Finance Your Flight Training
At Direct Connect Flight Academy, we understand few students can afford to pay for flight training out of pocket. To help facilitate financing, we’ve collected a number of resources regarding financing options—both loans and scholarships. Direct Connect also accepts VA Benefits.
Financing & Scholarships
Financing Options
Meritize
Meritize offers flight training loans to finance up to 100% of your training. This brochure can help explain the options Meritize offers.
AOPA Financing
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) remains among the largest General Aviation lobbies in the world and provides a number of excellent resources. Along with tips for beginning your aviation career, insurance partnerships and more, AOPA offers financing options for those seeking funding for flight training and also offers a variety of scholarship opportunities.
Scholarships
A wide array of organizations offer flight training scholarships. Organizations devoted to women in aviation, aviation in Colorado and aviation business all seek to help students achieve their flight training goals. We encourage all students to pursue scholarship opportunities as often as possible. While the list of providers below covers many of the major scholarships available, it is by no means an exhaustive list.
Colorado Pilots Association
Devoted to making Colorado a safer, friendlier place to fly, the Colorado Pilots Association offers scholarship opportunities and a number of resources to pilots of all walks of life—especially centered on flying safely in the Rocky Mountains.
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
Well-known in the general aviation community for its outreach efforts to young people through free experience programs like “Young Eagles,” the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) also offers a variety of scholarship opportunities. The EAA consists of hundreds of local chapters, so be sure to explore chapters in your area for additional scholarship opportunities.
National Air Transport Association (NATA)
Available to a high school graduate every year, the Navigate Your Future Scholarship from the National. Air Transportation Association offers $2,500 toward flight training costs.
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) offers several scholarships to student pilots and student mechanics alike. Scholarship deadlines are spread throughout the year and you should check back regularly for updates.
The Ninety-Nines, International Organization of Women Pilots
Founded by Amelia Earhart and her contemporaries, the Ninety-Nines promotes women in aviation. As a part of its efforts, the Ninety-Nines offers a number of substantial scholarships—including awards up to $20,000 toward additional ratings.
Tuskegee Airmen Scholarships
Available to young minority students, the Colorado-based Hubert L. “Hooks” Jones Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen offers an annual scholarship to award five high school seniors or recent graduates funds to begin flight training. The Tuskegee Airmen also offer a national scholarship.
Women In Aviation International (WAI)
Women in Aviation International (WAI) operates an annual scholarship program to help develop leadership in its members. Applications are only available to members of Women in Aviation International.