PIEDMONT, Okla. (OBV) – An Oklahoma teen who dreams of soaring the skies as a commercial pilot received the Senator James M. Inhofe FAA Knowledge Test Scholarship to aid her in reaching her career destination.
The scholarship was awarded to 16-year-old Emy Tucker of Piedmont, Okla.
Tucker will be a junior at Piedmont High School this coming school year, but is already reaching some first class heights. She is a member of the Piedmont chapter of the National Honor Society, and has been active in the city’s aviation community since her freshman year, obtaining her student pilot certificate and third-class medical certificate.
She is part of numerous aviation organizations, including the Ninety-Nines, Experimental Aircraft Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Women in Aviation International and Oklahoma Pilots Association. She has volunteered at Ninety-Nines air shows and events, and volunteers at EAA Young Eagles monthly events. She is launching an aviation club at her high school that will connect aspiring pilots with mentors, offer volunteer opportunities and promote aviation within the community.
“Aviation is a passion of mine that began as a child and has grown each year as I participate in the filed,” Tucker said after receiving the scholarship. “Your gift will allow me to take another step closer to realizing my dreams of becoming a commercial pilot.”
The scholarship honors U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, who championed Oklahoma’s aviation and the aerospace industry.
The State Chamber honored Inhofe’s many contributions to aviation by helping establish the Senator James M. Inhofe FAA Knowledge Test Scholarship in 2022. The award helps cover testing fees for Oklahoma high school students who are enrolled in the AOPA Foundation’s “You Can Fly” STEM curriculum.
“My hope is that his passion for flying is going to help kids take that first step to getting their pilot’s license and achieve a good career in aviation,” said Chad Warmington, president and CEO of The State Chamber. “It’s a perfect, symbolic testament of what he meant to Oklahoma and aviation. Sen. Inhofe’s legacy will lead to a whole new generation of kids involved in aerospace.”
Inhofe served in the Oklahoma Legislature, was mayor of Tulsa, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995 and the U.S. Senate from 1994 to 2023.
“I’m very grateful and humbled to be the namesake of the Senator James M. Inhofe FAA Knowledge Test Scholarship,” Inhofe said in 2022. “This scholarship is a testament to my priorities as a pilot—ensuring the next generation of pilots have the resources they need to take to the skies. It has been an honor to have been a voice for pilots in Washington while working with AOPA to address the needs of pilots and the entire general aviation community. From the Pilots Bill of Rights 1 and 2 and the Volunteer Pilot Protection Act, and fighting against the privatization of air traffic control while fighting for aviation workforce development, we have gotten a lot done helping young people reach their dreams of becoming a pilot.”
Inhofe previously told the Oklahoma Historical Society that he was fascinated with aviation as a young man; he often visited airports to see planes take flight. He earned his pilot’s license at age 28. His fascination became an enduring passion, and he has flown his aircraft across the world. As a U.S. Senator, Inhofe championed the rights of pilots. He introduced both the Hoover Bill in 1999 and the Pilot’s Bill of Rights in 2011.
The Hoover Bill enabled FAA certificate holders to appeal an emergency revocation’s immediate nature to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The Pilot’s Bill of Rights ensured greater fairness in FAA enforcement proceedings and NTSB reviews, giving pilots greater access to information needed to defend themselves during enforcement proceedings. Both pieces of legislation were signed into law.
Inhofe died at age 89 on Tuesday.
Contact the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association at 1-800-872-2672 or visit www.aopa.org to learn more about the scholarship or to donate.
