The world lost a great man on April 16, 2019. That day, Rucie Moore took his final flight against the backdrop of an Arizona sky.

Rucie had an engaging personality and a love for attention to detail. He remembered everyone’s names and their stories because they mattered. That same penchant for excellence made him an incomparable pilot, instructor, teacher, mentor, friend, father, and partner.

Rucie received his flight training in 1987-88 at Ft. Rucker, AL, and went on to be designated Master Army Aviator, instructor pilot, combat veteran, and Chief Warrant Officer 5, the highest warrant officer rank in the Army, and was inducted into the Order of St Michael.

He was awarded a BS in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1998, and received his MS in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee Space Institute in 2004. He graduated from the rigorous U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 2006.   He was lucky enough to spend four years as an exchange pilot with the Royal Netherlands Air Force in Breda, NL.

Following 23 years of active military service, Rucie was an experimental test pilot for Boeing in Mesa, AZ, became an FAA Designated Engineering Representative, and worked as a test pilot and business development executive for Tennessee-based XP Services. In parallel, Rucie served on the Advisory Board and then as Professor and helicopter program chair at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ.

Thank you for your kind consideration in helping us to create a permanent remembrance fund to assist and encourage international students to pursue their dreams and honor our cherished friend. All gifts are 100% tax deductible.

The goal is to raise in excess of $25,000 to establish a memorial endowed scholarship which will exist in perpetuity with a portion of the annual earnings being made available for scholarship awards. 

As an annual scholarship two (2) awards will be given in the amount of $1,500.  Awards will be made to students who are enrolled at the Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus as a full-time undergraduate student in the College of Aviation, majoring in Aeronautical Science with plans to be a pilot. Applicants will be U.S. citizen with financial need and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 with strong leadership and community service