Our Flying Scholarship Recipients & Winners

Abi Carter – 20 Special Award Winner 2023

When life sucks beyond comprehension, what better to do then dream of being a pilot! Abi has had a lifelong dream to fly and in recent years she has been able to finally pursue it. She is currently training at her club, Tauranga Aero Club.

Abi is a hugely motivated individual and stubbornly refuses to be defined by her previous woes. She brims with a bubbly personality and charms whosoever comes across her path. Her club captain calls her the ‘ever ready bunny’ and says so with huge affection in his voice and manner. Her boss feels she’s irreplaceable. And her Grandparents feel she is the best thing since sliced bread. We were blown away by how someone can come back from the brink of hell and shine like a star.

We met Abi in early October 2023 and we warmed to her immediately – so did our pilot interviewers and the other short listed candidates who flew down the same day to be interviewed.

Abi is the first of our nationwide recipients and with the avid support of her sponsor (The Gattung Foundation), she is surely destined to spend her career years blatting between countries far above the rotating world beneath her.

Abi gained her PPL in late November 2023 and starts at Nelson Aviation Academy in February 2024.

End of 2023 Update in Abi’s words - I don't think I have had any big updates since passing my PPL last week, (I still haven't stopped smiling!) and I'm just waiting for my licence to arrive now! 

 At the moment, I'm still a receptionist by day, waitress by night, but I've handed in eight weeks notice at both jobs and my plan is to continue working until mid January, to save as much as possible for NAC. I'm also planning to do my C172 type rating at the aeroclub over summer to make it easier next year, and I've ordered my CPL books, which will give me a little bit of light reading to do during summer as well... 

Alika Hunn – 16 Special Award Winner 2023

Being a young woman living in the thoroughly rural Taranaki dairy lands, career opportunities are very limited, if you dream big and want the very best life you can have.

That’s what Alika was facing when she went along to the regional schools career day. She wandered through the stalls and presentations on varying careers but nothing really took her fancy. That was until she came across the presentation on being a pilot. It was something she had never considered before as it was a career that had never been presented to her previously.

As she stared at the video before her, she had an epiphany. It was as if this was what she had always wanted to do, what she was destined to do. Her reaction to seeing being a pilot as a life choice for her was the same as John’s when he first flew as a passenger – a fire was lit in her belly and an almost desperate urge to get home and start learning to fly.

Alika followed through on that urge (which incidentally has only continues to grow) and flies whenever she is able to afford to do so. As with many young pilots, funds for flying are hard to find and being in a rural environment, getting a part time job is even harder so Alika made her own job – she created a dog grooming business and nearly makes enough each week to fly a lesson.

Alika is the second of our nationwide candidates and when we met her in early October 2023 we were struck be her maturity which is well beyond her years. Our pilot interviewers, Ben and David, felt she was on the button with attitude to both life and becoming a pilot. On the same day (nothing like a bit of pressure!) she underwent the gruelling interview and assessment for IAANZ. There’s fortitude for you!

Alika’s Scholarship is sponsored by a great friend of John’s – David Meale who chose to sponsor scholarships in the name of him and his beloved late wife, Helen. Alika will start her flight training at IAANZ in 2025.

Matthew Youssef – 16 Special Award Winner 2023

Matthew comes from a family that oozes intelligence and good will to anyone who crosses their path. They have a strong Coptic faith and they needed to leave their homeland of Egypt because of religious persecution and find a new home. After some years in Canada, they settled in New Zealand which is where Matthew has spent most of his life.

Matthew attends the Young Eagles at North Shore Aero Club and has begun to accrue hours of flight. He had to pass quite rigorous testing to be admitted to the Young Eagles group. And recently won their ‘Top Gun’ award. Having said that, Matthew is a bright all rounder. Not only does he excel at scholarly pursuits, he also plays football and is in the school’s first XI.

With a strong sense of being part of a community, Matthew has a breathtaking list of involvement in community causes including Amnesty International Youth Group, Red Cross, SADD, UNESCO, UNICEF and leads the Physics Pathfinders initiative. He has recently been selected to become a school Prefect.

Matthew has lived and breathed aviation since he was three years old. He enjoys writing aviation articles for the North Shore Aero Club’s magazine and also for the nationwide publication – KiwiFlyer. He is a member of 5 Squadron Air Training Corps, which affords him the opportunity to participate in ANZAC services, complete community service, and study aviation theory. He also enjoys meet ups with plane spotters to socialize and converse over their common passion.  

