New GI Bill and Flight Training

[earthzonealex]

Hey guys, new to the thread. I am currently active duty Navy aviation mechanic and want to advance my aviation career. I have my ppl and soon instrument on my own dime. I will be stationed near Seattle WA soon and am having trouble finding valid schools accepting GI benefits. I currently have the Montgomery GI bill but I understand the Post 9/11 may benefit me better during active duty (which I plan to be for the foreseeable future). Any advice on schools in the area and how to maximize benefits?

 

[Wing-it]

Great thread! The info everyone has posted has helped me to explore what benefits the Post 9/11 offers in regards to flight training (thanks for everyone's time and effort!). As a result, I wanted to get involved and participate in keeping this information flowing.

At 29 pages and counting, I am seeing a lot of the same questions. Especially about what schools are the best and so forth...probably would make for a good sticky... Until then, here is what I believe to be the latest information.

In the eyes of the VA, Flight Schools come in three flavors.

1) A "Public Institution of Higher Education": VA will reimburse up to 100% of In-State tuition per academic year, $1K annual book stipend and grant BAH based on location

2) A "Private Institution of Higher Education": VA will reimburse up to $20,235 of tuition per academic year, $1K annual book stipend and grant BAH based on location

3) A "Vocational School": VA will reimburse up to $11,563 of flight training costs per academic year, NO annual book stipend and NO BAH

See: http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/flight_training.asp (amounts are not updated to reflect 2014 rates)

Based on the above, select a school that you are interested in attending. A simple search online will get you some schools to check into. Use the VA's (recently updated) GI Bill Comparison Tool to search for the school and see what benefits you will receive if it is recognized. Contact the school directly and speak with admissions, there is usually a VA appointed rep that can answer benefit questions.

Best of luck!

 

[mat]

1) A "Public Institution of Higher Education": VA will reimburse up to 100% of In-State tuition per academic year, $1K annual book stipend and grant BAH based on location

3) A "Vocational School": VA will reimburse up to $11,563 of flight training costs per academic year, NO annual book stipend and NO BAH

Currently the majority of states give vets in-state tuition rates but starting July 1, 2015 all states will.

For vocational schools, it's only payable for training beyond the private certificate.

 

[Flush!]

Currently the majority of states give vets in-state tuition rates but starting July 1, 2015 all states will.

Well that's good news. If it wasn't for my wife's military status, I'd have had to pay out of state where I am now. They need to fix that!

 

[HumbleSiPilot77]

Anyone planning to use Chapter 33 benefits for flight training at a state public institution, reconsider your plans. Thanks to an Ohio Republican with his HR476, flight training is going away, the way it is setup. It will be capped at $20K.

 

[Flush!]

Thanks to an Ohio Republican with his HR476, flight training is going away, the way it is setup. It will be capped at $20K.

Great... And I thought Republicans "liked" the veterans...

 

[HumbleSiPilot77]

They don't care a bit about veterans. I'll never vote for them ever again. Let's see if this travesty will pass.

 

[Flush!]

They don't care a bit about veterans.

+1

I don't understand how anyone thought that Republicans ever did support our veterans. McCain tried to stop the post 9/11 GI Bill from ever becoming law back in 2008. Any veteran who thinks Republicans are supporting their best interests is delusional.

 

[Wardogg]

According to these guys it only has a 9% chance of getting enacted. If I understand the website right.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr476

 

[Ethan Roy]

Flight Training
VA offers flight training benefits to those who want to advance their pilot qualifications. You must have a private pilots license and valid medical certification before you start training. Payments are issued after the training is completed and the school submits your enrollment information to VA.

Type of Assistance
Flight training is available for the following and other types of qualifications:
Rotary wing
B747-40
Dual engine
Flight engineer

Available Benefits and Eligibility
Participation requirements are the same for all GI Bill programs, but the payment amount varies depending on the GI Bill program and flight school.

