I had the privilege of reviewing and assessing the 2024 RAAus scholarship applications last month, along with fellow members of the scholarship review panel. This insight into the passion, dedication and commitment of these applicants to become aviators has compelled me to write this month’s article. It shines a light on all that is great with not just the program, which has now been running since 2009, but the vast range of applicants, their backgrounds and the journeys they have embarked on to fly.
For many of us, the recreational training system didn’t exist when we began our flying journeys. It was a hard slog, but perseverance and tenacity often paid off. While the world may have changed, with aviation now being a viable career path for many aspiring pilots and maintainers, one thing hasn’t changed. That passion, commitment and tenacity is alive and well. As I read through the applications, my heart and spirits were elevated beyond belief.
The first thing that stood out to me as I waded through pages of well-written essays that highlighted backgrounds, pathways and demonstrated commitment was diversity, specifically gender and cultural diversity. No longer just the domain of wealthy young males, the applications were balanced with a healthy reflection of today’s values and inclusivity. The aeroplane doesn’t care, and neither should we. The fact that these barriers are no longer evident says a lot about how far our industry has come. Many applicants recalled their first flight, the visceral appeal, that somehow it changed them or unlocked the puzzle of what they wanted to do with their life. That they were often able to access this experience through an RAAus Trial Instructional Flight or with a club, friend or family member shows how the network of accessibility is yielding benefits both now and in the future for RAAus.
The next was determination. Wanting to do something is not enough. I recall my long bicycle rides to the local airfield, setting up a mowing run, painting and odd jobs in the school holidays to earn every dollar towards training, even driving the gliding club winch in school holidays to earn flight credits. These endeavors were echoed in the applications I perused, balancing schoolwork with casual jobs, fitting in air cadets or helping wash planes at the local school. Many of the young applicants had already come to the realisation that family financial support was not enough. In coming to this realisation, they had already conquered one of the many laws of success — that nothing good happens without hard work and persistence — and in doing so had already taken huge steps towards a successful life, wherever it might lead.
The next was resilience. Many of the applicants were already well into their ab-initio training with RAAus. Most were trying to balance time and resource commitments, especially studies. Some had setbacks; domestically, having to move locations, or suspending their training temporarily. But despite these setbacks they never wavered in their commitment to flight. It reminded me immediately of the well-known phrase “For once you have tasted flight, you will walk with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.”
The last and probably the most significant facet that struck me was camaraderie. Every applicant that had taken that first leap was now part of a bigger family, the flying family, our RAAus family. The pilots, the schools, the mentors and the professionals they had met along the way. The influence already demonstrated by their instructors, educational professionals and the community was clearly evident in the references and testimonials. It was a great thing to witness that the commitment already shown by these fine young aviators had bolstered those who had encountered them, again providing a mirror to our own experiences and journeys and showing us that the future is in good hands, whatever path these students embark on.
I commend all the 2024 RAAus scholarship applicants for their drive and determination to pursue the joy and opportunities that flight brings. I also want to thank our invaluable sponsors who make these scholarships possible. As we pay it forward, I have no doubt these young aviators will pay it back as they stretch their wings and our vision into the future.
