By William Jagust, EAA Chapter 1387 Ray Scholarship Coordinator
Just like other chapters, EAA Chapter 1387 in Troy, Missouri, was hoping to provide a candidate for the Ray Aviation Scholarship offered by EAA headquarters. What an awesome program! It helps a youth that has shown that they are more than interested in aviation, to receive financial help with their flight training.
In 2019, we chose Connor Davis as our candidate. He was an excellent student and obtained his private pilot certificate through the local flying club. With his desire to complete additional pilot ratings, Connor entered the ATP Career Pilot Program where he obtained his commercial, instrument, and CFI ratings. Connor then was hired at the Saint Charles Flying Service Flight School (SCFS) in nearby Portage des Sioux, Missouri (30 miles east of Troy, Missouri).
Fast forward to the year 2023 when EAA 1387 (the Troy chapter) had the opportunity to provide another Ray Scholarship to a candidate. We had a local air traffic controller’s son, Brody Seth, who has been attending our EAA 1387 meetings with his father. After a few flights with Brody in a Cessna 172 at the Saint Charles Flying School (SCFS), where I am a flight instructor, it was quite clear that Brody had “the right stuff” for the Ray Scholarship. This 6-foot-5 young man once attended a fly-in with the EAA 1387 group and was shoehorned into a member’s Van’s RV-7. Brody was not impressed with this “small” aircraft. Now at the SCFS, and in the spacious Cessna C-172N, Brody displayed his landing skills during an introductory flight with me that day. His last three landings were unassisted, and I asked where he had acquired his landing skills. He replied that he’d learned from his flight simulator.
Brody was a major player on the Home Schoolers basketball team. After the season ended this year, Brody wanted to go for a flight again at the SCFS flight school. As Brody walked in the door to fly with me, he was standing alongside Connor Davis, who was the 2019 Ray scholar. I quickly realized that these two Ray scholars needed to fly together! It would be the perfect moment for the Ray Scholar program. The former Ray scholar and current CFI Connor Davis would be paying it forward and giving back to the future Ray scholar, Brody Seth.
It was a joy to watch them both laugh and enjoy the thrill and joy of aviation as these two young men (Connor, 21, and Brody, 18) were having fun pre-flighting and sharing the thrills of flying this fine day in March 2024.
On June 19, 2024, Mr. Brody soloed at Gateway Flight Training, at the Creve Coeur, Missouri, airport under the watchful eye of Chief Pilot Robert Meder (past NAFI chairman). Robert and I volunteered together at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in the KidVenture pilot training area during past years.
So, does the program work?
Yes, it most certainly does. And it is still working today.