The Ross Macpherson Memorial Flying Scholarships are awarded to members of the Flying New Zealand Young Eagles group aged 15-18 from aero clubs.
Ryan will be presented with the scholarship at the Royal New Zealand Aero Club national championships in Taumarunui on March 7.
While he has become fond of aviation, Ryan has been unable to afford many flying hours. As he is getting closer to solo-fly and licensing age, the time is becoming more critical for him to fly which is why he applied for the scholarship.
Ryan, of Howick, will turn 16 in March when he will make his first solo flight. The Macleans College student started flying when he was 11 after his father Mike Daum introduced him to the hobby at Ardmore Airport.
“I decided being in control of an aircraft would be fun so asked if I could go for an intro flight,” Ryan says. “Dad obliged and I was sent up with an instructor. From then on I flew once every few months so I didn’t go off the hobby.”
As Ryan spent more time at the Auckland Aero Club he volunteered to clean planes.
He also got involved with the New Zealand Warbirds group, which looks after and flies vintage war aircraft from Ardmore.
“Over this time I started to see how much fun could really be had in aviation.”
After he joined the Young Eagles he flew more regularly, although not at the controls. He also volunteered with the Thunder Mustang crew who fly a three-quarter-scale replica of the P-51D fighter plane from World War 2.
“The guys from the Thunder Mustang have really helped me expand my contacts and I have made some great friends throughout New Zealand,” he says.
