Located four miles north of Somerset, Pennsylvania, the Somerset County Airport is home to one of the best kept secrets in the county—the Somerset Aero Club. The Somerset Aero Club is a nonprofit organization formed more than 85 years ago to promote and preserve aviation within Somerset County.

The club members are Somerset County residents and aviation enthusiasts who work to keep aviation alive in the county. The club provides tours of the airport, social events centered around aviation, as well as mentorship to those who are considering pursuing a career in aviation.

Additionally, the Somerset Aero Club gives an annual scholarship to support aviation career education for a Somerset County resident, including but not exclusive to, pilots, aviation mechanics, aviation managers, or aviation engineers. For nearly 20 years, the scholarship has been managed by the Somerset Aero Club. Currently, members Alan Mankamyer, JoAlyce Kopinski, and Mike Yutzy manage the scholarship.

Alan is a commercial multi-engine pilot and aircraft mechanic at Somerset Airport who has been a member of the Somerset Aero Club for 35 years. JoAlyce is an instrument rated private pilot who is currently pursuing additional ratings. She has been a member of the club for more than 20 years. Mike Yutzy is a commercial pilot and has been a club member for 35 years.

This year, the scholarship committee decided to start a fund at the Community Foundation to ensure that the scholarship can continue to grow and help people pursue aviation careers.

“It’s something we feel we should contribute to,” said Alan. “In many cases, people who are members of the club have had careers in aviation and want to see people from the local area be able to obtain aviation degrees and pilot ratings and succeed at it.”

Through hands-on mentorship and job shadowing with experienced pilots like Alan, JoAlyce, and Mike, students are empowered to try something new that will help lead them to a successful start in an in-demand field. The Somerset Aero Club and their scholarship offers students a “first step” into their potential career.

“Flying is expensive,” said JoAlyce. “We know pilots who have started and stopped because they’ve run out of money, time, or they found out they just weren’t cut out for it, but at least we can give them the opportunity to start.”

For the scholarship committee, it is important that the scholarship fund continues to grow and that the opportunity lasts for generations. Partnering with CFA gives them the vehicle to drive that initiative through the growth and future management of the fund.

“We wanted to make sure that the fund is perpetual,” said JoAlyce. “So that if we aren’t here any more to manage it, it will grow and continue to grow for future generations.”

Through fundraising, the committee hopes to increase the scholarship award to $5,000 per year. Right now, the club is gearing up for their 75th Annual Father’s Day Fly-In Breakfast and Car Cruise at the Somerset County Airport on June 15. Guests can enjoy an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast as well as a music, a car show, and airplane displays. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Somerset Aero Club Scholarship Fund.

To apply for the Somerset Aero Club Scholarship, click here. To donate to the Somerset Aero Club Scholarship Fund, click here.