National Air Transportation Foundation Announces 2018 Scholarship Recipients

The National Air Transportation Foundation (NATF) announces the 2018 winners of the Dan L. Meisinger Sr. Memorial Learn to Fly Scholarship, NATA Business Scholarship, Richard L. Taylor Flight Training Scholarship, Pioneers of Flight Scholarship and Navigate Your Future Scholarship. NATF awards annual academic and flight training scholarships to assist outstanding candidates in their pursuit of careers in aviation service businesses.

Andrew Daly, a student at Kansas State University in Salina, KS, is the recipient of the 2018 Dan L. Meisinger, Sr. Memorial Learn to Fly Scholarship. Andrew is a veteran of the United States Army, having served one deployment in Afghanistan. Andrew aspires to become a certified flight instructor and continue his career as a regional pilot. Currently, he is an instrument-rated private pilot working to complete his commercial certificate.

Miguel Salguero, the 2018 recipient of the Pioneers of Flight Scholarship, is an aeronautical engineering student at California Polytechnic State University. He earned his private license while volunteering at the Port Townsend Aero Museum in Washington State and plans on working his way through his commercial license. Miguel’s goal after college is to work as an engineer at a low-volume general aviation company, designing airplanes that inspire the next generation of pilots.

Laura Young, an employee of NATA member company Bergstrom Aircraft, Inc. since 2012, is this year’s NATA Business Scholarship recipient. She is working towards obtaining her commercial rating in a 1973 PA-28R-200 Piper Arrow. Her mission is to give back to the general aviation community for its endless support in helping her reach her goal of keeping the industry vibrant.

Austin Evers, a student at the University of Central Missouri, is this year’s Richard L. Taylor Flight Training Scholarship. Along with being an active member of the Collegiate Flight Team, he is currently working toward degrees in professional flight and aviation management with an emphasis in flight operations. His future goal is to become a pilot for a major airline flying international routes.

The NATF 2018 recipient of the Navigate Your Future Scholarship is Stratton Mills from Louisiana Tech University. Stratton is working towards a degree in professional aviation with a minor in aviation management. Outside of school, Stratton works as a line service technician at a local FBO and hopes to one day fly for the airlines.

“NATA is proud to have these talented individuals represent our foundation. We wish them all the best as they continue their careers in aviation and hope that their stories will inspire others to join in their success,” says NATA director of Member Relations, Alexandra Connole. “We also thank our member companies for their financial contributions to fund our scholarship opportunities each year. We rely significantly on their support to empower the next leaders of our industry.”

“NATF is important to NATA’s efforts to promote general aviation workforce development. In 1989, the Foundation established our first scholarship to promote flight training. Now we’ve expanded to five opportunities, supporting the dreams of high school and college students, as well as individuals interested in career advancement within the industry,” says Gary Dempsey, NATA president. “We encourage our members and other aviation businesses to create and implement workforce development plans­, as well as answer the call to support organizations such as NATF or fund initiatives within your own community.”

For more information about the scholarships or the National Air Transportation Foundation, visit https://nata.aero/About-NATA/The-National-Air-Transportation-Foundation.aspx or contact Alexandra Connole at aconnole@nata.aero.