Lyons Aviation Foundation Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Lyons Aviation Foundation

Opportunity is not divided equally, even if luck and talent and hard work might be.

We are a private foundation that awards a yearly aviation scholarship to financially support a deserving young person pursuing their Private Pilot Certificate.

There is a common saying that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not.  We are offering opportunity when there might not be one.

Our goal, through our aviation scholarship, is to help give opportunity to those that might not otherwise have the means to pursue aviation as a career path.

Minimum scholarship award is $1500 but can be higher.

Minimum recipients is 1.  The Board can consider selecting more the 1 recipient. Funding considerations factor into what the board decides.

Each year, the scholarship window will open on September 16th.  

The deadline for applying is around mid January of the following year.  

The Scholarship applications will be reviewed by the members of the board, and judged on their merit. The board will come to a consensus and select a minimum of 1 recipient each year for the scholarship.  

The aviation scholarship recipient will be informed in April.

Please download BOTH the instructions and the application!

APPLICATIONS MUST BE MAILED IN. WE DO NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS ELECTRONICALLY.

Eligibility requirements

• You must be between the ages of 16-24 on April 25th of the scholarship year you are applying for
• You must not currently hold a Private Pilot Certificate- Airplane
• You must be a US citizen or legal permanent resident
• You must be of good moral character (have no misdemeanor or felony convictions)
• You must be able to read, write, and speak English to FAA standards
• You must have a FAA First-Class, Second-Class or Third-Class Medical certificate.   Proof must be submitted with application.
• The scholarship recipient must commit to using scholarship funds towards their private pilot certificate within 8 months of being named a recipient.
• You are eligible if you are pursuing your license on your own, and not part of any college, university or aviation program at the time you apply. In addition, we do not provide loans for any college or university tuition, even if you are in an aviation program.

INSTRUCTIONS - 2026

The Lyons family has maintained ties to aviation for over 69 years. Through our foundation, the Lyons family is committed to providing opportunities to deserving individuals who wish to pursue a career in aviation as a professional pilot. We seek to encourage the pursuit of aviation for young men and women through our scholarship program.

Application and selection process

Please read the instructions carefully and thoroughly. If you have any question about the application, please consult the FAQs on the website. The scholarship selection committee will select the best applicant(s) based on merit. Applications will be judged solely on merit, to include scholastic achievement, leadership skills, and community involvement. The applicant’s ability to convey their passion for pursuing a career in aviation is a significant part of the selection committee’s evaluation.

Important!

The recipient of the scholarship must commit to using scholarship funds towards their private pilot certificate within 8 months of being named a recipient. All training must occur at a local flight training center approved by the Foundation.

Please read and follow these instructions completely:

1. Applications must be mailed to: The Lyons Aviation Foundation, Attn: Scholarship Committee, P.O. Box 381 Eastlake, CO 80614
2. In order to be considered for the Scholarship to be awarded in 2027, applications must be postmarked by the January 2027 deadline. Applications postmarked after this date or with no postmark will be rejected. The Lyons Aviation Foundation will notify the selected recipient in April 2027.
3. Applicant must be between the ages of 16 and 24 years of age on April 25th 2027.
4. Applicant must be a United States Citizen or legal permanent resident
5. Applicant must be of good moral character and have not been charged or convicted of any misdemeanors or felonies.
6. Applicant must be able to read, write, and speak English to FAA standards
7. Applicant must possess a FAA First-Class, Second-Class or Third-Class medical certificate.
8. The applicant selected for scholarship must sign a Release of Liability form before any flight training begins.
9. Application must be mailed to the address above. There is no means to accept application in electronic form.
10. All decisions made by The Lyons Aviation Foundation are final.
11. All material submitted to The Lyons Aviation Foundation will become property of the Foundation.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE MAILED IN!!!

We do not accept applications electronically!!