Introduction

In recognition of the need to encourage aspiring maintenance professionals to join the Piper PA-46 (PMOPA) maintenance community and current maintenance professionals to remain in the PMOPA community; the PMOPA Safety & Education Foundation (“SEF”) Board of Trustees has created a financial assistance scholarship program.

Objective

PMOPA SEF will collaborate with the Piper M-Class maintenance community to identify eligible candidates for whom financial assistance will enhance aviation safety. The recipients of the scholarships will, in return, be required to make a two-year commitment to either join or remain in the Piper M-Class maintenance community, as applicable.

The recipients shall also be expected to attend the PMOPA annual convention for two years, with PMOPA SEF covering the reasonable costs of such attendance, including travel and registration. If the recipient is currently employed by a Piper M-Class maintenance facility, the facility is expected to cover the scholarship recipient’s normal pay while they are attending the PMOPA Convention.

Eligible Candidates

The following individuals are eligible for consideration:

  1. Students who are currently completing an academic aviation maintenance program and are being recruited by a facility within the PMOPA maintenance community.
  2. Students, with no prior formal aviation maintenance education, who are being recruited as apprenticeship program candidates by a facility within the PMOPA maintenance community.
  3. Current maintenance professionals who are employed by or are being recruited by a facility within the PMOPA maintenance community.

Candidate Application Process

Students and active maintenance professionals who meet the eligibility criteria specified above may submit an application to be considered by the SEF for a scholarship award in 2026. Applications may be submitted during the period commencing April 1 and ending July 15.

(a) Each application should contain the particulars of the candidate, a clear justification for the SEF to grant assistance to the candidate, and for what purpose the grant money shall be used. The SEF will consider such applications and will select the individuals prior to August 31.

(b) Each applicant for a PMOPA SEF maintenance scholarship shall include a written statement, at least 750 words, describing their maintenance journey to date and their interest in a general aviation maintenance career serving the PMOPA community.

(c) Each applicant for a PMOPA SEF maintenance scholarship shall include at least one letter of reference – addressed to PMOPA SEF – from a teacher/professor or supervisor stating why the applicant should be considered for this award.

Awards & Amounts

The SEF will consider awards such as:

      • Stipends to pay tuition at an accredited Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) program
      • Stipends to defray testing costs
      • Stipends to assist with additional or advanced training, such as avionics training, engine training (Continental, Lycoming, or PT6), and other continuing education

The maximum scholarship amount the SEF will award to any individual applicant in 2026 is $5,000.00.

Payments & Reporting

The SEF will pay providers of training and/or equipment either directly or through the maintenance facility where the scholarship recipient is employed. The awards are intended for the direct benefit of the individual candidates selected by SEF.

If the maintenance facility receives and distributes the scholarship award on behalf of the SEF, the maintenance facility will be expected to provide to the SEF a report of how awards were spent by July 1 of the year following such awards, confirming that the award was used for the direct benefit of the individual.

The assistance awarded under this program shall be subject to the annual amounts budgeted to the program by the SEF Board. The Board will communicate each year the amounts available for the program. PMOPA SEF has allocated $20,000 for scholarships in 2026.

Application

A maintenance facility may nominate one or more individuals for this scholarship. Applications must be completed by July 15.

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