Discovery Flight Program
The San Luis Obispo Chapter of The Ninety-Nines, an organization of women pilots, is inviting local girls and women to experience the joy and thrill of flying a small airplane through our Discovery Flight Scholarship program.
A limited number of scholarships to cover the costs of introductory flights with a flight instructor are offered each year. This is an opportunity to be in the pilot’s seat of a small airplane. Discovery Flights are offered at San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Santa Maria airports through participating flight schools. Girls and women 14 years of age or older and residing in San Luis Obispo County or near Santa Maria airport are invited to apply.
Each scholarship recipient will be assigned to a Ninety-Nine who will act as a mentor and help arrange the Discovery Flight. All applicants under 18 years of age are required to have parental consent. Email an essay about why you would like to experience flying an airplane to SLO99scholarships@gmail.com.
How to Participate
1. Write an essay. Tell us about your interest in flying or what aviation means to you.and email it to SLO99scholarships@gmail.com.
2. Obtain parental consent if you’re under 18. A parent or guardian must give permission for minors to participate.
3. We’ll help arrange your flight. Each recipient is paired with a Ninety-Nine mentor who coordinates an introductory flight with a certified flight instructor at a participating flight school.
Opening New Possibilities
Women make up only 6% of private pilots and even a smaller percentage of professional pilots, and most young women have never thought about flying as even a possible option for themselves. The purpose of this scholarship has been to introduce young women to the idea that they can fly an airplane, to provide a memorable moment that will stay with them throughout their lives and perhaps spark a life-long interest in flying, and to stimulate them to consider the possibility that they could be pilots and that a career in aviation is an option for them.
Interested in Taking Flight?
For more information about the introductory flight opportunity, or if you’d like your school to participate, please contact the San Luis Obispo 99s.