GYFTS Program gets a GIFT

Admin · September 28, 2009

In Feb 2009 a proposal was submitted to Airserves for $25,000 to provide for 10 grants of $2,500 each to Recreational Aviation Student Pilots between the ages of of 15-21, for the next 3 years, to enable them to complete their flight training and advance their aviation careers.

GYFTS (Giving Young Flyers Training Support) is a Recreational Aviation Australia member funded support scheme that aims to assist young flyers by providing some funding for training. It differs from other scholarships in two fundamental ways.

Firstly it is not a prize given to a few students that pays for all their training. It seeks to provide funding assistance for worthy students to finish their training including their cross country endorsements and obtain their pilot certificate and possibly begin their PPL.

Secondly, a unique feature of this program is the emphasis on student initiative and commitment. Students must begin their training on their own resources. In this way, instructors are better able to asses the candidate's ability and aptitude for learning to fly. It is also a means for assessing commitment and desire.

At the recent board meeting Airservices advised that they will provide to RAAus a $25,000 grant for the GYFTS program.

This program was the brainchild of Carol Richards, a NSW board reprsentative, and has worked hard to bring this to the success that it is. Now, apart from the RAAus member contributions, the potential careers of 10 more recreational aviators will be helped.

September 28, 2009

Fully in favor of that program Ian. May it even get bigger in future..............Maj

Wangaratta · December 13, 2009

Applying,

.

I'm thinking of applying for this in 2011, if it is still going. Applying then gives me time to save up some money during 2010 and get some flight lessons done for my instructor to get an idea about me and write something good in his letter :P. I got all the information about applying today, there is only some things that worry me; once you have received the scholarship you must get your pilot certificate within 10 months, this could be hard for some people even with the scholarship. They could also make the application details more clear on some occasions. But good idea with helping younger kids like me (14 years old).

-Jack.

Tomo · December 13, 2009

Hey Jack!

It is awesome to see you seeking to learn to fly at your age... I love seeing and hearing of young people doing this. The GYFTS program that Mrs Richard's has put together is a great thing.

I've corresponded with her and actually even been an applicant for the program earlier on this yr I think it was. (I didn't get it though) But my situation where I can work and earn a bit probably doesn't really require pinching a scholarship from someone else who can't work yet.

Your question -

once you have received the scholarship you must get your pilot certificate within 10 months, this could be hard for some people even with the scholarship.

Are you asking this with a 'Financial' or 'time to do it', problem? I believe that 10 months is plenty enough time to get your pilot certificate in. Also having a time limit like that encourages you to get it done, rather than getting side tracked half way etc... (if you can see what I mean)

14! what a good age to start...! keep it up mate you'll get there!

DarkSarcasm · December 13, 2009

Apparantly there's a separate scholarship for 21-25 year olds which I'm considering applying for if I fit the requirements...emailed Ms Richards about it today... worth a try anyway I reckon :)

DarkSarcasm · December 13, 2009

It says that "the candidate’s CFI must complete a confidential report to affirm applicant’s ability, aptitude and attitude to aviation"- I'm assuming that they mean the CFI of the flight school rather than my instructor, but I don't think I've actually met the CFI (or I have and didn't realise it which is highly possible) so how's he going to know what to write? Talk to my instructor I guess?

So, assuming that they mean the CFI of the school, does that mean that I can ask my FI to be one of the referees?

Also, it says that the applicants are assessed on need, how do they work that out? Ask me and trust I'm not going to lie? Bank statements?<o:p></o:p>

cazza · December 13, 2009

Hi Darky,

If there are things about the application form that are unclear, then you should ask for clarification, just like when you are training and the instructor says something that you don't understand. You see, the scholarship is for young people, so we really do not want to have any ambiguities, we want to try and help you put in the best submission you can and hopefully be successful. Otherwise volunteers like me wouldn't spend so much time and energy trying to set up a program and get it funded.