Along with Abi and Alika, we met Matthew in early October 2023. Without a doubt he embodies the values of a true gentleman and is humble and gracious – and super excited to have become a recipient of the Scholarship!

The Hugo Charitable Trust is Matthew’s sponsor and he will begin at Southern Wings’ Auckland campus in 2025.

December 2023 update from Matthew - In January 2024, I'll be flying at the Walsh Memorial Flight School. My goal is to achieve my first solo flight and connect with fellow pilots who share similar interests. I'm excited about the incredible opportunity that awaits!

Gemma Bray – 17 Special Award winner 2022

Gemma is clearly a woman on a mission. Her passion was ignited when she was 12 when she got the opportunity to sit in the Flight Deck of the aircraft she had just flown on. Since that time, she has been confident that she will become an airline pilot and will eventually become a captain. Acutely aware that, globally, only 5% of airline pilots are women and more starkly, only 1% of airline captains are women, she sees that she is a role model for the young women that follow in her path.

Gemma attends Burnside High School and is dedicated to her studies which have been chosen to help her best with her chosen career. She regularly achieves excellence in her studies and is more than happy to pass up on social opportunities so she can study. She is a peer tutor, helping her schoolmates gain a better understanding of subjects they have difficulty with.

However, Gemma is no nerd. She is an advanced skier and is on her school's netball team. She loves singing and plays badminton. She also has a very involved background in dance and gymnastics (both of which she practises in her own time) with her happy place being working on stage show events.

She finds time from all these activities to have a meaningful part time job at McDonalds to earn money for her flying. She is part way through her private pilot licence and has secured her Class 1 medical.

She and her family help out with the City Mission Christmas Day lunch, and she is part of her school’s Environmental Club.

Gemma’s Scholarship was the third sponsored by the marvellous Hugo Charitable Trust.

Gemma expects to start at IAANZ in 2023.

2022 Update - Gemma recently won the 2022 Young Eagle of the Year Award and has recently gone solo and has achieved her area solo. She has also contributed 40 hours to community service as she continues to care for her community.

Update – end 2022. She is continuing to progress in flight training with a goal of obtaining a restricted PPL in January before she starts at IAANZ as this will give her a really good base moving forward.

Update - June 2023. Here's Gemma’s update in her own words. ‘A few things with me have changed this year. I am no longer at high school and now studying at IAANZ (currently in my cross country/ hour building phase). I now have a full PPL (with my flight test having been in January and my CPL cross country flight test coming up in the next week- weather permitting). In terms of IAANZ, I've only got 1 more CPL theory subject to sit (Aircraft Technology) and then onto IFR! 

December 2023 - Here’s Gemma’s update. I have now completed all theory and hour building (including night)! My mornings are currently spent waitressing at a breakfast buffet, and my afternoons are spent in the sim, getting ready for the IFR flight test in the multi engine (which is expected to be in early March). After that, onto the CPL phase, with my test date currently set for late April or early May. 

Murphy McMillan – 16 Hillmorton Scholarship Winner 2022

Murphy was waiting with remarkable patience for the Scholarship application period to open so he could apply. His application was the first received and it looked promising. There was regular communication from his parents who are very supportive of his aspirations.

Like most successful pilots, the desire to fly arrived like a thunder bolt. In Murphy’s case it was during a stopover at Singapore airport when he was 10 years old. He was mesmerised by watching the aircraft movements around the airport and he had no desire to continue his journey. He wanted to stay right where he was.

A passionate musician specialising in guitar, he is also very sporty, playing football for the school and in the summer, playing cricket for Heathcote as well as coaching the very young players.

His passion for flying means he spends quite a bit of time on his computer with Flight simulators and he has developed his own website creating landscape imagery for flying simulators.

He volunteers as ‘tech crew’ for the school’s activities, setting up and dismantling seating, audio and visual equipment etc.

Murphy expects to start at IAANZ in 2024.

Update - June 2023. Murphy is continuing to embrace life with passion. In his last year of school, he’s working towards his NCEA credits that will useful to become a pilot. He’s flat out studying at school, playing in the school’s first 11 team and has been elected as a school senior leader.

Murphy works part time as a waiter to raise those all important funds for flying and is studying for his PPL Flight radio exam. He is also using IAANZ’s online e-learning to be as ready as possible for when he starts there next year.

End of 2023 Update in his own words - Having completed year 13 and finished at high school, I am now moving into an exciting chapter as I get underway with my flight training at IAANZ in Jan 2024. I am thoroughly looking forward to the start of this chapter having prepared for my entry over the last year through various courses and experiences, which have provided me with a taste of what my training will look like in 2024 as I work towards obtaining my Private Pilot's License.

