By ERIN HOPKINS

Staff Writer

Two professional aviation students were awarded $300 scholarships in December for their achievements in the aviation program. These scholarships are awarded every quarter to qualifying students.

Nathan Schilling, a senior professional aviation major, received the James Skinner Scholarship and Kirk Sweeny, a junior professional aviation major, received the Professional Aviation Scholarship.

"These students have done well in the program and exceed the qualifications for the scholarships," Dale Sistrunk, head of the professional aviation department and a professor of professional aviation, said.

Schilling and Sweeny, along with five other students, applied for the scholarships over the fall quarter break.

Sistrunk said a three-member faculty committee reviewed the performance of these students and their applications and chose the best candidates.

In order to qualify, the students needed to have a minimum 2.5 overall grade point average and at least one recommendation from a professor. They also need to have done well in the flying program, Sistrunk said.

Sistrunk said the James Skinner Scholarship was created in 1982 in recognition of Tech Alumnus James Skinner, a professional aviation graduate. His family created the scholarship after Skinner was killed in an aviation accident in 1982.

The Professional Aviation Scholarship was created when the department was established in 1968. The scholarship is funded by alumni from the department of professional aviation.

The money from these scholarships help students pay for their flight program.

Sistrunk said the money is deposited into the students' individual flying accounts, which pays for maintenance and gas for the airplanes.

"I currently have 240 flight hours in the Cessna 172 and I'm working on my flight instructor rating," Schilling said. "Every dollar counts."

Schilling said students normally pay about $130 per one flight hour. With these scholarships, the students will be able to get about two free flight hours.

When Sweeny found out he received the scholarship, he said he was relieved.

"The money will help out a lot," Sweeny said. "I'm the fourth child in my family to be in college, and money is tight."

Sweeny said after graduation he would like to fly for commercial airlines.

Schilling said he would like to either fly for the military or be a flight instructor at Tech. He said he has wanted to fly since grade school.