Elizabeth Grambo is this year’s recipient of Republic Airline’s Nothing But Blue Skies Aviator Scholarship. The $5,000 award, which is presented to a rising star among women in aviation, was announced last week at the 2017 Women in Aviation International conference held in Orlando.
“Liz and her passion for aviation really captures the spirit of this award,” said Republic Chief Pilot Ashley Gomez, who presented the award to Grambo. “The people of Republic Airline love the aviation business, and we’re thrilled when we see the same spirit in a young person who is already a role model for others. We look forward to a day when we can welcome Liz to the ranks of Republic aviators.”
“I’m grateful to Republic and its people for helping me achieve my dream,” said Grambo, who is doing her flight training at Community College of Beaver County in Pennsylvania. “I come from an aviation family – my mother was a flight attendant, my father and grandfather were aircraft mechanics, my aunt and uncle were pilots – but my love for aviation didn’t happen until just a few years ago when I took a ‘discovery’ flight that I’d saved up for and realized that this is where I want to work; I want an office that comes with a 30,000-foot view, a yoke and foot pedals.”
As part of her application, Grambo submitted a letter of recommendation from one of her flight instructors who wrote of her commitment even while working full-time:
“We sometimes laugh when she explains how she manages to study for these difficult aviation exams with her busy schedule,” the instructor wrote. “Whether it’s recording herself reading questions so she can listen to them while driving, or sneaking in a quick study at work, she always manages to get the job done. I have no doubt that she will succeed in the world of aviation.”