Payment Amounts Under the Montgomery GI Bill or Reserve Educational Assistance Program. If you are training under the Montgomery GI Bill or REAP we will reimburse you for 60 percent of the approved charges.
Payment Amounts Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Payments for flight training vary based on which type of flight training course and what kind of school you are enrolled in:
If you are enrolled in a degree program that consists of flight training at a public institution of higher education you can be reimbursed up to the public school in-state cost of the training and receive a monthly housing allowance and books-and-supplies stipend. If you are enrolled in a degree program that consists of flight training at a private institution of higher education you can be reimbursed up to the full cost of the training or the national maximum (currently $19,198.31) per academic year, whichever is less. You may also receive a monthly housing allowance and books-and-supplies stipend.

 

[gocaps16]

I'm active duty with 14 years in and thought about using my 9/11 GI Bill for my commercial and I'm totally against using from it. For one, you can only use it at a Part 141 flight so there are not many around compare to Part 61. Secondly, my number one reason not using it is I'll be losing money because I won't be getting the single E-5 BAH which is a good chunk of change. Using it during AD, you do not get the BAH. I'm taking a little loan from my Credit Union for my CPL and CFI. I rather save my GI Bill for when after I retire. Your thoughts?

 

[Wardogg]

You can use it while on AD but you are right, you would be missing out on some of the benefit. You would also have to have you PPL prior to using it to further you certs.

If you wait to use it after you retire, then it covers a BA in Aviation Technology(professional pilot) and all that entails.

 

[jwithers]

Hey guys, lots of great info here! I've spent the past 2-3 hours (and phone calls to the VA) trying to get a couple of questions answered, and I'm getting stuck...would appreciate your wisdom!

After taking two years to go back to school, plus another year to start a new career, I'm ready to jump back into flying (for pleasure).

My background

• Separated from the Army after 10 years (mid-2013)
• Former Army helicopter pilot (~2000 hrs, Commercial / Instrument)
• Fixed-wing: ASEL Private / Instrument (completed 90% of Commercial FW requirements, but due to PCS, didn't finish the last 10%)
• Used Post-9/11 GI Bill to get MBA (completed), but still have 19 months of Ch. 33 GI Bill eligibility remaining (confirmed with VA this morning)
• It's been 3 years since flying RW in the Army, 5 years since flying FW (as a civilian)

Goals

• Note: Not interested in getting a job flying, but still passionate about aviation and want to maximize VA benefits
• Finish FW Commercial, get CFI, CFI/I, Multi-engine, MEI (or whatever I can get GI Bill to pay for)

Constraints

• Full-time career --> Not going to move, not going to take extended leave for full-time programs
• Live in the Bay Area
• Not going to spend (much) $$$ out of pocket

Questions

• Loooong shot, but I have to ask: Are there any Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) that allow for full-time enrollment, but as a distance (online) program + flying with a local partner FBO (this would maximize VA benefits while allowing me to conduct training locally).
• Or, does anyone know of Bay Area IHLs with a program that would enable the certificates I seek?
  • San Jose State has a program, but it apparently only goes through Commercial (I have an email out to confirm)
  • Embry-Riddle has an Oakland campus, but apparently they don't do flight instruction there (I have an email out to confirm)
• If no to the above two questions, I've only found one (!!!) VA-approved Part 141 program in the Bay Area (Nice Air Aviation, San Jose)
  • Does anyone have experience with them 1) at all, and 2) For GI Bill training?
  • Does anyone know if there are other VA-approved Part 141 programs in the Bay Area that I'm just missing?
• If my only option (given my constraints) is to use the $12,048.50 at Nice Air Aviation, can anyone confirm:
  • Would I use 12 months of Ch. 33 eligibility? I've seen multiple answers to this, and this morning, the VA told me that it would only use 33 days of eligibility ($12,048.50/360 = ~33), but I've also seen people quote the VA that it would use 10-12 months of eligibility).
  • Regardless to the answer for the above question (33 days or up to 12 months), I should still have some eligibility. If I partner with Nice Air Aviation and burn through the $12,048.50 before July 31st, can I use the rest of my eligibility starting August 1st, when the new academic year begins (maybe a prorated amount, given I'd have, worst case, at least 7 months of eligibility (19 months - 12 months = 7 months))?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[zippy]

Regardless to the answer for the above question (33 days or up to 12 months), I should still have some eligibility. If I partner with Nice Air Aviation and burn through the $12,048.50 before July 31st, can I use the rest of my eligibility starting August 1st, when the new academic year begins (maybe a prorated amount, given I'd have, worst case, at least 7 months of eligibility (19 months - 12 months = 7 months))?
Thanks in advance for your help!

