Scholarships

Commemorating a Milestone with an Opportunity

The GALA Scholarship Fund is named in honor of Betty Skelton, Tampa’s own aviation trailblazer and the “First Lady of Firsts.” Betty began her career at Peter O. Knight Airport, went on to become an international aerobatics champion, a record-breaking pilot and racecar driver, and a fearless pioneer for women in aviation. 

Her legacy lives on through the Girls Achieving Leadership in Aviation (GALA) scholarships, which empower young women in Tampa Bay to pursue their dreams in aviation and carry the torch forward for the next generation of leaders in the sky.

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Eligibility

To be considered for the GALA Scholarship, applicants must:

  • Be a young woman between the ages of 16 and 20 at the time of application.
  • Currently live in, or maintain a permanent address in, the Tampa Bay Area.*
  • Demonstrate an interest in, or be actively pursuing, a career in aviation.
  • Meet all requirements contained in the 2027 GALA Flight Training Scholarship Application and 2027 TBAA GALA Flight Training Scholarship Policies and Procedures.

Flight training scholarships may support: 
Private Pilot training
Commercial Pilot training
Other approved certificates or ratings
  
For applicants seeking initial Private Pilot training, the FAA Private Pilot Airman Knowledge Test must be completed before the scholarship application is submitted, and a copy of the FAA Written Exam Report showing a passing score of at least 70% must accompany the application. 

Applicants who have already begun flight training must also provide applicable flight school and logbook information. 

Finalists seeking initial Private Pilot training will be required to complete a Discovery Flight of at least 30 minutes with a Certified Flight Instructor before an award is finalized. 

Selected recipients who do not already hold an applicable FAA Medical Certificate must obtain at least a Third-Class FAA Medical Certificate within 30 days of award notification.

Aviation Career Scholarship Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • Be a young woman between the ages of 18 and 26 at the time of application.
  • Currently live in, or maintain a permanent address in, the Tampa Bay Area.*
  • Demonstrate an interest in, or be actively pursuing, a career in aviation or aerospace.
  • Eligible areas of study or professional development include: Aerospace Administration
  • Air Traffic Control
  • Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Aerospace Education
  • Other principally aviation-related career fields
  • Other aviation-related career paths may also be considered.

Scholarship Awards

Flight Training Scholarships may be awarded up to $10,000; Aviation Career Scholarships may be awarded up to $5,000. The number of scholarships and amount of each award will depend on available funding, the type of scholarship requested, and the number and qualifications of applicants. 

The 2027 GALA Scholarship application window is September 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027.

Complete applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. on January 15, 2027. Selected recipients will be notified by email by Feb 12th, 2027. 

Awards will be presented at the annual GALA fundraiser on Friday, March 12, 2027. Applications and all required attachments must be submitted as a single Adobe PDF file by email only to: tbaa_scholarships@mytbaa.org .

Applications submitted by mail, delivery, drop-off, or any other method will not be accepted.

 Questions regarding the scholarship program may also be directed to tbaa_scholarships@mytbaa.org .

* For purposes of the GALA Scholarship Program, the Tampa Bay Area includes Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, Polk, Citrus, Highlands, Hardee, and Sarasota Counties.


Flight Training Application Aviation Career Application TBAA Flight Training 
Policies and procedures DONATE