GORE BAY—The Gore Bay Flying School and its instructor, Wade Cook, with generous support from the Manitoulin community, are launching the new Youth Pilot Training Scholarship.
The club can now cover all the costs of one Manitoulin youth each year to take flying lessons and their flight exam. To be awarded this scholarship, the young person will need to complete ground school, pass a written exam, and meet other criteria.
Club president Tim St. Amand said, “ground school this year starts on January 8, and runs for 15 weekly classes of three hours each. Wade Cook started ground school last January and is providing it free of charge this year for students aged 14 to 19. Ground school books and supplies will cost $150 but this cost will be reimbursed to the scholarship recipient, who will be chosen each spring.”
“We’ll be looking for youth candidates for the scholarship in Grade 10 or 11, who are recommended by their school. Academic achievement is a factor,” said Mr. St. Amand.
“Training for a private pilot’s licence can cost as much as $15,000 dollars,” commented instructor Wade Cook. “The Gore Bay Flying Club has already made flight training much more affordable with its Club plane, a Piper Cherokee 140. And the Club can now provide one Manitoulin youth each year with flight training at no cost, with its new Youth Pilot Training Scholarship, using the Club plane and thanks to generous support from the community.”
“For a young person, earning your pilot licence enables you to fly a plane, for starters, and can give you a lifetime in aviation, including many career possibilities as a pilot,” stated Mr. St. Amand. “Even the simple fact of being in high school and having a pilot’s licence on your resume will give you a big boost in other endeavours. The Gore Bay Flying Club is very pleased to offer this opportunity for Manitoulin youth to take flight.”
The first scholarship recipient will have flying lessons in summer 2018 or 2019, depending on the number of student pilots. For more information about the Gore Bay Flying Club’s Youth Pilot Training Scholarship, youth or their parents can contact the club’s scholarship co-ordinator Mark Wilson, at GoreBayFlyingClub@gmail.com.
