Sunday Sanusi finds path to OEM training through VAI scholarship The deadline for applications to the 2026 VAI scholarship program is Nov. 14 at 11:59 pm eastern (UTC-5). Discover how VAI scholarship recipients have turned opportunity into achievement—and how you can do the same—in this exclusive VAI Daily series. Are you ready to give your aviation education a boost? The VAI scholarship program is back for 2026, with scholarships available in aviation maintenance, commercial helicopter pilot ratings, and pilot safety. A benefit exclusively for VAI members, the scholarships help vertical aviation pilots, mechanics, engineers, and aspiring professionals cover the costs of their education and training. Not a VAI member? Join the association and enjoy access to the VAI scholarship program as well as a host of additional educational, safety, and other benefits. Then, learn more about the program and submit your application for a 2026 VAI scholarship by the submission deadline, Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. As the submission deadline approaches, we’re highlighting past VAI scholarship winners in a series of articles in VAI Daily. In this installment, we hear from Sunday Sanusi, 40, of Kaduna, Nigeria, the recipient of a 2025 Bill Sanderson Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Scholarship and a Bell 505 B2 Integrated Avionics Maintenance Technician Scholarship. Sanusi talks about his desire to make a measurable difference, his admiration of Charles E. Taylor, and his long-term goal to establish an aviation maintenance institute. VAI Daily: What inspires you about working within the vertical aviation community? Sunday Sanusi: The vertical aviation community fascinates me because of the unparalleled versatility, precision, and operational uniqueness of helicopters. Unlike fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing platforms serve a myriad of missions. The ability of a single aircraft type to seamlessly adapt to diverse environments and critical missions is awe-inspiring. Working within this community challenges me to master highly specialized technical skills while contributing to operations that have immediate tangible impacts on people’s lives. Additionally, vertical aviation fosters a culture of innovation, where engineers and technicians must constantly adapt to evolving technologies, integrate complex avionics, and maintain airworthiness under dynamic operational constraints. Being part of this community aligns with my passion for problem-solving, my desire to make a measurable difference, and my commitment to advancing aviation safety and efficiency. How has the VAI scholarship helped you meet your education goals? The VAI scholarship has been transformative in advancing my professional development. It provided the rare and invaluable opportunity to attend OEM training, a level of instruction that’s often inaccessible to most technicians. The program was robust and comprehensive, covering advanced rotorcraft systems, maintenance best practices, and industry-standard procedures. I gained not only hands-on technical skills but also an understanding of operational philosophies, safety protocols, and systems integration that only OEM–led courses can provide. Beyond the technical education, the scholarship has connected me with a community of peers and industry leaders. By bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical expertise, the VAI scholarship has brought me closer to achieving my immediate goal of excelling in helicopter maintenance and positions me strategically for long-term leadership within vertical aviation. What are your career goals? In the short term, I aim to immerse myself in helicopter maintenance practice, gaining hands-on experience across diverse rotary-wing platforms while honing my technical and troubleshooting expertise. I plan to become a highly skilled and versatile technician capable of addressing complex maintenance challenges efficiently and safely. My long-term vision extends beyond individual technical mastery. My ultimate dream job is to be the owner and operator of an aviation institute that shapes curriculum, fosters talent, and contributes to the sustainable growth of aviation in Nigeria. This ambition reflects my commitment to giving back to the community and ensuring that future professionals are trained to the highest global standards through scholarships. Who is your greatest mentor and why? My aviation mentor, though historical, is Charles E. Taylor, the pioneering aircraft mechanic who built the first airplane engine used by the Wright brothers and laid the foundation for modern aircraft maintenance. Taylor’s dedication, ingenuity, and commitment to precision inspire me daily. By creating a structured career path for mechanics, he demonstrated the value of lifelong learning, attention to detail, and innovation in aviation. Taylor’s legacy instills in me the importance of skill mastery, continuous improvement, and mentorship. What do you view as the biggest challenges facing the vertical aviation profession? Vertical aviation faces several critical challenges. First, access to high-quality, standardized training remains limited, restricting the pool of highly competent technicians and pilots due to cost. Second, corporate bureaucracy and organizational inefficiencies can slow operations, impede decision-making, and affect maintenance cycles. Third, maintenance practices are sometimes compromised by shortcuts or insufficient oversight, which can jeopardize safety. Another issue is the high cost of acquiring, operating, and maintaining rotary-wing aircraft, and keeping pace with rapid technological advancements in avionics and rotorcraft systems. Overcoming these hurdles requires a combination of well-trained personnel, strict adherence to safety and maintenance standards, and proactive innovation. This is a vision I aspire to advance through my work and future aviation institute.