Ben Williams - 19 Special Award Winner 2021

Wishing to keep the momentum of the scholarship programme up despite the hand brake effect of the pandemic, John had contacted the South Canterbury Aero club to see if they may know of any potential recipients for the Special Award.

Within 24 hours, Ben had been nominated.

Following discreet enquiries with his parents, it was clear that Ben was a good candidate.

Ben and his family live in Geraldine so it was agreed we would drive to Methven to meet. A suitable halfway point for both parties. His parents came too, and it was clear they were bursting with pride that their son was being considered for the scholarship.

Ben is our oldest recipient so far but is also further along in his commitment to become a pilot.

Ben and his brother are adopted. Ben’s brother has health issues.

Ben’s father is an agricultural mechanic and is of Ngai Tahu heritage. His mother cares fulltime for his brother, and this can be challenging at times. Ben shares care for his brother when at home.

Ben was a good scholar and is very much a realist. It is clear he is a strategic planner.

Although his passion is to be an airline pilot, he also knew that his family doesn’t have the means to help.

Since discovering the fire in his belly five years ago, at the age of 15 he took on the total responsibility to finance his flying training and reach his goal. He went and got a part time role in the town’s supermarket and once he had completed school, he took up a full time role at the supermarket. They had recognised his leadership skill and within a year was a department manager.

Ben has pursued his grocery career as he knows he needs a fall back if he was unable to succeed in becoming a pilot, but it is clear to everyone that aviation is his first love. He would live at the aeroclub if he could!

Ben was a scout throughout his childhood. He has participated in workshops teaching the internet and computer skills to the elderly and has fundraised for the local foodbank. He is currently the youth representative on the aeroclub board.

Ben’s Scholarship was sponsored by the Hugo Charitable Trust.

Ben starts at IAANZ in mid 2022 and has a view to spend a few years as a Flight Instructor before moving to airline flying.

2022 Update - Ben has started at IAANZ after moving to Christchurch and has made friends with his course mates and is thoroughly enjoying his training.

Update – end 2022. He has now completed his cross country hour building and flight test with IAANZ. He has now entered the Multi Engine Instrument Rating phase for the remainder of this year and into 2023. He has now also completed 5/6 of the CPL exams and all 3 IFR exams. It has definitely been a hectic few months for Ben but being able to fly all around the South Island for hour building has definitely been a highlight.

Update - June 2023. Ben has just about completed his training at IAANZ. He’s committed to becoming a flight Instructor and will probably do that training at South Canterbury Aero Club.

Update - December 2023. Here’s Ben’s update in his words - I guess the update from me is that I finished up at IAANZ in July after completing my CPL. Have then been studying hard with SCAC (South Canterbury Aero Club) full time towards my CCAT, hopefully will pass that sometime over the next couple weeks pending examiner availability. And of course graduation the other week, was great to receive the diploma in hand to go alongside the licenses and ratings achieved over the past 18months.

Hamish Kirk - 16 Hillmorton Scholarship Winner 2021

Hamish is a model of patience, as he had wanted to apply in 2020 for the scholarship and was dismayed when it was abandoned for the year after NZ went into Lockdown in March that year. A year is a long time in the life of a young person.

However, he was front of the queue when applications opened.

His great grandfather was the Mighty Totara, Prime Minister Norman Kirk, and his grandfather was Shadow Minister for Civil Aviation in the 1970’s.

However, time and tides change family fortunes and Hamish is ready to make his own mark on life.

Hamish blitzed both the interviews and the ability testing. This was made possible in part by his encyclopaedic knowledge, his very useful part time employment as a software tester for an aircraft flight deck simulator company and his very pleasant personality.

Like several recipients of the Pauwels Flying Scholarship, Hamish was given a return flight by Air New Zealand. He flew to Queenstown and back with Captain Dave Griffin (who had conducted his initial scholarship interview).

Hamish was so in awe of the generosity of Air New Zealand that he wrote a letter documenting what had taken place and expressing his gratitude for the experience (which included non public access to Flight Operations). Air New Zealand was so impressed by this act that they published the letter in an inhouse pilot publication.

Hamish anticipates beginning his flight training in 2023, after his final year at school in 2022.

He now has a part time role as Ground Support for Plane Biz.

