

• Currently carry a Grade Point Average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

  Scholarship # 1 will carry the additional requirement of obtaining a letter of introduction from an existing RACCA member or RACCA associate member since the goal is for candidates to learn about the air cargo industry. If there is a RACCA member or associate member in a candidate’s immediate area, candidates should arrange to visit their operation and become familiar with all the opportunities in the growing air cargo industry. If there is no member close, candidates should call a member and tell them who they are and ask questions about the air cargo industry.

  The deadline for applications is October 15, 2019 and the selection will be made by November 30 and distributed on December 15 to an accredited school. The RACCA Aviation Scholarship application is available on the RACCA website. 

  
  About RACCA

  The Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) is dedicated to representing and serving approximately 50-member Part 135 and Part 121 cargo carriers who have about 1,000 aircraft in their fleets. Their role in the aviation industry is meeting the cargo needs of small communities and connecting them to the national transportation aviation system, many via the global networks of FedEx, UPS and DHL. RACCA focuses on improving safety and representing its members in Washington.

Apply

Application Deadline: October 15th, 2020

-Flight Science, Technical Operations (Tech Ops)-