http://www.vintageaircraftclub.org.uk> Liz Inwood Taildragger Scholarship
John Hardie is the Liz Inwood Taildragger Scholarship 2019 Winner.
The Vintage Aircraft Club is pleased to announce that the 2019 recipient of the Liz Inwood Taildragger Scholarship is John Hardie. The award was presented by Anne Hughes, VAC Chair, at the Light Aircraft Association's Rally at Sywell on 1st September 2019. The Vintage Aircraft Club's scholarship is awarded annually and is a contribution of £750 toward taildragger conversion.
John Hardie says: "I was delighted to have been awarded the 2019 Liz Inwood Taildragger Scholarship by the Vintage Aircraft Club (VAC). Aviation has the ability to foster community, adventure, skills, purpose, and a connection to history. 'Grassroots' vintage flying must surely encompass these aims most successfully. Flying has been an obsession ever since being given the opportunity to learn through the University of London Air Squadron in 2011. I now work for the NHS, but have continued to enjoy recreational flying, particularly sharing the joy with friends and family, and organising small 'fly-ins' with other pilots. I first heard about the award whilst attending the 2019 VAC Spring Fly-In. It recognises that tailwheel training has the potential to open a whole new world of vintage aircraft types, but is not always financially accessible to younger pilots. I plan to complete my training on a Piper Cub, an aircraft with such history and versatility, and one I have always wanted to fly. After building some experience, I hope to qualify as a Class Rating Instructor, giving me the ability to pass on those skills that I have been so fortunate to learn myself. Looking to the future, I have ambitions to gain a display authorisation, and to establish mentorship and volunteer schemes to help make flying 'beyond the PPL' more widely accessible."
The Vintage Aircraft Club was formed nearly fifty five years ago as a club for owners, pilots and enthusiasts of vintage and classic light aircraft. Currently the club has 350 members from across the UK and holds regular fly-ins, ground events and forums throughout the year. In common with many other aviation organisations the VAC is aware of a rapidly widening age gap within the membership. In order for the club to thrive and survive we are aware that we need to encourage and attract younger members to share our enthusiasm for flying vintage aircraft. It is also important that we pass on the skills to fly these aircraft which typically have the older type of conventional undercarriage - the taildraggers. For this reason the Taildragger Scholarship was set up by the Liz Inwood Trust along with the VAC and we are pleased to make this annual award available to qualified pilots, under 36 years old, with 100hrs or more enabling them to train for up to 5 hours at a recognised flying school. Each year the selection panel will chose one pilot out of the many applicants. The applicant must be the holder of a current PPL, NPPL or LAPL, with 100 hours total flying time of which at least 50 hours are as a pilot in command. The VAC's annual award of up to £750 towards a taildragger conversion could help you realise your dream!
