Memorial Youth Flight Training Scholarship Program
One of Cascade Warbirds’ missions is “to inspire today’s young people to become the aviation pioneers of tomorrow.” We have partnered with flight schools around Puget Sound to provide a scholarship consisting of ground school plus materials and the first two instructional flights. Each is valued at approximately $1,350 and we make several awards each year.
An additional $2,500 Continuing Aviation Education Grant is available annually to one scholarship recipient who completes the scholarship requirements, intends to complete FAA private pilot training within the following two years, and completes training milestones.
In our scholars’ own words…
Learn about the scholarships
Closed for 2026 – next season starts in early 2027!
Ground School
Ground school teaches all the knowledge a pilot must have, such as aircraft systems, weather, flight operations, FAA regulations, and more. Classroom instruction is held either in-person at the flight school or virtually through their online provider. Successful completion qualifies the student to take the FAA’s private pilot knowledge test.
Instructional Flights
Flight training occurs in flight school training aircraft with an FAA certificated flight instructor. Training flights cover procedures such as flight planning, aircraft preparation, radio communications, and ground and in-flight operations and maneuvering. Instructional flights are recorded in the student’s pilot logbook and prepare the student to take the FAA private pilot practical test.
Requirements
Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 21 at the time of award.
Recipients must sign the contract below, which contains the scholarship program details and commitments. Please review before applying.
Commitment LetterApply
Fill in the application below and return it as described inside.
Submissions must be emailed or postmarked by March 1, 2026.
Note that our partnerships make this scholarship practical only to students in the central Puget Sound area.
For current year recipients
This additional opportunity is intended to provide further support for those scholarship recipients who intend to complete their private pilot training.
Funds are provided as training milestones are completed:
- $1,000 after completing the first solo flight
- $1,000 after completing the long solo cross-country flight
- $500 after earning the private pilot certificate
Requirements
Applicants must complete the initial ground school course, both instructional flights, and submit an essay.
Recipients must sign the contract below, which contains the scholarship program details and commitments. Please review before applying.
Apply
Fill in the application below and return it as described inside.
Submissions must be emailed or postmarked by November 30 of the year the initial scholarship was received.
Flight schools
Our scholarship team will work with you to find the right fit at a local flight school. We have arrangements with some.
Explore some local options:
- Regal Air – Everett
- Snohomish Flying Service – Snohomish
- Rainier Flight Service – Everett, Seattle, Renton, Auburn, Gig Harbor
- SpanaFlight – Auburn
What does it take to become a pilot?
- Learn to Fly – Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
- Learn to Fly – Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
- Become a Pilot – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Contact our Scholarship Committee Chair with any questions about the scholarship program.
Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic Training Scholarship Program
Neither today’s nor tomorrow’s pilots will fly without talented aircraft mechanics to keep ’em flying. The number of “A&Ps” available to work on general aviation aircraft has been decreasing for years. In 2026, we expanded our youth scholarship opportunities to support those young people who wish to work in aviation, but not in the cockpit.
Becoming an aircraft maintenance technician takes far less time and money than becoming a pilot and it also offers a fulfilling career that teaches STEM skills, independence, and self-confidence. For those with interest and talent in working with their hands, aviation maintenance is a rewarding career. It also provides entrepreneurial opportunity for those who wish to run their own small business.
Cascade Warbirds is working directly with the foundations at two schools that administer financial support to their students. We set the requirements and the foundations identify the best potential matches among students progressing well through their studies.
Click the links below for information about each course of studies.
The Cascade Warbirds A&P Scholarship
The Cascade Warbirds Fred Smyth A&P Scholarship
Donations
We are able to offer these scholarships only because of the generous financial support of our donors. Since 2010, Cascade Warbirds has provided over eighty outstanding young people the opportunity to grow, find a career, and learn a lifelong avocation through the magic of flight.
Becoming a pilot or an aviation mechanic builds upon and expands core STEM skills of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It pushes students to grow emotionally and build self-confidence. Minor or adult, learning to fly or take mechanical responsibility for an aircraft changes a person and opens them to a world of possibilities.
If you are interested in supporting our youth education efforts with a tax-deductible financial contribution, please contact our Finance Officer. You may also be able to donate directly from your tax-advantaged retirement account without it flowing through your income calculation; consult your tax advisor for details. Cascade Warbirds is a 501(c)(3) recognized nonprofit organization.
Thank you for your vote of confidence in Cascade Warbirds, your generous support, and your investment in our youth!
“Today I mailed our donation to the scholarship program in the name of my father, Captain Karl Mehrer, WWII vet recently deceased at 92 years old. He spent his last 40 years restoring historic sailing schooners on Puget Sound, and putting those ships to work training young people about the joys of the sea, many of whom he channeled into maritime careers. Thank the Warbirds for their fabulous formation flyby at the Captain’s memorial service over Lake Whatcom. We will never forget that tribute.”– Kathleen Mehrer
You may also contribute to Cascade Warbirds’ general programs through everyday purchases at popular retailers.
Recent News
2026 Youth Flight Training Scholarship
2024 Scholarship Winners