Category: News

The CloudDancer Scholarship is officially accepting applications for 2026. If you’re a U.S. military veteran ready to launch your career in aviation, this is your moment.

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Two Paths to the Sky

The Ashton Johnson Memorial Scholarship offers training scholarships to veterans who demonstrate honorable service, strong character, and a clear commitment to earning their certification. This year, we’re awarding scholarships across two tracks.

Pilot Scholarship — $17,500

Our flagship scholarship awards up to $17,500 toward Private Pilot certification, distributed at key milestones: $5,000 upon selection, $5,000 at first solo, $5,000 at solo cross-country, and $2,500 at checkride completion. Every dollar follows progress — because we invest in veterans who show up and do the work.

AMT Scholarship — $5,000 (New for 2026)

Brand new this year, the AMT track supports veterans pursuing Aviation Maintenance Technician certification. Through our partnership with the Thrust Institute of Maintenance, qualifying AMT recipients who enroll in TIM programs receive an additional $5,000, bringing their total award to $10,000.

Key Dates

Applications close 60 days after opening. Scholarship selections will be announced no later than October 1, 2026. Don’t wait — the window is open now.

When you believe in the power of aviation to change lives, you show up — not just for your own mission, but for the people fighting alongside you. That’s exactly what CloudDancer volunteers did last week when they joined forces with the Halo for Freedom Warrior Foundation.

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Wings for Warriors

CloudDancer volunteers spent a full week in the skies supporting Halo for Freedom Warrior — a brother foundation dedicated to honoring and serving America’s combat veterans. Our team flew Stearman biplanes, turned wrenches on the flight line, and helped keep the rides running smoothly for warriors and their guests.

There’s something about the open cockpit of a Stearman that strips away everything else. For the veterans who climbed in, it was a chance to feel the wind and the freedom that aviation delivers like nothing else can. For our volunteers, it was a reminder of why CloudDancer exists — to connect people to the sky and to each other.

Stronger Together

CloudDancer and Halo for Freedom share a common thread — a deep belief that veterans deserve more than a handshake and a thank-you. They deserve real opportunities and experiences that honor their service. Partnerships like this one amplify what both organizations can do, and our volunteers were proud to be part of something bigger.

Moments like these are what drive the CloudDancer mission forward. Whether it’s funding a veteran’s flight training or putting warriors in the front seat of a biplane, it all comes back to the same thing — giving back through aviation.