By ELLIOTT DONNER

Staff Writer

The Wings Over Houston Scholarship Committee has awarded $5,000 to Kirk Sweeny, a senior aviation major.

"When they called and told me I got the scholarship, it was one of the most exciting moments of my life," Sweeny said.

Sweeny said he knew the scholarship was available his freshman year for people from the Houston area, but one requirement was being in the third year of college or higher.

Between the time Sweeny was a freshman and now, Sweeny said he became involved in many aviation organizations at Tech.

Sweeney said he is currently the president and captain of Tech's flight team, and he is also Tech's Alpha Eta Rho, Professional Aviation Fraternity's vice president.

Last year he even helped start up an Aviation Honor Society. At this time, Sweeny said he is working for the aviation department on the federal work study program.

"When I get my [certified flight instructor], I plan to work as an instructor down at the airport, so as you can see I'm all about aviation," Sweeny said.

The award was formally presented to Sweeny at the Wings Over Houston Media Day on Oct. 5, at Ellington Field in Houston, Sweeny's hometown.

Sweeny has gone through his student pilot, private pilot, instrument rating and commercial pilot testing. He said it will probably cost more than $5,000 to get the rest of his certification.

Sweeny has a twin brother, also in aviation, and they both have been looking for ways to pay for their upcoming flight hours.

He said the "fly times" are $130 per hour and, at that rate, money adds up fast.

Sweeny said he and his brother were considering taking out student loans to pay for the flight times, but the scholarship came just in time.

Dale Sistrunk, head of the department of professional aviation and a professor of aviation, said the scholarship given to Sweeny is "very prestigious" because the committee who gives the scholarship looks at all of the aviation students from the Houston area.

"Kirk is a very sharp young man and his GPA shows how dedicated he is to pursuing his career in aviation," Sistrunk said.

Sistrunk has been at Tech for 20 years, and Sweeny's scholarship from the Wings Over Houston organization is only the third ever received by a Tech student.

Gary Odom, an assistant professor of professional aviation, said, "Sweeny is a well-deserving student.

They couldn't have picked a better recipient for this scholarship."