About the scholarship

The COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship promotes Canadian pilot development by providing annual scholarships to student pilots in advanced flight training programs to COPA members 18 years of age and older.

Each year, up to three recipients are awarded $2,500 to be used for eligible training costs associated with advanced flight training such as a commercial license, various endorsements or ratings for pilots who already have a PPL.

Apply for the scholarship

See below for eligibility criteria. Applications for the 2024 COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship must be submitted by March 14, 2024.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY 

Make a donation

Interested in contributing to the future of General Aviation? COPA’S Flight Safety Foundation, which supports all its scholarship opportunities exclusively rely upon the generous donations of our flying community. To make a donation and to support a new generation of deserving flyers, please visit the following link:

DONATE TODAY

"The WestJet Pilot Association represented the needs of WestJet pilots prior to unionization. As an association of pilots helping pilots, we understood that one of the greatest barriers to entry in this sector was the high cost of training, and this remains the case today. The WJPA legacy continues - remaining funds will be donated annually to training pilots who need it the most through the COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship."

– Vanessa Griffiths, WestJet Pilot Association Member

  • Eligibility Criteria

  • Past Recipients

  • Application Questions

  • Additional details

Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants should be at least 18 years of age.
  • Applicants must at a minimum have their Private Pilot License (PPL) and provide proof of their PPL.
  • Applicants must be current COPA members in good standing and for at least three months before applying.
  • Applicants must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

Ineligible Applicants

  • To ensure that as many aviators can benefit, successful applicants from previous years of this scholarship are not eligible to re-apply.

The successful applicant(s) may select the facility at which the flight training is to be taken, subject to the approval of COPA. The training facility shall be a licensed Flying School or educational institute in Canada with facilities satisfactory to COPA and shall agree to the conditions of the scholarship. COPA will pay the Flight Training Unit directly and may disburse funds to cover instructional materials and other course costs at the beginning of training. Candidates must be members of COPA in good standing for the entirety of the training period.

Training shall be completed in a reasonable period of time, usually not longer than one year from commencement. In the event the recipient does not make satisfactory progress or does not conduct himself/herself in a manner consistent with the intention of the Fund, COPA shall have the right to revoke the award and to cease paying any further costs of training. Progress reports from the training facility will be provided to COPA as required.

Eligible costs of training include the following:

  • costs of ground school, including books and required materials for the courses;
  • costs of instructor time and training aircraft;
  • the direct flight training portion of tuition in programs offered by secondary or post-secondary schools, including colleges and universities.

Costs that are not covered include the following: non-flight training tuition at secondary or post-secondary schools, including colleges and universities, personal meals or transportation to and from the training facility, clothing, aviation equipment or supplies which are not required for the program. COPA will have the final authority to define and approve authorized expenditures.

Successful applicants agree to participate in future COPA promotional activities.

Any funds remaining at the conclusion of training will be reinvested in COPA’s Flight Safety Foundation for future scholarship awards.

Recipients from the most recent scholarship periods will be listed below.

2023

  • Lauren Nagel, Ottawa, ON, COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship
  • Annie Wen, Alfred, ON, COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship
  • Ashley Gellatly, Walkerton, ON, COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship

2022

The application form will ask the following questions:

Applicant Information:

  • This section will request information on your name, phone number, email address, age, address, COPA membership status, and other basic information.
  • If selected as a successful applicant, do you agree to provide a photo of yourself, a biography and proof of enrollment in a flight school in order to claim your award? Please note, funds will not be released until these documents are provided.

Aviation Background 

  • Please attach proof of your completed Private Pilot’s License (PPL).
  • How many formal flight training hours do you have?
  • Describe your aviation training to date (including permits or licenses attained), your interest and experience in aviation and any future plans you may have within the sector below.
  • Please provide background on your community involvement, including your demonstrated interest in the advancement of General Aviation in Canada.
  • How will this scholarship benefit you in achieving your flying goals and/or helping you to meet any financial needs you may have?

Letter of Recommendation 

Applicants are required to provide contact information for one adult non-relative who can offer a recommendation in support of your application. More information about this recommendation is found in the application form.

Note on the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Applicants are strictly prohibited from using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate any part of their application essays. Essays must be the original work of the applicant, composed independently without AI or any other outside assistance. Any violation of this policy may result in disqualification from consideration for the scholarship.

About the COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship

  • The COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship was first established in 2021 through contributions from COPA members, the Canadian aviation community and through the generous support of the WestJet Pilot Association.
  • Each year, COPA will award up to three successful applicants with a scholarship valued at $2,500.
  • The scholarship amount is the maximum that will be paid by COPA from the fund for the licences, endorsement(s) or rating(s) being sought and may not be used for any purposes other than those approved by COPA.
  • Unused amounts at the completion of training, if any, will remain in COPA’s Flight Safety Foundation for future awards.
  • COPA may exercise judgment as to whether training can be deferred for a reasonable period and which courses are eligible for payment under these guidelines.

Selection Committee

  • The Selection Committee will have full and final authority to select the winning candidates and to instruct COPA to disburse funds in accordance with the guidelines.

Contributing towards COPA’s scholarships

  • Contributions for COPA’s scholarships are made to the COPA Flight Safety Foundation. The Foundation is a registered charity and tax receipts are issued for all donations over $10.