Introducing our FIFTH winner for 2025 – Monty Francis.
Finally, we get to announce – with great pleasure – our FIFTH and final winner for 2025. Considering we only have up to four scholarships available each year, having the pleasure of announcing a fifth winner is a special treat.
Monty became a scholarship recipient by being a student from Hillmorton High School – John’s old alma mater. This is the original scholarship prize set up in 2017 and first won by Wen Seng Chen in 2018. We haven’t had a winner from Hillmorton for a few years, so this award is extra special.
John personally sponsors the Hillmorton Award.
The Hillmorton Scholarship candidates go through the same assessment process as those who apply for the Special Award – which is the more well known award. However, the criteria for applying for the Hillmorton award is less restrictive. We don’t receive applications every year from Hillmorton – it just depends whether any senior students are interested in becoming a pilot.
And why is the announcement so late? Our scholarships can’t be granted unless the candidates have secured a Class 1 medical certificate and sometimes it can be a complicated and time consuming process – but we are happy to wait when we have found a potential winner. And in this case, Monty was worth waiting for. He will be presented with the trophy at a school assembly shortly.
In a slight twist on providing a biography for our winners, Monty has elected to write his own. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading it. Over to you, Monty.
Monty Francis - 2025 Hillmorton Winner
Hi, My name is Monty Francis and I am a Year 12 student at Hillmorton High School.
For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be a pilot, there’s no defining point in time but my earliest memories were soaring through the clouds heading to Australia, and watching the different planes while taxiing around Christchurch when I was a toddler.
As I got older, through primary school, I would watch videos, draw pictures, and write about all kinds of planes, how many people they could hold, how fast they could fly, and what they looked like. My head was practically glued to the sky. I can remember begging my parents to take me to watch the Emirates A380 land at Christchurch for the first time (Melissa here – I think ALL of Christchurch turned out that day!), and I wanted to do whatever it took to fly one!
I spent a lot of time out of school playing football for a team, and I was also a member of the St John’s Cadets. St John’s involved lots of volunteering, putting myself out there in public, and working with groups. I was shy growing up and St John’s helped me get out of my shell and communicate with others a lot better. I stayed at St John’s for a couple of years, winning Cadet of the Year in my last year!
I also spend a lot of time drawing pictures of different planes. While I’m definitely not the best artist, I was able to learn lots about new aircraft, airlines and liveries - old and new which I found very interesting and exciting.
Monty - the genesis of an A380 Captain - aged four.
In 2021 I started intermediate school where I found myself surrounded by peers who shared an interest in aviation. However, when I spoke about my goal of becoming a pilot, my motivation was often questioned. Some believed that my interest was simply a way of trying to fit in, rather than a genuine passion. Hearing this repeatedly over the two years at Intermediate caused me to doubt myself and temporarily lose confidence in pursuing my goal. While this didn’t stop my goals, it made me rethink my future, and query myself whether I could really be a pilot.
In 2023 I started at Hillmorton High School as a Year 9 student. I was a decent all round student, just getting through the year. However, around the middle of the year, my mum took a trip to Canada to visit some family. Because of this, I found myself back researching aviation - intrigued by the planes she would get to fly on, how they worked, and the crew flying them. At the end of 2023, I was made aware of the John Pauwels Flying Scholarship my school offered by a teacher who had seen me watching a video about planes during a rainy lunchtime.
Once school had finished, I researched more about how I could get into flying. This is how I found the Canterbury Aero Club Young Eagles. I applied and was quickly accepted to become a part of the group.
Monty soaking up another dose of av gas and club days.
In the beginning of 2024, I was called into the careers centre to talk about my dreams of becoming a pilot. We talked about potential paths, and the details of the scholarship. While couldn’t apply due to my age, he gave me a brochure and application so I could get an insight into what I would need to do to apply when the time came. Joining the Young Eagles meant that I could find out about club days and events.
On one specific club day in the beginning of March I headed out to West Melton aerodrome to check it out. The weather was quite average and not many people were there except the instructors. I ended up talking to an instructor and telling him my goals and asked how I could start flying, just like that he booked me a lesson, and the following week I were was walking into the same clubhouse - just with double the excitement and anticipation!
