Cadet Wings

Pays for Civil Air Patrol cadets to train for a private pilot certificate at a local flight school or with CAP instructors.

From Civil Air Patrol

Amount: Covers trainingThe page does not give a dollar figure. Funding comes from the US Air Force and partners such as the James C. Ray Flight Training Scholarship.
Applications: Opens ~Jul 2027The window runs July 1 to September 1 at noon CST with no late applications. Applications open again July 1, 2027.
Who can apply: AnyoneMembership: Civil Air Patrol cadet
Where the money works: Depends on the awardTraining is done at a local flight school or with CAP flight instructors in CAP Cessna 172s.
Pays toward: Private pilot

Requirements

Open to Civil Air Patrol cadets going for a private pilot certificate.
Should have aircraft ground handling in the last two years.
Should have the Wright Brothers Award and have graduated encampment.
Needs a student pilot certificate and a class III FAA medical, not needed for glider.
Needs a solo endorsement and a passing FAA knowledge test score.
Needs an activities list, a complete logbook and the Wings Commitment Statement.
Cadets name a local senior member Navigator on the application.
Cadets missing items can still apply with a support document, but those who meet the prerequisites are considered first.

How to apply

Ask a local senior member to be your Navigator.
Gather your student pilot certificate, medical, solo endorsement, knowledge test result, logbook and commitment statement.
Between July 1 and September 1 at noon CST, apply in the e-Services Registration Zone module.
Upload a support document explaining anything you are missing.

Apply on their site

Opens Civil Air Patrol's own page. We never host an application.

Checked Oct 6, 2026 against Civil Air Patrol's page. We list scholarships we think are relevant for our program, not every one out there. Deadlines and amounts can change, so confirm them there before you apply.

All pilot scholarships How to pay for flight school

Scholarships rarely cover all of it.

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