Yep, we ask the CFI to write the report after full discussion with your instructor. This is to protect instructors that have more than one student applying and may have difficulty being completely unbiased and would like some assistance in making a fair judgement. Also the money is actually paid to the flight training facility so the CFI has to be involved in the process.

How do we assess need? Yep, we trust you to tell us the truth and your referee reports and the CFI report give the committee a pretty good picture of you as a person. We don't want bank statements, we don't want to make you or your family embarassed.

Yes, theoretically you can ask your instructor to be a referee and there is no reason why the instructor can't put in a report as well as the CFI - but others who have known you longer can give us a better picture of how you operate as a person.

Any scholarship assistance probably won't see you through your pilot certificate, but any training you do will be paid to the FTS regardless of if you finish or not within the 10 months. But if you don't spend it all, well then you have to ask the committee for special consideration.

This program was designed and is administered by volunteers, and our only consideration is to try and help as many young people as possible get into the air. So if you have questions, ask. Easy right?

Cheers, CAZZA (better known as Dr Carol Richards, Chairman of Scholarship Committee)

cazza · December 13, 2009

Tommo,

Have you finished your training? If not, why not apply again? We have more money, thanks to the Grant I got from Airservices.l

Cazza

DarkSarcasm · December 13, 2009

Cheers, CAZZA (better known as Dr Carol Richards, Chairman of Scholarship Committee)

pahahahahaha, what are the odds?

006_laugh.gif.0f7b82c13a0ec29502c5fb56c616f069.gif

Thanks very much for your reply, I was going to email you as well, I was merely posting on here as a way of procrastinating over the essay I have to write for uni :)

Spin · December 13, 2009

This is a brilliant initiative, hats off to those who put in all the hard work behind the scenes (Cazza et al). I have recently met a couple of school age youngsters training at the school I'm with and am gratified to see the level of interest and dedication shown.

Tomo · December 13, 2009

Tommo,Have you finished your training? If not, why not apply again? We have more money, thanks to the Grant I got from Airservices.l
Cazza

G'day Cazza, I was hoping you'd show up for the questions they were asking.

Yes I've finished my RAA training, having X country and a handful of other endorsements also. I'm looking at going on and getting my GA PPL license next yr (2010) though, not sure if your GYFTS program would like to help me with that though?, if it does cater for something like than I would be pretty keen on applying again. Every little bit helps a lot.

Ps. I'm (Thomas Scott, from Cecil Plains) not sure if you can remember me? but you offered to take me for a flight once when you were passing through Dalby on one of your trips in the Jabiru, (over the phone) It didn't end up working out, but I will always remember you from that... I was very much encouraged that someone like yourself even thought of offering me a ride. (It would have been late last yr or earlier on this yr sometime I think.)

Tomo · December 13, 2009

Thanks very much for your reply, I was going to email you as well, I was merely posting on here as a way of procrastinating over the essay I have to write for uni :)

You sure? ;)

Wangaratta · December 13, 2009

Hey Tomo,

I Mean Money Wise, with like the 10 months.. what happens if you don't finish it because you don't have the money in 10 months, do you pay it back?

Tomo · December 13, 2009

I'm not sure on that Jack, but Cazza (Dr Richards) will be able to answer that for you.

Wangaratta · December 13, 2009

Thanks Tomo, Great To Hear Your Flying is Going Great!

cazza · December 14, 2009

And the answer is this. If you are given, say, $1,000 and you fly that much, then we pay the FTF. If you haven't received your pilot certificate by that time, then you haven't finished. Noone has to pay it back. On the other hand, if you aren't working hard and don't spend it all, after the end of that year, you won't get it all, unless there were extenuating circumstances.

Hope that's clear.

Cazza

cazza · December 14, 2009

Hi Thomas, I read about you in the latest RA-Aus mag. No we can't help you with your ppl, but if you ever get to Temora, I will for sure shout you some accommodation and a meal.

Cazza

Tomo · December 15, 2009

but if you ever get to Temora, I will for sure shout you some accommodation and a meal.

Thanks very much, will keep that in mind! :thumb_up:

Same go's to you if you need it up this way...

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