My first flight was incredible, we shared the controls as we took off, before he let me have control of the plane. We did a few manoeuvres, he got me to turn, climb, and have some fun before turning back towards West Melton, where I followed him through with the landing. I was buzzing. This took my already burning passion for becoming a pilot and exploded it out of this planet!
Monty learning to take control of his happy place
From then on, I made sure to attend every Young Eagles event I could, and try fly every second weekend, using money from mowing my grandparents’ lawns and help from my parents. I also decided to put all the money I had saved for a first car into flight lessons, and use an E-Scooter, or share my dad’s car once I got my license.
In June of 2024, I applied for my class 1 medical certificate, as recommended to see if I could even become a pilot. After rigorous tests and countless appointments, I was denied my Class 1 due to a heart condition I’ve had since birth (aortic stenosis), and a recent repair surgery at the beginning of 2024. I ended up on a video call with a CAA doctor who told me to try again when I was 18, which seemed like my only hope. This was devastating, though I was still able to get my Class 2, and I was determined to keep flying so I could at least get my PPL and just hope that I could get my Class 1 later.
During the year I had also been to some talks about the reality of being a pilot, along with talks about the Pauwels Flying Scholarship. One of the key takeaways was how important having a part time job would be. Not only would I be able to fund my own flight lessons and save for flight school, I would also gain crucial face to face customer interaction and experience working as a team with different people. Hearing this, I knew I needed a job, so I dropped my CV off at a local petrol station that was hiring. And looked around for other opportunities.
In the beginning of 2025, I was finally able to apply for the Pauwels Flying Scholarship. In the first week back at school, I went straight to the careers centre to pick up the 2025 application. I started filling it out when I got home. During this time, I received a call from the petrol station asking if I could come in for an interview. This was nerve racking but I was able to get the job in late February, just before I submitted my scholarship application.
I spend a lot of my spare time picking up extra shifts, and taking flying lessons. At my job I’m able to meet all kinds of people and get a true insight into a customer facing job. Through my job, I’m able to get my confidence up, learn how to work as a team with people I've never met before, and expand my problem solving abilities. I’ve become close friends with my colleagues and I've been able to overcome almost any challenges thrown at me. Not only am I working behind the till, I also help on the forecourt, filling people’s cars, LPG Bottles, checking and filling tires, and checking oil.
Leading up to my 16th birthday, my heart was set on completing my first solo on my birthday. My circuits were looking great, and I had been told I was ready to go solo, just not quite old enough which was frustrating. On the 13th of May 2025, me, my parents, my grandma, and my nana headed out to West Melton. The nerves were through the roof, but after a talk with my instructor, I focused and prepared for the flight. The conditions could not have been any more perfect, clear skies, no wind, and cool air. I did three circuits with the instructor, before she hopped out, and I set off by myself. This feeling was incredible! I couldn’t believe I was able to fly a plane by myself before I could even drive a car by myself! After my solo, we headed to the AA where I sat my learners test, and got my learners driver’s license on the same day!
First solo on his 16th birthday - before he could even drive a car!
Through 2025 I continued flying and going Young Eagles events. One of these events was a talk by John Pauwels who also offered a prize of a ride in a 737 Simulator. I won the competition and got to fly in the Mike Pero Sim with John as my instructor. This was an incredible opportunity. I flew from Christchurch to Queenstown - Queenstown being a challenging but amazing approach,
Ready for take off out of Christchurch in Mike Pero’s B737 Sim
At the end of 2025, I was just one step away from becoming a recipient of the Pauwels Flying Scholarship, obtaining my Class 1 Medical Certificate. Everything had gone well with my surgery, but there was still some uncertainty about whether the CAA would issue my Class 1 while I’m still 16. I had been advised that I may need to wait until I was 18 to reapply, so although I felt confident, there were definitely some nerves involved. Before applying to the CAA, I had a checkup with my cardiologist, and he wrote me an amazing letter for the CAA, explaining my condition and letting them know I was no risk.
When my Class 1 was issued with no issues at all, I was absolutely stoked. It felt like the perfect early Christmas present — and an even better way to finish the scholarship process.
I have just started Year 12 at Hillmorton, and I am working towards my manual restricted driver’s license. I’m planning to continue flying through the year, and I’ve also been chosen for the Gateway Aviation Programme which involves getting the opportunity to visit some amazing aviation related facilities, take a flight lesson, and earn some NCEA credits through aviation related assessments!
In the right seat of an A320.