Flying Scholarships
The establishment, funding and management of a flying scholarship program is an Otago Aero Club centennial project.
The Centennial Flying Scholarships programme sits at the heart of the Otago Aero Club Centennial Project. It is built on a simple but powerful idea: that talent and ambition should not be limited by circumstance. For nearly a century, aviation in Otago has been advanced by people who found ways forward, often before the path was clear. These scholarships are about creating that same opening for the next generation.
Cost, access, confidence, and representation have long shaped who gets to fly and who does not. The Centennial Flying Scholarships are designed to change that equation by supporting young people who face barriers through gender, ethnicity, economic circumstances, or other forms of disadvantage, and by giving them a genuine pathway into flight training and potential aviation careers. This is not about symbolic access; it is about practical, hands-on flying, mentorship, and sustained support.
Just as importantly, the programme is grounded in continuity. These scholarships are made possible through the support of those who came before: former students, professional pilots, engineers, instructors, and supporters who recognise that their own journeys were shaped by opportunity - and who now choose to pass that opportunity on. Their contributions turn history into momentum, and individual success into collective progress.
That connection between past and future is made tangible through the Centennial Project aircraft itself: a 1964 Cessna 150, restored to flight and returned to active use. Scholarship recipients will train in an aircraft that carries both heritage and purpose - learning to fly while becoming part of a much longer story. In doing so, they don’t just gain hours and qualifications; they inherit a responsibility to carry Otago’s aviation legacy forward.
This page will grow as the programme does. In time, it will share the stories of scholarship recipients, supporters, and the aircraft that brings them together. For now, it marks the beginning of a commitment: to widen access to aviation, to honour those who built the runway before us, and to ensure that the next century of flying in Otago is shaped by talent, not barriers.
REGISTRATION OF INTEREST
If you would like to be advised when applications for Centennial Flying Scholarships open, please complete and send this form.
Your information will only be used for this purpose, and will not be made available to any other parties.
Flying Scholarships are an Otago Aero Club Centennial Project, and your financial support is essential to our success.
Please consider a donation to help us achieve this important goal.