New GI Bill and Flight Training

Guys, check out Aviator College (formerly Ari-Ben). I was there earlier this year and liked what I saw. They've got an up and running ME program, and the college part is handled by Indian River Community college. Since the flight school itself is private, you would fall under the $17.5k cap/annum, but on the plus side you do get the BAH.
 
Flush! said:
Just a "heads up": Utah Valley isn't going to work for us either. They don't reimburse the flight training... :(
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Boggles the mind....
Still holding out hope for ATP/MSU. I don't have the luxury of being single and being able to move to Ft. Pierce....lol
 
I worked with MSU and a private VA certfied flight school. The VA paid both bills seperately. You have to have a VA certified flight school as well as someone willing to jump through the appropriate hoops to help you get it done but it can be done.
 
cguerrant said:
I worked with MSU and a private VA certfied flight school. The VA paid both bills seperately. You have to have a VA certified flight school as well as someone willing to jump through the appropriate hoops to help you get it done but it can be done.
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What do you mean by VA certified flight school? My understanding is that the college must be certified by the VA for its program that includes a named flight school. The VA pays the college and then the college pays the flight school. Some schools have it down pat. Can you elaborate on the process your talking about?
 
I'm looking into pursuing my flight certificates, beginning my private next month, and have gone round and round trying to figure out the new GI Bill.

Found quite a deal and am going to pay out of pocket for my private. I know that I could use it for my private as well, if I enrolled in the college aviation program at OU, but with my deployment schedule that would be impossible.

The biggest question someone might be able to answer for me... If I use the GI Bill outside of college, I will be limited to $10k a year. Does that mean if I use $10k this year, that burns a whole year of eligibility? If it does, sounds like quite the waste compared to what the VA would pay if I was enrolled.
 
cguerrant said:
I worked with MSU and a private VA certfied flight school. The VA paid both bills seperately. You have to have a VA certified flight school as well as someone willing to jump through the appropriate hoops to help you get it done but it can be done.
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Well, that's the problem. No one want to jump through the hoops. I don't see why they had to make it so complicated. What's wrong with just $17,500 for each person, per year for flight training? Why is that so "evil"...?

Also, I find it inconceivable that these schools wouldn't be spun up from day 1 to offer this training to the Veterans. Each one of us is worth $52,500 and it's federally guaranteed! Do they have that assurance with normal students? Not at all! I told ATP and MSU to figure it out, because I'm going to the first one who can get me into the cockpit. I'm talking to Orange Coast College right now. They have a program in conjunction with Sunrise Aviation. I'm keeping my fingers crossed; they rent Extra 300s and Citabrias there!!! :cool:
 
Aceninja said:
Guys, check out Aviator College (formerly Ari-Ben). I was there earlier this year and liked what I saw. They've got an up and running ME program, and the college part is handled by Indian River Community college. Since the flight school itself is private, you would fall under the $17.5k cap/annum, but on the plus side you do get the BAH.
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That's in Oakland, which is 400 miles away. Not going to work...
 
Hey guys, just an update:

I submitted a couple questions to the VA, which none of the flight schools could answer, and the VA Rep seemed to be unsure of when I was talking to her. They got back to me and the answers were actually very informative. My questions will be italicized, their responses will be in quotes.

Hello,

I have been having some trouble finding a school in my area that offers a degree, in conjunction with aviation training. Multiple schools in my area have agreements with local flight schools to provide training, such as Mountain State University and ATP Flight School. However, they are not currently accepting post 9/11 GI bill applicants because they don't know how both schools are going to be paid for training that applies to the same degree program. How would the VA pay for this? It would be a similar situation to someone taking lower-level courses at a community college, while taking upper division courses at a University. Would the VA pay for both, simultaneously? The schools and myself all seem to be very confused. Can you recommend a school in my local area (Los Angeles/Long Beach) that offers an aviation degree with flight training as part of the curriculum?