Yes.

 

[Flush!]

Questions

• Loooong shot, but I have to ask: Are there any Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) that allow for full-time enrollment, but as a distance (online) program + flying with a local partner FBO (this would maximize VA benefits while allowing me to conduct training locally).

Mountain State has a program with ATP but I don't know if it ever got approved. Plus ATP has a position of being very anti-veteran, and anti-VA, so I'm not sure its worth the time to look into. Last I checked, it wasn't even VA approved but that might have changed. Keep in mind, though, that if you do opt for a degree program from a remote campus, that you'll get the BAH based on the zip code of the university. Mountain State was in West Virginia, and the BAH is going to be pennies on the dollar for what you'd get in the SF Bay Area. Something to consider...

• Or, does anyone know of Bay Area IHLs with a program that would enable the certificates I seek?
  • San Jose State has a program, but it apparently only goes through Commercial (I have an email out to confirm)

• It could be that they give you credit for your previous ratings, and require you to get a certain number of "advanced ratings" as a part of the degree. That's what Auburn does, for example. Other schools, like Orange Coast College, don't give you any credit for your previous ratings, and require you to re-take your private pilot training (which is why I didn't go there). When you find out, let us know what San Jose says. It will be good to know.

 

[jwithers]

Thanks guys.

FYI: I heard back from San Jose State, and they (SJ St.) don't allow students to enroll in their program if the student already has a bachelors degree.

I also discovered that Liberty University (LU) in Virginia has an "affiliate program" where they partner with Part 141 school in multiple locations across the US. I talked to them this morning, as well as the affiliate school that I could use (90-min drive from SF), and it appears that this is the holy grail. Because LU is an "institution of higher learning," the GI Bill will pay ~19K per academic year, but in conjunction with LU's Yellow Ribbon program (for those with 100% Post-9/11 GI Bill), the student won't pay a dime (other than for check ride fees).

Flush!, you're right about BAH, but LU is by far my best option (vs. only using the $12K annual flight training limit, which doesn't have BAH anyway).

Hopefully others are able to leverage this opportunity!

 

[Flush!]

Thanks guys.

FYI: I heard back from San Jose State, and they (SJ St.) don't allow students to enroll in their program if the student already has a bachelors degree.

If you don't transfer anything in, is there any way for them to know that you already have the degree..? Kind of a hypothetical question but worth asking...

Flush!, you're right about BAH,

Good to hear... (first time for everything)

 

[HumbleSiPilot77]

Mountain State has a program with ATP but I don't know if it ever got approved.

Didn't Mountain State lose its accreditation in 2012 ish and ATP parted ways with them after that?

Plus ATP has a position of being very anti-veteran, and anti-VA, so I'm not sure its worth the time to look into.

Having gone through Arizona State's (ATP is their training provider) flight program being a former Apache driver, I don't think ATP cares enough as a company. They get paid either way. There are d@uche nozzle instructors who do hate on veterans because veterans' training is paid for while they are in 100K debt and make 7.50 an hour instructing.

I still have to finish my CFI so I can get my degree but if there are any questions about ASU's program, shoot me a message guys.




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[Wardogg]

I still have to finish my CFI so I can get my degree but if there are any questions about ASU's program, shoot me a message guys.

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My buddy was at ASU last year and he had to transfer tip California somewhere because ASU lost its accreditation too. As far as I know VA is no longer paying at ASU.

 

[HumbleSiPilot77]

My buddy was at ASU last year and he had to transfer tip California somewhere because ASU lost its accreditation too. As far as I know VA is no longer paying at ASU.

ASU didn't lose its accreditation. They have become non-VA compliant. VA is changing the rules and making it pretty hard for schools to comply. So every semester it's a fight to get the VA approve veteran flying. But it's going on right now.


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