Update - June 2023. Hamish reports in with - ‘At the end of this month I begin my CPL theory and I’ll be finishing off the end of my PPL flying alongside this! It’s been a long wait but the academy is just around the corner and I’m really looking forward to it! 

 As of now I have completed 90%+ of the PPL syllabus flying wise and have passed all 6 of my theory exams first time around above 80% as I really enjoyed learning about all the aspects of becoming a private pilot!’

So he is just about to start at IAANZ and simply can’t wait!  

Beni Rae - 16 Special Award Winner 2020

Beni’s Mum is a Hungarian immigrant and both his father and sister live with substantial health issues. This has put considerable financial strain on the family, and a lot of responsibility on Beni to care for his family as well as achieve the best education he can.

Beni is gifted and is a remarkable all rounder when it comes to education. He is also an impressive musician and astronomer.

Beni attends Hagley Community College and is self-directing his education.

He has wanted to be a pilot since he was five years old.

His family moved to Christchurch a couple of years ago to seek specialist help for his sister’s health needs.

Beni takes his responsibility to his family’s health challenges very seriously and is a model of resilience when events can take a sudden and challenging turn.

Beni came to our attention through the observations of senior aviation members impressed with his calm and mature presentation and commitment to aviation events.

He has organised a washing roster of other young aviation enthusiasts to wash the aircraft belong to the Canterbury Aero Club. These must be some of the cleanest planes in New Zealand!

Becoming a recipient of the Special Award seemed to galvanise Beni and in a pandemic market where it was hard to secure a part time job, he quickly found one in the fast food industry.

As his start date for beginning at IAANZ in 2023 draws closer, he has since secured a plum part time role as Ground Crew for Sounds Air. This is a role which will deepen his understanding of how airlines work whilst he trains to be a pilot.

2022 Update - Beni won the Ross Macpherson Award in November last year. HIs role as Ground Crew for Sounds Air at Christchurch Airport has intensified his understanding of how commercial airline operations work and he has had to develop strong logistical and public relation skills which he is able to use to his advantage in pursuing his goal to be a commercial pilot. He has also recently become a Young Eagles leader, helping run the Christchurch chapter.

Update – end 2022. Most recently he volunteered to help out at the South Island Akrofest 2022, an acrobatic competition at Ashburton, he got to sit on the judging line helping the judges, he went for a couple flights, and met and talked to many interesting pilots from around the South Island. He reports it was great fun helping out, and he even met a few Air NZ pilots there too.

Update - June 2023. Here’s Beni’s update - ‘So far at IAANZ I have finished all my PPL theory and have started on my CPL subjects. I was very happy with how I did on my PPL exams, most of my exams being around the 97% mark, and even more happy to get above 90% in CPL and ATPL Meteorology. The flying aspect has also been very rewarding. I have gone solo, and am aiming to have my PPL done around August. After being mostly "on the ground" for so long it feels fantastic to be flying nearly every day weather permits’.

Not bad, Beni. He also continues to work for Sounds Air as ground Staff at Christchurch Airport and Airways NZ is keen to catch up with him when he finishes training.

End of 2023 Update, in Beni’s words - At IAANZ I have completed all my CPL subjects and the two ATPL exams we sit during our course, and I was quite happy with my marks on them. I've sat our first IFR subject, and now all I have is two more and then I'm done with exams! I passed my PPL flight test back in September, and since then I have been puddling around the country building up my cross country requirements. 

The last half of this year has certainly been quite busy - there is no denying the academy is full on, with a constant flow of exams and flying, I'm looking forward to a nice quiet Christmas before cracking back into it. From here I've got the rest of my cross country flying to complete, my multi engine instrument rating, and then finally my CPL. With no more exams to sit I'll be spending next year simply flying around, with hopefully some good weather!

Ryan Verwey - 19 Hillmorton Scholarship Winner 2019

Ryan’s family recently immigrated from South Africa to begin a new life in New Zealand.

Ryan had always wanted to be a pilot and was thrilled to find his new school hosted the Pauwels Flying Scholarship.

He recalls being torn in two with applying as his closest friend also applied. If he won, it meant his friend hadn’t. But he was desperate to become a pilot.

By applying for the scholarship, he felt his dream had become more tangible – he could practically feel it.

He suffered immense self-doubt as he progressed through the interviews and testing but was determined to do his best.

He was anticipating the worst when the letter announcing the outcome was received. He and his parents were incredibly nervous when he opened the letter, but all were ecstatic when they saw he had won the Scholarship.

It was the first time he felt he had achieved something entirely on his own without parental input.

