VAI scholarship helps fuel Jocelin Kinsey’s career goals 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 deadline for the 2026 VAI scholarship program is tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 14. Scholarships are 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 11:59 pm eastern (UTC-5) on 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 Jocelin Kinsey, 21, of State College, Pennsylvania, USA, the recipient of a 2025 Bill Sanderson Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Scholarship. Kinsey discusses her lifelong passion for aviation, working toward her dream job of becoming a director of maintenance, and how the VAI scholarship provided the opportunity to train on an aircraft that will be part of her future career. VAI Daily: How did you first become interested in vertical aviation? Jocelin Kinsey: My desire to work within the vertical aviation community is deeply rooted in a lifelong passion for aviation. From a young age, I’ve dreamed about a future in this field, and now as I advance academically and professionally, the drive to turn that dream into reality continues to inspire and motivate me. What are your career goals? My short-term professional goals are to secure a position with an organization that supports my continued growth and development—both technically and personally. I aim to expand my skills, gain hands-on experience, and continue evolving as a well-rounded aviation maintenance professional. This steady progression will be key in achieving my long-term goal of working in corporate aviation, ideally within a flight department that operates both rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. Ultimately, my dream is to serve as a director of maintenance, using my passion to lead a team and ensure the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and excellence in aviation operations. How does the VAI scholarship help you meet your education goals? The VAI scholarship will significantly support my educational goals in ways I once thought unattainable this early in my career. It has given me the opportunity to receive maintenance training on one of the most prestigious aircraft in the industry—an aircraft I aspire to work on in my future career. This experience will deepen my technical knowledge and enhance my qualifications as I pursue employment in the field. Who is your greatest mentor and why? My greatest mentor, in both life and aviation, is my dad. He introduced me to aviation at such a young age. From the time I was 3 years old, he took me to air shows, aviation museums, and flight experiences that sparked my passion and set the foundation of my future. I feel incredibly fortunate to have a father who not only shares my passion but actively supports my goals. What do you view as the biggest challenges facing the vertical aviation profession? One of the biggest challenges I see in the vertical aviation profession is maintaining resilience when things don’t go as planned while learning a new subject, or while performing maintenance. Helicopter systems can be significantly more complex than fixed-wing aircraft systems, and understanding them requires extra effort and dedication. However, every challenge presents a valuable learning opportunity. Often, it’s through setbacks or mistakes that the most meaningful growth occurs.
