March 11, 2021- Whirly Girls Scholarship Fund, Inc. has announced the exciting award of the 2021 Instrument Rating Scholarship offered by Leading Edge Flight Academy and Central Oregon Community College, both of Bend, Oregon.

The Instrument Rating scholarship award has provided one deserving Whirly Girls member 21 hours of flight training in a Robinson R44, 30 hours of ground instruction, and 14 hours of flight training in an Advanced Aviation Training Device. The training takes place in Bend, Oregon. The instrument rating provides pilots with skills necessary to navigate difficult weather conditions, which can be imperative in completing many flights safely.

“Leading Edge Flight Academy, in partnership with Central Oregon Community College, is very happy to announce the winner of our new Instrument Rating Scholarship.   We are excited to join the list of Whirly Girl contributors and help advance women pilots in the industry.  Along with the Whirly Girls judging panel, we have found a deserved recipient, Rebecca Eyer.  She will receive the required training for a helicopter instrument rating, gaining the invaluable skills necessary to become a better, safer pilot.  At Leading Edge, we instill our values of safety and professionalism with each student we graduate through a course; helping the aviation community grow, one success story at a time.  And we can’t wait to add Rebecca to that list!”- Nicole Orlich, Director of Flight School Operations, Leading Edge Flight Academy

Rebecca will be relocating to Bend, Oregon from Hawaii to begin her instrument training with Leading Edge.

“It all still seems surreal that I was the one chosen to receive the scholarship for my instrument rating. I am beyond excited to continue my training at Leading Edge.” – Rebecca Eyer, Scholarship Recipient

For over a decade Leading Edge Flight Academy (www.flybend.com) has specialized in training helicopter pilots, airplane pilots, and launching aviation careers. Leading Edge’s start-to-finish support and above industry standard training prepares students to meet their aviation goals. With a management team of pilots having over 37,000 cumulative hours and 100+ years in the industry Leading Edge knows what it takes to prepare students for a career in aviation. Their fully integrated operation is entirely focused on Student success. Located in Bend, Oregon with 300+ days of annual sunshine yields a productive and simultaneously challenging training environment to fully prepare students to achieve their aviation goals.