MTSU Aerospace professor earns coveted $5K King Schools/NAFI Flight Instructor Scholarship

Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Department professor Collin McDonald, center, accepts the 2025 National Association of Flight Instructors King Schools $5,000 scholarship from John, left, and Martha King on April 2 in a special ceremony at Sun ’n Fun Expo in Lakeland, Fla. (Submitted photo)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Collin McDonald once flew cross-country, retracing an aviation pioneer’s flight path, for a thesis. He later returned to Middle Tennessee State University, his alma mater as an Aerospace Department professional pilot faculty member.

Now, McDonald’s the 2025 recipient of the King Schools/National Association of Flight Instructors Flight Scholarship, presented at this year’s Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, recently, providing him with $5,000 to further his flight instructor training, lifetime access to King Schools’ extensive course library (a $15,000 value) and lifetime access to Flight Instructor Refresher Courses.

Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Department professor Collin McDonald, left, is shown with his family while seated in a small private aircraft. McDonald recently received the $5,000 King Schools/National Association of Flight Instructors Flight Scholarship at Sun ’n Fun Expo in Lakeland, Fla., on April. 2. (Submitted photo)

The scholarship, given on Wednesday, April 2, is awarded annually by John and Martha King, co-chairs of San Diego, California-based King Schools, to a National Association of Flight Instructor member who holds at least a commercial pilot certificate with an instructor rating or a CFI certificate.

“Being selected as the sole national recipient of the NAFI/King Schools Scholarship is a huge honor,” McDonald said. “It’s incredibly humbling to be recognized by leaders in aviation education like John and Martha King, especially considering how many outstanding applicants there must have been.

MTSU Aerospace professor Collin McDonald — Collin McDonald

“For me, it’s a validation of the work I’ve been doing not just as a certified flight instructor and A&P (airframe and powerplant mechanic), but as someone who’s passionate about aviation education and outreach — whether that’s through my role at MTSU or through The Flying Mechanic on social media.”

McDonald said what made his application stand out was the story he shared at Sun ’n Fun, which “definitely draws a lot of interest from aerospace students, especially those focused on maintenance or becoming professional pilots.”

Most of his aviation training has been self-financed — “from mowing lawns as a teenager to working multiple jobs,” he wrote in his application. … “I want my lasting mark on aviation to be the high-quality instruction that I give on a day-to-day basis over at least the next 30 years.

With everyone giving a thumbs up on the occasion, Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Department professor Collin McDonald, center, accepts the 2025 National Association of Flight Instructors King Schools $5,000 scholarship from John, left, and Martha King on April 2 in a special ceremony during the Fun 'n Sun Expo in Lakeland, Fla. (Submitted photo) — With everyone giving a thumbs up on the occasion, Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Department professor Collin McDonald, center, accepts the 2025 National Association of Flight Instructors King Schools $5,000 scholarship from John, left, and Martha King on April 2 in a special ceremony during the Fun ‘n Sun Expo in Lakeland, Fla. (Submitted photo)

“I emphasized my mission to make general aviation more accessible and understandable for people from all backgrounds,” McDonald said. “I highlighted how I use multiple platforms to teach and mentor, both in the classroom and online, and I proposed a specific use for the funds: earning my CFI-glider rating. It’s a next step that allows me to continue growing while giving back to the community that helped shape me.”

Traveling with colleagues and friends, McDonald received the award in a special ceremony. He also made two presentations — “Preventative Maintenance: an Overview” at Sun ’n Fun and “STOL Aircraft High Lift Devices Explained” with the National Short Takeoff and Landing competitions, a session designed to explain the various methods the competition aircraft use to generate enough lift to take off in a matter of feet.

In his third year at MTSU, McDonald said he’s “incredibly grateful to be part of a department that’s so committed to student success and innovation.”

McDonald’s master’s thesis explored the effect of Cal Rodgers’ 1911 transcontinental flight in the Wright Flyer “Vin Fiz” on future airline development.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)