An Invitation to Support VFF

Educating the Vertical Flight Leaders of Tomorrow

As the Chair of the Vertical Flight Foundation (VFF) again for 2016-2017, I would like to ask for your support in fostering tomorrow’s vertical flight talent. The VFF scholarship fund, administered by AHS International, has awarded nearly 500 scholarships to deserving undergraduate and graduate engineering students since 1977. Past recipients have made tremendous contributions to the technical community.

In my 30+ years as a member of AHS — including serving previously as the Chair of AHS and now as Chair of VFF — I have seen firsthand the impact that AHS has on advancing vertical flight technology, as well as providing professional development to the current and future workforce. The prestigious VFF scholarships help recruit and retain the best and brightest students for vertical flight technical careers. It is vital to our industry that today we invest in the great talent we will need to serve as our leaders tomorrow. And you can help do this through donations to the VFF scholarship fund.

This past May, AHS awarded $74,000 in VFF scholarships to two dozen of the world’s most talented engineering students interested in vertical flight. Over the past five years, we have more than doubled the total amount awarded annually due to the sincere generosity of members like you, awarding nearly $300,000 in total scholarships. But we could do so much more. Our growth is limited only by our financial resources.

It’s incredibly easy to support the most talented students considering careers in vertical flight: just go to www.vtol.org/vff — there you can also learn about recent winners, see the impact that VFF has had over the years, see past supporters and find out more. Please make a donation to this worthy cause. VFF is classified as a 501(c)(3) charity, so contributions are fully deductible from US income taxes. In addition, 100% of your donation goes to the student winners, as AHS International covers all administrative and other fees.

Please join me in supporting the VFF scholarship program by giving to the full extent of your dedication. If you have already contributed, I challenge you to recruit others to support VFF. Consider creating a scholarship to honor or memorialize someone who has made a difference in your career or in your personal life, or work with your colleagues to establish an enduring scholarship fund. Please check to see if your employer makes matching charitable contributions, or ask if your company will make a charitable donation to the scholarship fund.

For more information on the Vertical Flight Foundation or to donate to this important cause, please go to www.vtol.org/vff.

Thank you for making a difference and helping to foster tomorrow’s vertical flight talent!

Edwin P. Birtwell
Chair, Vertical Flight Foundation