The Air League is proud to celebrate another successful year of Engineering Scholarships delivered in partnership with Affinity Flying Training Services. This year, scholars, Aaron Yokathas and Zack Smith, were given the opportunity to gain first-hand experience within a professional aerospace engineering environment, working alongside industry experts and exploring the many career pathways available across aviation.
Thanks to the continued support and commitment of the Affinity team, Aaron and Zack were able to immerse themselves in real-world operations, from aircraft maintenance and engineering to wider business functions that keep military flying training programmes running successfully. Their experiences not only helped develop their technical understanding but also provided valuable insight into future career opportunities within aerospace.
Our Engineering Scholarships are designed to bridge the gap between education and employment by giving aspiring engineers meaningful, hands-on industry experience. Through placements with leading organisations such as Affinity, scholars gain practical knowledge, expand their professional networks, and build confidence as they take their first steps towards careers in aviation and aerospace.
Affinity Flying Training Services, a leading provider of military flying training support services in the UK, once again welcomed Air League scholars into its operations, offering a comprehensive introduction to aircraft maintenance, engineering, and wider aviation functions.
gaining first-hand industry experience
Both scholars benefited from exposure to a wide range of engineering and operational disciplines, demonstrating how valuable industry placements can be in helping young people understand the breadth of opportunities available across the aerospace sector.
"I had a really rewarding experience working with Affinity Flying Services. Getting hands-on exposure to how maintenance operates in a military environment gave me a completely new perspective on the industry. I especially valued the chance to see beyond Part 145 into other parts of the company, including CAMO, Ops, Data, and AEA, which gave me a much broader understanding of how everything fits together. I'm very grateful for the opportunity and everything the team took the time to show me."
"It was a brilliant experience having my first hands-on experience with aircraft engineering and Part 145. Getting to work with both B1 and B2 licensed engineers really helped me decide that it was the B2 avionics side that I now wish to pursue further. Everyone was very helpful and the engineers and technicians were more than happy to explain what they were doing and went out of their way so that I could get some hands-on experience. As well as just the engineering side, getting to move around the business really helped me to see some career options you wouldn't necessarily think of in aviation. Also, then getting the opportunity to go to another airbase to see how things were done differently there, especially regarding Ops and AEA, was very interesting. Overall, the experience has helped me decide what my next steps should be and has opened my eyes to more careers in aerospace, particularly military aviation."
creating opportunities across aerospace
The Air League is committed to making aviation and aerospace more accessible to all. The 2026 Scholarship Programme welcomed participants from a wide range of backgrounds:
- 53% of scholars were under the age of 18.
- 41% were aged 18-24.
- 6% were aged 25-34.
- One in three scholars identified as being from an ethnic minority background.
- 25% of scholarship recipients were female.
These figures reflect our ambition to widen participation across aviation and aerospace, ensuring talented individuals from all backgrounds can access life-changing experiences and career pathways.
The long-term impact of our scholarship programmes continues to be encouraging. A survey of scholars who participated between 2018 and 2025 found that 83% are either working within the aviation industry or pursuing aviation-related education and training, demonstrating the significant role these opportunities play in helping young people progress towards aerospace careers.
Supporting the next generation
of aerospace engineers
The Air League extends its sincere thanks to the Affinity team for once again providing an engaging, informative and inspiring placement experience for our scholars. By investing their time, expertise and resources into developing future talent, they are helping to strengthen the pipeline of skilled professionals entering the aerospace industry.
As we celebrate another successful year of Engineering Scholarships, we look forward to continuing our partnership with Affinity and working together to inspire the next generation of aerospace engineers.
To learn more about The Air League’s Engineering Scholarship Programme and future opportunities, visit our Engineering Scholarships page.
Find out more about Affinity Flying Training Services and the vital role they play in supporting military flying training across the UK.
