As aviation continues to transform our world – from drones and unmanned aircraft to advanced commercial flight and aerospace engineering – there’s never been a more exciting time for young people to soar into aviation careers. In Kentucky, the recently enacted AERO Act serves as a game-changer in opening those doors. At DreamFlight Charities, we’re partnering with schools and Part 141 flight training programs to ensure that local students have access to these life-changing opportunities. And with your support, we can double the impact of your giving and set more people on the pathway to aviation.
What is the AERO Act?
The AERO Act (Senate Bill 127 in Kentucky) is state legislation designed to strengthen Kentucky’s aviation and aerospace workforce. Here are the essential components parents and donors should know:
- It empowers the formation of the Kentucky Aerospace, Aviation, and Defense Investment fund to support public and private partnerships among schools, colleges, flight training programs, and industry employers.
- At least 65% of the fund is earmarked for training scholarships for Kentucky residents enrolled in aviation/aerospace programs.
- The remaining 35% is reserved for grants to public high school vocational programs or post-secondary institutions – for aviation equipment, program support, and infrastructure.
- It strengthens the link between education and the aviation industry – giving students real career-path options, aligning training and credentials with employer needs.
- It makes available a new “career-exploration wing” on the state platform Futuriti.org, where students can explore aerospace/aviation careers, required credentials, salary ranges, and projected employment.
Why it Matters for Your Student
- Access to high-demand Jobs. Aviation and aerospace career paths (pilots, maintenance technicians, avionics specialists, unmanned aircraft operators) are projected to grow.
- Lowering financial barriers. Scholarships and grants reduce the cost burden of training and equipment.
- Local opportunities. Instead of having to leave the region for aviation training or industry jobs, students can stay in Kentucky and build a career close to home.
- Strengthening school programs. High schools and colleges can use grant funding to boost their aviation programs (including those operating under Part 141), which means better equipment, more instructors, and more opportunity.
- Building partnerships that work. When schools, training providers, and employers are aligned, students finish ready for work – not just the classroom.
How We Look to Partner with the AERO Act
At DreamFlight Charities, we believe every student should have a chance to climb into the cockpit – whether that means becoming a pilot, aviation mechanic, drone operator, aerospace technician, or some other aviation-industry professional. Because we serve as a charitable partner with schools and flight training operations under FAA Part 141, we’re uniquely positioned to help students take advantage of the AERO Act’s provisions. Here’s how we’re making it real:
- Scholarship support: we help provide supplemental funds to that students from underserved or rural communities can qualify for aviation training and credentialing.
- Program partnership: working with local high schools and Part 141 training operations, we can help schools upgrade equipment and expand program offerings – enabling more students to enroll and succeed.
- Awareness and outreach: we host aviation clubs, student discovery flights, and aviation camps to spark interest in aviation careers early – helping students connect the dots between “I like aviation” and “I can work in aviation.”
- Double-impact giving: Thanks to the AERO Act’s structure and the matching mentality of industry-education partnerships, every dollar you donate can now be leveraged to unlock scholarships, grants, and program resources for many more students.
Why You Should Give
Because of the AERO Act framework and our programming, your donation doesn’t just help one student.
- Your gift goes into our various aviation-education and scholarship funds at DreamFlight.
- We match that with partnerships and schools/training providers that are eligible under the AERO Act’s scholarship and grant provisions.
- As schools and training programs receive public-private funding under AERO, your donation is leveraged, meaning the total benefit is greater than your gift alone.
- More students get seats in training, more equipment gets upgraded, and more careers get launched – all because you helped get the ball rolling.
In short: you help us provide the spark, and the AERO Act helps multiply that spark into full-throttle student opportunity.
What You Can Do Now
- Parents & Students: If you have a high school student or young adult interested in aviation, contact us or your school’s aviation/CTE program and ask as to whether they’re aligned with the AERO Act scholarships or grants. We can help you check eligibility and next steps!
- Donors & Supporters: Consider making a gift to DreamFlight’s various aviation-education and scholarship funds today. Let us know you want your donation to double its impact through AERO. We’ll show you how your gift can be leveraged, how many students it will reach, and how we’ll report on outcomes.
- Schools & Flight Training Providers (Part 141): Reach out to DreamFlight and let’s explore a partnership! We’ll help you understand how your program may qualify for grant/scholarship support under the AERO Act and how our charitable backing can accelerate enrollment and students success.
The future of aviation is bright. From drones to advanced air mobility to the next generation of pilots and aerospace professionals – the sky is far from being the limit. With the AERO Act, Kentucky is taking meaningful steps to prepare students for that future. Here at DreamFlight Charities, we’re working hard with communities across Kentucky to connect schools, students, and training programs to make it happen. And, with your support, we can double the impact of every dollar you give.
Let’s open the cockpit for Kentucky’s next generation. Together, we’ll turn possibility into flight!