Gem State Aviation Fund

Gem State Aviation Fund, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation established and maintained to promote aviation-related charitable and educational activities primarily within the state of Idaho. Contributions are believed to be tax deductible, but donors should rely only on the advice of a tax professional. Click here for current financial information.

Aviation Scholarship Funding

The IAA and Idaho Aviation Foundation (IAF) currently fund an annual $3000 scholarship and the IAA scholarship committee manages it and three other scholarships.  Funding for pilot and other aviation-related training is always in short supply and those students would appreciate any assistance we can supply.  For more information on our current scholarships go to our scholarships page.

Backcountry Airstrip Defibrillators

These will be valuable lifesavers at the highly used backcountry airstrips.  If the heart can be shocked quickly with a defibrillator within minutes after collapse, a normal heart rhythm may be restored and many victims can and do survive.  Critically, survival from a cardiac arrest relies upon a timely response from first responders i.e. bystanders.  Funds donated would help the IAA purchase, maintain, and store the devices in the off-season.

Backcountry Webcams

Backcountry Webcams are essential in helping pilots determine when and where it’s safe to fly. The program improves safety and efficiency by providing pilots with near real-time, visual weather information. Webcams are critical to help pilots make better safety decisions. The program also helps aircraft operators save fuel by eliminating situations where pilots take off only to find they have to return due to bad weather. The cameras are positioned to view sky conditions around airports and air routes as well as remote mountainous areas.

Bicycle Sheds at Airstrips

Help us fund more bicycle sheds at airstrips around the state.   Use of the bicycles at the current locations continues to grow and the comments are always positive.  The local IAA chapters keep the storage sheds clean and the bicycles in good working order.  You can check the All Idaho Airstrips Interactive Map and filter it at the top for a list of participating airstrips.  The cost of materials to build a shed and supply it with bicycles is $3500 per shed.

Courtesy Car Program

We need donations of $$$ or vehicles in exchange for a potential tax deduction. All the vehicles dispatched to area airports were donated by IAA members or supporters. If you have a late 1990s or newer SUV, sedan, or van that is cluttering up your driveway or garage and want to turn that into a good deed and a potential tax deduction, let us know! Vehicles can be donated Mon–Fri, 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m. at Dowdy’s Automotive, 3183 South Federal Way in Boise, or by calling or emailing John Davis at [email protected] or 208-867-4600. See Brandon or Cate at the store if dropping a donation. If you have no vehicle, but would like to make a financial donation, Gem State Aviation Fund can take tax deductible donations of any amount! Simply earmark it for the Airport Courtesy Car Program if you send in a check, or mark it on the right if you are donating here on the website.

If you know of an airport with a need, contact the IAA Director for that district and together reach out to the airport and see if they are open to administering a courtesy car program, if the car is provided to them at no cost. Participating airports need to sign a memorandum of understanding committing to maintaining the vehicle, providing insurance, and making it available for use by the pilot community. Your District Director will then contact the TV Chapter and “get that airport on the list.” Together we can make “final mile” transportation at all of our favorite Idaho airports a reality!

General Donations

Funds donated here would be funneled to the other projects as needed.

Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame

The mission of the Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame is to educate and inspire children and adults to discover the legacy of Idaho aviation and explore the opportunities for aerospace careers. There is a bi-annual induction ceremony for those who have been nominated and approved to be members of the Hall of Fame. 

Funds donated to this project would go towards the induction ceremonies and to the new interactive information screens.

Pilot Education and Safety
  1. Training to change peoples’ attitudes from complacency to awareness and to have the ability to affect their own rescue. Training may include having a safety kit in your airplane and the knowledge to use it, gear, fire-starting, medical skills, and survival in backcountry.
  2. Training on backcountry flying etiquette, radio etiquette, and safety.
  3. Remedial training on weather, ADSB, flight instruments.

Suggest a Project:

To suggest a project, please contact us. If approved by IAA, your suggested project will appear in the Fundraising section of this page so other donors can contribute. Thank you!

If you’d like to make your donation with a check please print this form and send it with your check to:

IAA  •  PO Box 2016  •  Eagle ID 83616