EAA Chapter 534 Awards $10,000 Scholarship to Aviation Youth Member

The Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 board of directors named Mateo Colmenero the winner of a $10,000 Ray Aviation Scholarship at their May general membership meeting. This money is to be used for flight training towards a private pilot’s license.

Also, The Lightspeed Co. has teamed up with EAA and the Ray Aviation Scholarship Flight Program to award each scholarship recipient one of their high-quality noise cancelling headsets when the student successfully completes their flight training.

Mateo Colmenero has spent four years learning how to build and repair aircraft through EAA Chapter 534’s Aviation Youth Program. It has always been his dream to become a professional pilot and one day fly for an airline.

At the regular meeting of the Aviation Youth Program on June 8, Mateo described some of the experiences he has had during his first three lessons and it was clear to see that he was enjoying the experience and learning a lot. His eyes lit up and he was smiling from ear to ear as he talked about his flights learning to do 30 degree turns, slow flight and landing.

He is currently taking his dual instruction flight training and ground school at Sun Aviation Inc. located at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg,FL. The plane in which he is taking his lessons is the school’s Cessna 152, a single engine fixed wing aircraft.

He has just completed his freshman year at Lake Sumter State College where he is studying General Education.

Mateo is a resident of Eustis, FL and is a graduate of Umatilla High School.

His parents, Carlos and Pamela, have been very supportive of Mateo’s dream to become a pilot.

Due to the national shortage of pilots and aircraft mechanics because of retirements and aging out, the Ray Foundation, EAA and the Lightspeed Co are doing all they can to inspire and financially help young people fill theses ranks.

EAA will give out 100 $10,000 scholarships during 2019 through their local chapters who qualify to enter young people for this award. As time moves on, these chapters will be eligible to continue to award a scholarship each year to a young person who qualifies. Chapter 534 hopes to be able to grant another scholarship next year to a deserving member of their Aviation Youth Program.

EAA Chapter 534 has been very active for several years introducing kids to the wonders of flight and general aviation through their Young Eagles first flight program and Aviation Youth Program.

If you have further questions about EAA you may go to the following web sites. www.eaa.org or www.534.eaachapter.org