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Applications for EAA's 2020 Sport Pilot Academy Now Open

February 13, 2020 - The benefits of immersive, small group flight instruction are coming to Oshkosh again in 2020, as EAA is hosting five Sport Pilot Academy sessions this year, beginning in May.

The EAA Sport Pilot Academy offers a direct path to sport pilot certification through a three-week training program that eliminates obstacles such as scheduling conflicts and instructor availability. The program takes participants from the first flight through their sport pilot checkride at EAA facilities in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

"The success of our previous Sport Pilot Academy sessions over the past two years has encouraged us to expand the program to five sessions in 2020," said Sean Elliott, EAA's vice president of advocacy and safety. "The Sport Pilot Academy is a way for those committed to learning to fly to earn that pilot certificate with a strong support system around them at EAA."

The three-week program offers one-on-one and small group instruction, with flight training in new Van's RV-12iST aircraft equipped with the latest Garmin avionics. Lodging, meals, and camaraderie with fellow students are all included, as well as additional aviation experiences that can be found only in Oshkosh.

The 2020 Sport Pilot Academy sessions will be held on the following dates:

  • May 9-31 (Collegiate Sport Pilot Academy)
  • June 6-28
  • August 8-30
  • September 5-27
  • October 3-25

The Collegiate Sport Pilot academy is a scholarship-based session, with up to five scholarships awarded to students attending a post-secondary institution and focusing on an aviation program such as aeronautics engineering, aviation management, airframe and powerplant maintenance, and more.

Applications for the upcoming session are not currently being accepted. Check back for 2022 Sport Pilot Academy information.

Complete information and requirements are available at EAA.org/SportPilotAcademy. Major sponsors of EAA's Sport Pilot Academy include Garmin, Rotax Aircraft Engines, and SteinAir, with additional support provided by Sensenich Propellers, AeroLEDs, and EarthX Lithium Batteries.

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