VAI Scholarships

This scholarship is for applicants who want to attain their commercial helicopter rating. Applicants must already have their private pilot’s license and be enrolled in a commercial helicopter rating program at an FAA-approved Part 141 school or international equivalent.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship awards US$5,000 toward the cost of obtaining a commercial helicopter rating. In addition, the scholarship recipient receives:

• A complimentary full registration to VERTICON (formerly HAI HELI-EXPO) for the recipient and a guest (hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the winner and guest).

Scholarship Prerequisites

• Applicants must be a member of VAI. Join now.
• Applicants must have a private helicopter license.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a commercial helicopter pilot rating program at an FAA-approved Part 141 school or international equivalent.
• Applicants must also hold at least a second-class or international-equivalent medical certificate.
• Scholarship winners have one year from the date of their award to complete their training and receive their commercial helicopter rating. Scholarship awards that haven’t been claimed in that time will be considered void.
• Payment of the scholarship award is conditional on receipt of supporting documentation from the student’s school stating that the student has successfully completed the required coursework and has received an FAA or international-equivalent rating. If the school hasn’t been compensated by the student, VAI will make a payment to the institution on behalf of the student. Scholarship payments are for tuition and training only.
• Applicants who expect to receive their commercial ratings before Jan. 1, 2025, are not eligible to apply for this award.

Required Documents

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
  • Airman Certificates – Provide legible copies, front and back, of all FAA or international-equivalent certificates
  • Copy of the last page of your pilot logbook
  • Copy of your medical certificate, including class and date
• Proof of Enrollment – Provide a letter from your FAA-Approved Part 141 School or International Equivalent’s aviation school acknowledging your enrollment. Letter must include:
  • Representative’s Name
  • Title and Organization
  • Mailing Address, Telephone, and Email
  • FAA Part 141 Certificate Number
    • If international, please provide your country’s FAA-equivalent information.
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • One from your flight school’s Program Director, Administrator, or Instructor with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation.
  • One from your employer, instructor, or other individual who can attest to your aviation background, training, and experience with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation.

Presented by Quantas Aviation

The Quantas Commercial Helicopter Pilot Rating Scholarship is awarded to a pilot who has a private helicopter license and is in the process of attaining a commercial helicopter rating.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship awards US$5,000 toward the cost of obtaining a commercial helicopter rating. In addition, the scholarship recipient receives:

• A complimentary full registration to VERTICON (formerly HAI HELI-EXPO) for the recipient and a guest (hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the scholarship winner and guest).

Scholarship Prerequisites

• Applicants must be a member of VAI. Join now.
• Applicants must have a private helicopter license.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a commercial helicopter pilot rating program at an FAA-approved Part 141 school or international equivalent.
• Applicants must also hold at least a second-class or international-equivalent medical certificate.
• Scholarship winners have one year from the date of their award to complete their training and receive their commercial helicopter rating. Scholarship awards that haven’t been claimed in that time will be considered void.
• Payment of the scholarship award is conditional on receipt of supporting documentation from the student’s school stating that the student has successfully completed the required coursework and has received an FAA or international-equivalent rating. If the school hasn’t been compensated by the student, VAI will make a payment to the institution on behalf of the student. Scholarship payments are for tuition and training only.
• Applicants who expect to receive their commercial ratings before Jan. 1, 2025, are not eligible to apply for this award.

Required Documents

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
  • Airman Certificates – Provide legible copies, front and back, of all FAA or international-equivalent certificates
  • Copy of the last page of your pilot logbook
  • Copy of your medical certificate, including class and date
• Proof of Enrollment – Provide a letter from your FAA-Approved Part 141 School or International Equivalent’s aviation school acknowledging your enrollment. Letter must include:
  • Representative’s Name
  • Title and Organization
  • Mailing Address, Telephone, and Email
  • FAA Part 141 Certificate Number
    • If international, please provide your country’s FAA-equivalent information.
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • One from your flight school’s Program Director, Administrator, or Instructor with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation.
  • One from your employer, instructor, or other individual who can attest to your aviation background, training, and experience with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation.

This scholarship provides full tuition for the recipient to attend a safety management course offered as part of VAI’s Elevations (formerly Professional Education Course) program, which is held annually at VERTICON.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship awards full tuition for the recipient to attend a VERTICON Elevations safety management course at VERTICON.  In addition, the scholarship recipient receives:

• A complimentary full registration to VERTICON (formerly HAI HELI-EXPO) for the recipient and a guest (hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the scholarship winner and guest).

