John F. Rahilly Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by National Business Aviation Association

Description

Business aviation refers to the use of general aviation aircraft—airplanes and helicopters—for business purposes rather than military or scheduled airline operations. This scholarship supports students training to become FAA-certified Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) technicians through FAR Part 147 programs. The award is administered through NBAA Charities and was established by the Rahilly family to honor John F. Rahilly’s long career in aviation maintenance and leadership.

- Targets students in FAR Part 147 A&P training programs.
- Administered by NBAA Charities in partnership with the Rahilly family.
- Intended to support education in business aviation maintenance.

Eligibility

Bold subheading: Who may apply

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents enrolled in an FAA FAR Part 147 A&P program. NBAA scholarship rules limit recipients to one award per person every other year. Awards are made without regard to sex, race, religion, or national origin.

- U.S. citizen or permanent resident required.
- Enrolled in a FAR Part 147 A&P program.
- One NBAA scholarship per person every other year.

Award Value

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The scholarship awards $1,000 per recipient, designated for educational expenses related to A&P training. For the disbursement cycle described in the provided materials, funds are issued as checks payable to the recipient’s school. Recipients must use the awarded funds by the stated deadline or forfeit the award.

- Single award amount: $1,000.
- Funds payable to the recipient’s school.
- Must be used by the stated deadline to avoid forfeiture.

Application Requirements

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A complete application package must include a current resume, a personal essay, and two signed letters of recommendation. Incomplete packages will not be considered. Applicants should consult the official application form for any additional instructions or formatting requirements.

- Resume, essay, and two signed recommendation letters required.
- Submit a complete package to be considered.
- Check the application form for any extra instructions.

Application Timeline and Notification

Bold subheading: Deadlines and announcements

The source materials list an August submission deadline for application packages and indicate scholarship awards are announced in the fall. The text contains conflicting year references (Fall 2024 and Fall 2025); applicants should confirm the current cycle and exact dates with NBAA before applying. Award notification timing and the deadline to use funds vary by cycle, so verify specific dates for the year you apply.

- Submit application package by the August deadline (confirm year).
- Awards announced in Fall (confirm current-cycle year).
- Verify award-use deadline for the specific scholarship cycle.

Disbursement and Use of Funds

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Scholarship checks are made payable to the recipient’s school rather than to the individual. The award must be applied to educational costs, and recipients are required to use the funds by the stated cutoff date for that cycle (the provided materials reference a December 31, 2026 deadline for one cycle). Failure to use funds by the deadline may result in forfeiture.

- Checks payable directly to the school.
- Funds restricted to educational expenses.
- Unused funds by the cycle deadline may be forfeited.

History of the Award

Bold subheading: John F. Rahilly’s legacy

The Rahilly family created this scholarship to honor John F. Rahilly, an A&P technician and aviation leader with more than 40 years in business aviation. Rahilly graduated from Wentworth Institute, placed first in his A&P class at Northrop Institute of Technology, served in the U.S. Navy and Connecticut Air National Guard, and held leadership roles at companies including KC Aviation, Gulfstream, BBA, Mercury Air Centers, and Dassault Falcon Jet. He was also a mentor and instructor who influenced many maintenance professionals; he passed away on May 24, 2018—Aviation Maintenance Technician’s Day.

- Scholarship memorializes John F. Rahilly’s career and mentorship.
- Rahilly’s background: veteran, top A&P graduate, senior industry roles.
- Emphasizes leadership, respect for staff, and first-class customer service.

Restrictions and Recipient Rules

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Awards are made without regard to sex, race, religion, or national origin, but applicants must meet the citizenship or permanent residency requirement. NBAA applicants may receive only one scholarship every other year. Follow all application instructions precisely to remain eligible.

- Non-discriminatory award policy.
- Citizenship/permanent residency requirement still applies.
- One NBAA scholarship per person every other year.

Contact and Additional Information

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For application questions or to confirm deadlines and award-cycle specifics, contact NBAA at scholarships@nbaa.org and consult the official application form. Always verify the current cycle’s dates, disbursement procedures, and any updates before submitting your materials.

- Primary contact: scholarships@nbaa.org.
- Consult the official application form for full details.
- Verify dates and requirements for the current award cycle before applying.