(Lock Haven, PA) The Sentimental Journey Association has opened its long-standing aviation scholarship program to new applicants for the 2026 flight training season.
This will be the ninth year the scholarship program has been awarded. The scholarship, in the amount of $1000, is open to any high school student residing in Pennsylvania aged 15 or older who is interested in pilot training with a goal of a career in some aspect of aviation.
“Celebrating and preserving general aviation in Lock Haven is the heart and soul of our Fly-in,” explained Alan Uhler, Jr., president of the Sentimental Journey Association. “But aviation history continues to be written every day, and there’s no better way to continue that tradition than to invest in the pilots of tomorrow.”
The scholarship was established in 2017 by Sentimental Journey with the support of Amy Gesch and Kim Garlick. The scholarship is designed to facilitate the career plans of a young person who has the aspirations of learning to fly. It is named in honor of Leah Jones, a former Piper Aircraft ferry pilot who delivered aircraft made in Lock Haven to customers across the country.
Ed Watson, who also was a long-time pilot at Piper, recalled watching Jones tour the flightline at the Fly-in in her retirement.
“Leah lit up like a light bulb when she saw young people at the fly-in,” he said. “She also loved seeing her beloved Cubs come home to the runway where they first took flight. She was an inspiration to us all.”
Jones worked at Piper Aircraft from 1946-1951. During her time there, she ferried dozens of airplanes to new owners. She and the other Piper ferry pilots referred to themselves as the “Herd o’ Turtles” because of the modest speed of the humble “rag and tube” aircraft they flew. Sadly, Jones herself “flew west” in 2019. She documented her adventures in a memoir, “Flying with A Herd o’ Turtles” which was published just a week before her passing.
Scholarship History
The first recipient of the Jones scholarship was Tyler Rispoli, of Altoona, PA. Leah Jones surprised Tyler by personally presenting the award to him at the Sentimental Journey award banquet on June 24, 2017. Tyler subsequently attended and graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Institute with high honors and is currently a commercial pilot.
The second scholarship was awarded to Olivia Ackley, from The Grier School in Tyrone, PA. Olivia went on to become an Aviation Medical Examiner and flight instructor.
The third recipient, Jacob Bell, completed his solo flight at the Piper Airport in Lock Haven in 2020, during the COVID pandemic.
In 2021, the recipient was Owen Farr from Jersey Shore High School. The 2022 recipient was Garrett Andrews, a Civil Air Patrol cadet from Mill Hall. In 2023 Maisie Bitler was the recipient and Gwendolyn Tharp was the recipient in 2024.
The Motivation for a Scholarship
Flying is an important component in the history of Lock Haven because Piper Aircraft moved to Lock Haven in 1937. Piper proceeded to manufacture approximately 77,000 aircraft in Lock Haven between 1937 and 1984. The factory, which also was the company’s headquarters, produced iconic models including 20,000 Piper J-3 Cubs, alongside the J-3 Cub, the Super Cub, the Cherokee, and PA-24 Comanche. During its height, the plant employed over 2,000 people and accounted for about 50% of the economic output of Clinton County.
Every one of those airplanes needed a pilot, and the need for pilots has never been greater than it is today. In 2024, Boeing projected a need for 660,000 new commercial pilots globally over the next 20 years (2025–2044) to meet growing air travel demand and replace retiring personnel. This strongly suggests that aviation is a secure, profitable, and highly respected career path.
Pres. Uhler noted the Sentimental Journey Fly-in remains a strong driver of economic activity in Clinton County. “Today the Fly-in attracts about 200 aircraft and a thousand visitors each summer, some coming from as far away as California, Canada, and Florida.” The Fly-in prides itself on being affordable, family-friendly, and the ultimate in small-town aviation fun.
Application Process
Qualified applicants should call or email Ms. Esther Gardner, the Executive Coordinator of Sentimental Journey, at sjfly-in@hotmail.com. Applications are due before May 31, 2026.
CLICK HERE for the Application Form.
CLICK HERE for the Affidavit and Agreement Form (only needed by the scholarship winner).
Sentimental Journey Assoc., Inc.
P.O. Box 496
Lock Haven, PA. 17745
Email: sjfly-in@hotmail.com
Office Phone: 570-893-4200