Two Time Scholarship Winner Giving Back Through Committee Service

Sept. 9, 2013

Not only has Susan Moss been awarded two NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers (S&D) Committee scholarships over the years, but this year she also was selected to serve on the committee herself, which included an assignment on its S&D Scholarship Subcommittee. That volunteer position is in addition to her role as the aviation administration manager at Textron, Inc., where she is based at their corporate hangar at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, RI.

The first time Moss ever received a Schedulers & Dispatchers Scholarship was in 2007, when she received an award to train alongside NBAA Air Traffic Services (formerly NBAA GA Desk) specialists on-site at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center.

Training Award: Air Traffic Services

The NBAA Air Traffic Services training gave her an introduction to traffic flow management and collaborative decision-making processes in the National Airspace System, especially in relation to business aviation. Her scholarship included a weeklong stay near the Command Center in Virginia and covered the cost of her hotel and travel expenses. While there, she also had the opportunity to visit NBAA headquarters in Washington, DC, as well as to spend a day at the National Air & Space Museum at Dulles International Airport.

Moss enjoyed her time at NBAA Air Traffic Services, where she met many different people and was impressed by NBAA’s role at the Command Center. She had the opportunity to witness a concerted effort where everyone won or lost together, and individual flight departments were not left to fend for themselves – NBAA was there to support them. Moss returned home with a far better understanding of the business aviation community.

Monetary Award: Aviation Leadership Education

The second time Moss received a Schedulers & Dispatchers Scholarship was in 2012 – a monetary scholarship in the amount of $3,900. She used the funds to attend a weeklong class, Developing Leadership Capability in the Corporate Aviation Function, at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business in Charlottesville, VA. Her small class of approximately 30 attendees represented a true cross-section of business aviation professionals – it wasn’t only schedulers.

“It was a great way to ‘broaden my horizons’ by joining such a diverse group of aviation professionals,” said Moss. “I came back refreshed with a lot of great new ideas. The class encouraged me to think ‘outside the box’ in relation to my own work environment … to just think differently than before, and different can be good!” She returned home with increased self-confidence. Sharing her own ideas with others in the class helped her realize just how much she actually knew.

Conference Provides Opportunities, Too

Moss has also been able to focus on her professional development by attending more than seven annual S&D conferences throughout her career.

Moss’s feedback about the conferences echoes what many know to be true. “It’s an incredible opportunity to all gather in one place and share ideas,” said Moss. She added that it is “a great networking event where I have made many true friends over the years”. She also learned about the S&D Committee scholarship program while at the conferences, which led her to apply for a second scholarship.

Committee Volunteers Make a Difference

In 2013, Moss was selected to serve on the S&D Committee, and its Scholarship Subcommittee, after applying. It had been her goal to join the S&D Committee in order to give back and make a difference for others as a new member, especially through her work on the Scholarship Subcommittee. Her sentiment regarding the committee is simple: “I am lucky to be part of such a special group of people.” Moss plans to continue to give back through her work and service on the S&D Committee, while also continuing to attend as many S&D Conferences as possible.

Moss encourages others to do anything they can to enhance their careers. “Whether you are a brand new scheduler or a seasoned veteran scheduler, it is never too late! Keep going until you can’t go any further.” And for those who are thinking about applying for an S&D scholarship, Moss says, “Apply! Come on – do this! Don’t doubt yourself by thinking that you are not worthy, or that there are others who are more worthy.”

Application Checklist

Anyone working in aviation or looking to begin a career in aviation is eligible to apply for NBAA’s Schedulers & Dispatchers Scholarships, which are online at:

Schedulers & Dispatchers Monetary Scholarship

Here’s a quick and easy application checklist to get started:

1. Complete the monetary or training scholarship application.
2. Write a 500-word essay.
3. Include a copy of a current resume.
4. Include two letters of recommendation.
5. Submit the completed application package (including all of the above) by the deadline on the application.

About the Scholarships

The NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee is dedicated to promoting education and training as a means for business aviation schedulers and dispatchers to enhance their careers. In conjunction with many generous donors, the committee offers a wide range of monetary and training awards each year, giving away awards of up to $10,000 per applicant.

The NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee is grateful for the ongoing support of all of its scholarship donors: Signature Flight Support, Universal Weather and Aviation Inc., AC-U-KWIK, Jet Aviation, Savoya, Rockwell Collins Flight Information Solutions, Airline Ground Schools, Beyond and Above Corporate Flight Attendant Training, CornerStone Strategies LLC, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fireside Partners, FlightSafety International, Frontier/Medex, Jeppesen, MedAire, Inc., and NBAA Air Traffic Services (formerly the NBAA GA Desk).

Direct scholarship questions to NBAA at (202) 783-9250 or info@nbaa.org.