It was a feel good moment when he received the trophy and put the jacket on.

Ryan began his training with IAANZ in January 2020. His training was severely disrupted by Covid-19 and also by student loan issues as he hadn’t been a NZ resident long enough to be eligible.

Update – end 2022. He is currently working as a Financial Adviser as it gives him the opportunity to earn more  money for flight training. With recent changes to the student loans- he is no longer eligible and has to pay the entire training as he can. As it stands, he is closely approaching the hours needed for a commercial license.

End of 2023 update in Ryan’s words - I am good, currently working and studying and in the process of doing my Biannual Flight Review.

Anaru Jackson - 16 Inaugural Special Award Winner 2019

Anaru’s attitude to both his desire to fly and his commitment to his community as well as being a high achieving student was the genesis for the creation of the second scholarship.

Anaru had set the bar for those who came after him as recipients of the Special Award.

Anaru is Maori and has been raised by his solo mother. Although financial means were meagre, both mother and son recognised they had a part to play in their society and Anaru was raised to always do his best and respect everybody.

Initially, as John and Melissa worked out the scope and processes for creating the new scholarship, in cahoots with Anaru’s Mum, Heather, Anaru was unwittingly put through the initial interviews with Dave and Ben, Air New Zealand pilots. It was only when the most consequential part of the testing process was about to begin that Anaru was told he was in line for a special scholarship. He was stunned.

Anaru passed with flying colours and was awarded the trophy twice. Once in front of his Hornby High School peers and again, in front of his Young Eagles peers.

The scholarship (sponsored by the Hugo Charitable Trust) gave Anaru huge motivation, and he has focused all his energies and savings from his part time job to be in the best position to take advantage of the scholarship.

He is currently working for Air New Zealand in ground support, and he has started his flight training.

2022 Update - Anaru received his Silver Duke of Edinburgh award from Mayor Leanne Dalziel in August and in September was promoted to a more senior role in Air New Zealand. He has more than 60 hours in his log book and is close to gaining his PPL. He also participates in Aero Club competitions.

2023 Update. Here’s Anaru’s update in his words…This year has been a jam packed one and flown by. It's definitely been a year of personal growth which has been very valuable. I've moved into an officers role at Cadets, which means I have taken more responsibility in planning and organising activities. One of these was a Flying Day based out at Rangiora, where we had 30 cadets each getting a 40 min Flight, as well as showing them airfield safety and theory on the ground. (Preflight, Map Reading, and Met etc). Last Saturday I showed 10 enthusiastic Young Eagles around the Christchurch Airport Ramp. It was great to show them a bit about my work and the opportunity they have to work out there if they choose. It gave them a different perspective on the airport, and how much goes on behind the scenes. Plus it was great to catch up with Rob and Darryl. On a side note, last week was my two year anniversary working at Air NZ. It's gone by quick. I've learnt a lot and am still learning.  

 Although my flying has taken a bit of a pause this year, it's made me realize even more how much I want to pursue flying. I'm currently sitting on the hours required for a PPL flight test and plan to smash that out early next year. Although not as far through as others in the scholarship recipients, I still plan to sit my CPL.

Wen Seng Chen - 15 Inaugural Hillmorton Scholarship Winner 2018

A first generation Kiwi, Wen Seng’s Chinese immigrant parents have worked hard to etch out a good life for their children.

Wen Sen had thought about being a pilot but felt it was far beyond his and his parents’ abilities to fund the training.

When the scholarship was launched, he applied along with several other hopeful candidates and was staggered to become the inaugural winner.

Air New Zealand, as a show of support for the scholarship, shouted airfares to Auckland and gave Wen Seng an hour in the B777 simulator with an instructor. With John as his captain and the instructor helping from behind, Wen Seng was able to land the huge aircraft safely into Los Angeles International airport. The instructor remarked that had Wen Seng been a qualified pilot, he would have hired him purely on his aptitude.

Wen Seng began his pilot training at IAANZ in 2021 and currently is close to attaining his Commercial Pilot Licence.

Update – end 2022. He has just finished multi engine phase a week ago as his flight test was last Thursday. Resting for the new year and working during the break. CPL is expected to take 6-8 weeks but due to some disruption in the multiphase it might potentially stall the start of the CPL phase.

Update - June 2023. Wen Seng has now completed his training at IAANZ and is now looking for a role, preferably in the tourism industry flying tourists around. He’s on a road trip around the country dropping his CV into all the air operators. Look out for him coming into your office, if you’re in the tourism aviation sector. We wish him all the best!