Scholarship Prerequisites

• Applicants must be a member of VAI. Join now.
• Commercial helicopter pilot rating
• Demonstrate an outstanding aptitude for safe flying and aviation best practices.

Required documents

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• 2 Letters of Recommendation from an employer, instructor, or other who can attest to applicant’s aviation background, training, and experience with:
  • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
  • Length of time recommender has known applicant
  • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation

Presented by WINCO Powerline Services

The WINCO Commercial Helicopter Pilot Rating Scholarship is awarded each year to a pilot who has a private helicopter license and is in the process of attaining a commercial helicopter rating.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship awards US$5,000 toward the cost of obtaining a commercial helicopter rating. In addition, the scholarship recipient receives:

• A complimentary full registration to VERTICON (formerly HAI HELI-EXPO) for the recipient and a guest (hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the scholarship winner and guest).

Scholarship Prerequisites

• Applicants must be a member of VAI. Join now.
• Applicants must have a private helicopter license.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a commercial helicopter pilot rating program at an FAA-approved Part 141 school or international equivalent.
• Applicants must also hold at least a second-class or international-equivalent medical certificate.
• Scholarship winners have one year from the date of their award to complete their training and receive their commercial helicopter rating. Scholarship awards that haven’t been claimed in that time will be considered void.
• Payment of the scholarship award is conditional on receipt of supporting documentation from the student’s school stating that the student has successfully completed the required coursework and has received an FAA or international-equivalent rating. If the school hasn’t been compensated by the student, VAI will make a payment to the institution on behalf of the student. Scholarship payments are for tuition and training only.
• Applicants who expect to receive their commercial ratings before Jan. 1, 2025, are not eligible to apply for this award.

Required documents

• RESUME or Curriculum Vitae
• Airman Certificates – Provide legible copies, front and back, of all FAA or international-equivalent certificates
• Copy of the last page of your pilot logbook
• Copy of your medical certificate, including class and date
• Proof of Enrollment – Provide a letter from your FAA-Approved Part 141 School or International Equivalent’s aviation school acknowledging your enrollment. Letter must include:
  • Representative’s Name
  • Title and Organization
  • Mailing Address, Telephone, and Email
  • FAA Part 141 Certificate Number
    • If international, please provide your country’s FAA-equivalent information.
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation
    • One from your flight school’s Program Director, Administrator, or Instructor with:
      • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
      • Length of time recommender has known applicant
      • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation.
    • One from your employer, instructor, or other individual who can attest to your aviation background, training, and experience with:
      • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
      • Length of time recommender has known applicant
      • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation.

This scholarship is for applicants pursuing training to become aviation maintenance technicians. 

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship awards US$2,500 toward the cost of obtaining your aviation maintenance certificate. In addition, the scholarship recipient receives:

• A complimentary full registration to VERTICON (formerly HAI HELI-EXPO) for the recipient and a guest (hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the scholarship winner and guest).

Scholarship Prerequisites

• Applicants must be a member of VAI. Join now.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a maintenance technician certificate program at an FAA-approved Part 147 school or international equivalent.
• Scholarship winners have one year from the date of their award to complete their training and receive their maintenance technician certificate. Scholarship awards that haven’t been claimed in that time will be considered void.
• Payment of the scholarship award is conditional on receipt of supporting documentation from the student’s school stating that the student has successfully completed the required coursework and has received an FAA or international-equivalent certificate. If the school hasn’t been compensated by the student, VAI will make payment to the institution on behalf of the student. Scholarship payments are for tuition and training only.
• Applicants who expect to receive their maintenance technician certificates before Jan. 1, 2025, are not eligible to apply for this award.

Required documents

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
  • Technician Certificates (if applicable) – Provide legible copies, front and back, of all FAA or international-equivalent certificates.
• Proof of Enrollment – Provide a letter from your FAA-Approved Part 147 School or International Equivalent’s aviation school acknowledging your enrollment. Letter must include:
  • Representative’s name
  • Title and Organization
  • Mailing Address, Telephone, and Email
  • Verification of school’s status as an FAA-certified Part 147 facility or international-equivalent AMT training program
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • One from your AMT school Program Director, Administrator, or Instructor with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation
  • One from your employer, instructor, or other individual who can attest to your aviation background, training, and experience with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation

This scholarship awards full tuition to attend a maintenance course from airframe and powerplant manufacturers. 

