SCHOLARSHIPS
Phelan International and Doris Mullen Flight Training Scholarship
$8,000.00 for basic rotary wing training and is sponsored by the Whirly Girls and combines the Phelan International and Doris Mullen Flight Training Scholarships. This scholarship is given in memory of founder Jean Phelan and her husband Jim, along with the memory of Doris Mullen who lost her life in a fixed-wing accident in 1968.
Helicopter Add-on Flight Training Scholarship
$8,000 is for a licenced female pilot who does not currently have a helicopter rating and provides funds to be applied toward earning her add-on helicopter rating. Must have intent to work in the helicopter industry.
Advanced Mountain Flight Training Scholarship
$6,500 is for helicopter pilots with at least 250 rotorcraft hours.
Flight Training — Advanced (Rotary Wing)
Provided in memory of Keiko Minakata, WG #1339. The scholarship gives a deserving Whirly-Girl the skills to cope with turbulence, rugged terrain, and landing zone selection in mountainous and canyon areas, with special emphasis placed on decision making. It also provides the skill needed to fly all sorts of private and commercial helicopter missions that require off-airport landings anywhere in the country, regardless of altitude or terrain. It includes a half day extensive ground school with five hours of flight time. Training will be at Western Helicopters Inc. at the Riverside Municipal Airport, California, USA.
Airbus Flight Training Scholarship
The Scholarship of $14,000 is sponsored by Airbus and will give a Whirly-Girl the opportunity to attend an AS350 Turbine Transition Course at the Airbus Factory School in Grand Prairie, Texas, USA. This is a field course that provides both ground school and flight training for the AS350.
Antipodean Aviation and Embry Riddle Wire and Obstacle Environment Awareness Course Scholarship
$220 is awarded to a Whirly-Girl who wishes to increase her knowledge in how to conduct safe operations in the low-level environment. This course, provided by Antipodean Aviation and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a self-guided online course. The course is relevant to all operating areas around the world, but discusses specifically FAA, CASA, and EASA/JAA regulatory requirements in relation to low-level flight operations.
Embry-Riddle Commercial Helicopter Pilot Ground School Course Scholarship
$950 is awarded to a Whirly-Girl who is seeking to achieve her Commercial Pilot Helicopter certificate This 15-week advanced online instructor-facilitated course is offered by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and will provide the necessary information to prepare a Whirly-Girl for the FAA Commercial Pilot — Helicopter Knowledge Exam.
Erickson Vertical Reference/External Load Scholarship
$6,000 is awarded to a career-minded Whirly-Girl who needs a vertical reference/external load endorsement for a flight position. This course will be awarded to a Whirly-Girl who has 300 hours of total flight time, and she need not be turbine qualified. Training can be completed at any flight school in the world that provides longline training.
FlightSafety International Bell 206 Scholarship
$10,000.00 is awarded to a Whirly-Girl who possesses at least a Private Pilot Helicopter certificate and has landing currency in helicopters. This training program includes initial type training, recurrent training, and inadvertent IMC training using the world’s first Bell 206 FAA Level 7 qualified Flight Training Device. This five day course consists of academic training and 6 hours in the FTD. Training will be available at Flight Safety’s Helicopter Learning Center of Excellence in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA.
Garmin GTN & G500/600 Course Scholarship
$795 will go to two Whirly Girls who wish to improve their knowledge in how to maximize the benefits of Garmin equipment capabilities and increase their confidence in the use and integration of Garmin equipment as part of their flight operations. Each course is valued at $795. Location of the Garmin course is dependent on the course date attended by each recipient.
Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM Instructor Training Scholarship
The Scholarship of $2,000 is a five day, 40-hour crew resource management instructor (CRMI) course, sponsored by Oregon Aero’s Randy Mains, Chief CRM/AMRM Safety Instructor, that will be provided to a deserving Whirly-Girl. The CRMI course and will take place on Vancouver Island in January of each year. It follows the recommendations of the FAA, Transport Canada, EU-OPS, JAR ICAO, EASA UK CAA, and CAMTS and will assist the recipient in becoming a CRM Instructor within her organization. Preferred applicants will have a CFI and have had some exposure to CRM that is, have taken a class.
Robinson Helicopter R22/R44 Safety Course
Valued at $3,000, provides a Whirly-Girl currently flying Robinsons the opportunity to attend the R22/R44 Safety Course and build either R22 or R44 time. RHC provides this 3.5-day course in Torrance, CA, USA, which includes an hour of flight with a safety instructor and sponsors an additional 4 hours of either R22 or R44 flight time (5 total hours). The course includes 3.5 days of classroom instruction in the following subject areas: accident review, causes of fatal accidents, awareness training, SFAR 73, and Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) review. The course is open to any rated helicopter pilot who has at least three hours in the R22 or R44 helicopter, one hour of which was flown within 30 days prior to attending the course.
Robinson Helicopter R66 Safety Course Scholarship
$4,500 provides a Whirly Girl currently flying Robinsons the opportunity to attend the R66 Safety Course and build R66 time. RHC provides this 3.5-day course in Torrance, CA, USA, which includes an hour of flight with a safety instructor and sponsors an additional four hours of R66 flight time (5 hours total R66 flight time). The course includes 3.5 days of classroom instruction in the following subject areas: accident review, causes of fatal accidents, awareness training, SFAR 73, Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) review, R66 systems, and the Rolls Royce engine. The course is open to any rated helicopter pilot who has at least three hours in any type of Robinson helicopter model, one hour of which was flown within 30 days prior to attending the course.
Survival Systems USA Aircraft Ditching Course Scholarship
$1,400 will go to two deserving Whirly-Girls to learn the knowledge and skills to react in an aircraft-ditching emergency, care for themselves in a sea survival situation, and to participate to the maximum extent in their rescue. These two scholarships, each valued at $1,400, are provided by Survival Systems USA and the pilots taking this course should have at least a Private Pilot Helicopter certificate and are required to have no physical limitations that would prevent them from participating in strenuous physical training. Training will take place at Survival Systems USA in Groton, Connecticut, USA.
The Thurn-Herr Annual Advanced Training Scholarship
$11,000 is fully sponsored by Edward Thurn and Ellen Herr who kindly wish to assist the Whirly Girls in their mission of advancing women in helicopter aviation. This scholarship provides $11,000 to any Whirly-Girl to be applied toward upgrading her current helicopter rating. It may be applied toward Commercial, Instrument, Flight Instructor, Airline Transport Pilot (ATP), Night Vision Goggle (NVG) or Turbine Transition Training to advance a candidate’s career. Applicants must specify how the money will be used to advance the applicant’s career.