Whirly-Girls Accepting Applications for Helicopter Training Scholarship

Members are invited to apply for more than $500,000 of helicopter training and educational scholarships made possible by the Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund.

The awards are funded by donations from private individuals and industry leaders, including Airbus, Bell Helicopter, Robinson Helicopter Co., CAE, FlightSafety International, and Garmin. 

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants  must be a female member of the Whirly-Girls organization in good standing. Funds are available for both experienced and newly certificated pilots and helicopter maintenance technicians as well as those seeking initial ratings.

Scholarship awards cover training expenses for courses including turbine transitions and advanced aircraft certificate, commercial flight training, software use, and advanced ratings and certificates.

In addition to financial need, scholarship winners will be selected based on a wide variety of criteria and achievements in aviation, reliability, motivation and commitment to success, dedication, and the ability to accept responsibility.

Whirly-Girls was founded in 1955 by Jean Ross Howard Phelan, who together with 12 other women helicopter pilots wanted to create an organization where female pilots could share information and camaraderie. The organization offered its first scholarship in 1968.

Applications for 2024 scholarships may be found here. The deadline to apply is October 1.