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship awards recipients full tuition plus a monetary stipend to the following aviation maintenance programs:

• Airbus
• Bell
• Leonardo
• Pratt & Whitney
• Rolls-Royce
• Safran Turbomeca

In addition, the recipient also receives:

• A complimentary full registration to VERTICON (formerly HAI HELI-EXPO) for the recipient and a guest (hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the scholarship winner and guest).

Scholarship Prerequisites

• Applicants must be a member of VAI. Join Now.
• About to graduate from an FAA-approved Part 147 aviation maintenance technician school or international equivalent.
• Or be a recent recipient (within the last two years) of an airframe and powerplant (A&P) certificate

Required documents

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Proof of Enrollment – Provide a letter from your FAA-Approved Part 147 School or International Equivalent’s aviation school acknowledging your enrollment. Letter must include:
  • Representative’s name
  • Title and Organization
  • Mailing Address, Telephone, and Email
  • Verification of school’s status as an FAA-certified Part 147 facility or international-equivalent AMT training program
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • One from your AMT school Program Director, Administrator, or Instructor with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation
  • One from your employer, instructor, or other individual who can attest to your aviation background, training, and experience with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation

Presented by WINCO Powerline Services

The WINCO Maintenance Technician Certificate Scholarship is awarded to students in training to become an aviation maintenance technician.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship awards US$5,000 toward the cost of obtaining your aviation maintenance certificate. In addition, the scholarship recipient receives:

• A complimentary full registration to VERTICON (formerly HAI HELI-EXPO) for the recipient and a guest (hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the scholarship winner and guest).

Scholarship Prerequisites

• Applicants must be a member of VAI. Join now.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a maintenance technician certificate program at an FAA-approved Part 147 school or international equivalent.
• Scholarship winners have one year from the date of their award to complete their training and receive their maintenance technician certificate. Scholarship awards that haven’t been claimed in that time will be considered void.
• Payment of the scholarship award is conditional on receipt of supporting documentation from the student’s school stating that the student has successfully completed the required coursework and has received an FAA or international-equivalent certificate. If the school hasn’t been compensated by the student, VAI will make payment to the institution on behalf of the student. Scholarship payments are for tuition and training only.
• Applicants who expect to receive their maintenance technician certificates before Jan. 1, 2025, are not eligible to apply for this award.

Required documents

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Technician Certificates (if applicable) – Provide legible copies, front and back, of all FAA or international-equivalent certificates.
• Proof of Enrollment – Provide a letter from your FAA-Approved Part 147 School or International Equivalent’s aviation school acknowledging your enrollment. Letter must include:
  • Representative’s name
  • Title and Organization
  • Mailing Address, Telephone, and Email
  • Verification of school’s status as an FAA-certified Part 147 facility or international-equivalent AMT training program
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • One from your AMT school Program Director, Administrator, or Instructor with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation
  • One from your employer, instructor, or other individual who can attest to your aviation background, training, and experience with:
    • Recommender’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone, and email
    • Length of time recommender has known applicant
    • Recommender’s comments on applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivation

Presented by Bell

The Bell 505 B2 Integrated Avionics Maintenance Technician Scholarship is awarded to an individual who has held an A&P license for any length of time or to an individual who has finished avionics technician training within the past two years.

Scholarship Benefits

• Full tuition to attend Bell’s 505 B2 Integrated Avionics Maintenance Course.
• A stipend of US$1,600 toward the cost of travel and lodging.
• A complimentary full registration to VERTICON (formerly HAI HELI-EXPO) for the recipient and a guest (hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the scholarship winner and guest).

Scholarship Prerequisites

• Applicants must be a member of VAI. Join now.
• Applicants must already have an A&P license or be an established aviation avionics technician.

Required Documents

• Resume or curriculum vitae.
• Technician certificates (please provide legible copies, front and back, of all FAA or international-equivalent certificates).
• Two letters of recommendation from your employer, instructor, and/or other individual who can attest to your aviation technician background, training, and experience. The letters should include:
  • The submitter’s name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
  • The length of time the submitter has known the applicant.
  • The submitter’s comments about the applicant’s attitude, integrity, and motivational drive.