NAAA Offering Three Scholarship Programs, Deadline Sept. 8

NAAA, with the support of several Allied members, is offering three scholarship programs in 2026, totaling $34,000 in scholarship funds. Whether you’re a student, an aspiring ag pilot, or an ag pilot interested in turbine training, we have scholarship funds for you! Please contact NAAA at [email protected] or (202) 546-5722 for clarification about any of the scholarship program requirements.

NAAA’s ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarship

Five $5,000 scholarships are available for aspiring ag aviators who are sponsored by an NAAA Operator. The NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship is back again this year, thanks to the generous support of BASF, Thrush Aircraft, and Turbine Conversions Ltd. The scholarship program is offering $25,000 in aid to assist five aspiring ag pilots in their journey. All funds are in U.S. dollars.

The goal of NAAA’s “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program is to strengthen the aerial application industry by helping operator members bring new pilots into the profession and help fund their training. Applicants must be sponsored by an NAAA Operator member. Scholarship recipients may use the proceeds for flight training or aviation or ag-related coursework at a university, college, community college or other institution of higher learning. A stipend for a trainee in an NAAA Operator-sponsored apprentice program is also permissible. The scholarship program is administered by NAAA and funded by educational grants from BASF, Thrush Aircraft and Turbine Conversions Ltd.

Investing in aspiring ag aviators is a win-win for NAAA Operator members and individuals seeking training funds to support their pursuit of becoming a professional ag pilot. The deadline is September 8, 2026, and all details on how to apply are online here.

Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship

Two $3,000 scholarships are available to eligible NAAA Operator and Pilot members for turbine transition training through the 2026 Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship. The NAAA scholarship program was established in 2023 and made possible by a generous educational grant from Jim Mills of Turbines Inc., who established the scholarship in memory of Charles Stokes.

The Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship was created to provide training funds to agricultural pilots with a minimum of 150 hours of ag time for use at a turbine transition course or program. The scholarship must be used for turbine flight training at a qualified flight school or turbine training facility. All funds are in U.S. dollars. The deadline is September 8, 2026, and all details on how to apply are online here.

NAAA Support Committee Scholarship

The NAAA Support Scholarship Committee may award a $2,000 scholarship as the top prize, and Covington Aircraft Engines has generously agreed to sponsor a $1,000 scholarship. All funds are in U.S. dollars. The 2026 Essay Topic is: Identify a person who has made a meaningful contribution to the agricultural aviation industry. In what ways have their work and character influenced your goals or perspective? The deadline is September 8, 2026, and all details on how to apply are online here.