AOPA and Breitling mark the renewal of their historic partnership with the announcement of the Breitling Aviation Scholarship. The first of many collaborative plans, the scholarship will cover the cost for a young person in the United States to complete a full primary pilot training course.
AOPA’s partnership with Breitling started in 1954 with the release of the first Navitimer timepiece. The long relationship includes many different watches, including this Navitimer Cosmonaute Ref. 809 from 1962. The two groups’ partnership continues to this day and has expanded with the announcement of a new scholarship from Breitling. Photo courtesy of Breitling.
Since the release of the very first Navitimer timepiece in 1954, AOPA and Breitling have worked together, partnering at aviation events and on programs to help aspiring pilots enter the field. Now, to commemorate the upcoming seventieth anniversary, these two iconic organizations are coming together once again to launch the Breitling Aviation Scholarship.
The Breitling Aviation Scholarship will award $10,000 to a young aspiring pilot in the United States to complete a full primary certification pilot training course (sport, recreational, or private pilot certificate). Each applicant must be a current AOPA member at the time of application and award, be at least 16 years old at the time of application submission, and hold a student pilot certificate. The deadline to apply is February 11.
“We have quite a shared history with Breitling, going back to our original partnership on the original Navitimer in the 1950s,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “I’m thrilled to keep this important and strong relationship going, setting the stage for more exciting projects together. We greatly appreciate Breitling’s commitment to AOPA and general aviation.”
The Breitling Aviation Scholarship is just the first of several planned collaborations to mark the watch’s seventieth anniversary in 2022. With that date fast approaching, stay tuned for major news about how AOPA and Breitling will be celebrating their shared legacy in the iconic pilot’s watch.