Thank you,
Me

Dear Mr. "You",

For training at multiple facilities we issue tuition payments separately to each school. Nothing has changed with the way this has worked. It seems unlikely the schools do not know how this works but may be more of an issue of not wanting to submit the enrollment certification and wait to be paid. The schools still submit the form enrollment form as they have all along and to the same office. The only changes are to how we process it. If your school or schools are unaware of this and there is no other school who does know how to operate this, then have them contact their Education Liaison Representative as they're supposed to do.

One school that we deal with frequently is Embry-Riddle.

Thank you for contacting the VA.
GS/2767
Muskogee RPO
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Thank you very much for your reply. I will let the schools that I have been communicating with know and hopefully, I will be able to start flying.

I had one more question that I forgot to ask: if I were taking degree classes by correspondence, and using a local flight school for my flight instruction (which is considered "coursework" within the degree) how would my housing allowance be calculated? By the zip code of the flight school?

Thank you.

Dear Mr. "You":

If you are enrolled in any degree program that consists of flight training at a public Institution of Higher Learning you can be reimbursed up to the resident in-state cost of the training and will receive your housing allowance and the books & supplies stipend.
If you are enrolled in any degree program that consists of flight training at a private Institution of Higher Learning you can be reimbursed up to the full cost of the training or $17,500 per academic year, whichever is less. You will also receive your housing allowance and the books & supplies stipend.
If you are enrolled in any type of vocational flight training you can be reimbursed up to the full cost of training or $10,000 per academic year, whichever is less, you WILL NOT receive any housing allowance or books & supplies stipend.

The housing stipend is based on the zip code of the in residence classes you are taking or whichever facility is the greater amount.

RPO/351
KDH/2670
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The important thing to take from this is that last sentence. "...whichever facility is the greater amount." :clap:
 
Flush! you rock! I am going to submit this info to my contact at MSU (The director of VA Services) and see what she says. It seems like the issue for us is ATP not wanting to wait to be paid for flight training...


EDIT: UPDATE!

As soon as I forwarded Flush's communication to my contact at MSU she emailed me back with this:

Thanks for sharing the information. We have the payment information all worked out with ATP we just have to wait on the VA to add the program to our list of approved degrees before we can certify any students under this program. Our ELR is super busy traveling the country holding training sessions and has been all summer so it’s taking longer than normal for this process to happen but it should be soon.



Hurry up and wait folks...we're veterans...we should be used to this right? :crazy:
 
Good job taking this matter into your own hands. Amazing that these VA reps don't spend more time learning how the program works especially simce that's there job.
 
Here is the question and answer I got from the VA. Sad that if you go to school for a regular degree, you would get the school 100% paid for plus a housing allowance of $1500/mo (rate for VA where I am). That is a free degree and $18,000 cash. If you want to do flight training though you get the short end of the stick and get $10K and that is it.


My Question:
I am a 23year veteran with the full 9/11 GI bill. I am interested in using it for flight training. I understand that it will pay for up to $10,000/yr for flight training. What does that do to the benifit though? Can I use it for traditional college and flight training at a different school at the same time? How does using it for flight training affect the 36 months of time that I have?


The VA answer:
Please note that under the Post 9/11 GI Bill only tuition and fees is paid for flight training, no housing. You cannot pursue a degree at one school at the same time you are receiving benefits for flight training. The VA will not pay for two different programs simultaneously.

If you are 100% eligible for benefits than your 36 months of entitlement will be charged using the following calculation:

$10,000/360 days (not 365) = 27.7778

For every 27.7778 equals one day of entitlement
 
subpilot said:
Amazing that these VA reps don't spend more time learning how the program works especially simce that's there job.
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It actually baffles me... (and I don't "baffle" easily)

The economy isn't that great, in case they haven't noticed. I'm not sure that they need to be discouraging students because of not wanting to fill out some paperwork. Each one of us is worth $52,500 to them and it's federally guaranteed. Can they say that about other students who just walk in off the streets? Hell no...
 
Flush! said:
I'm talking to Orange Coast College right now. They have a program in conjunction with Sunrise Aviation. I'm keeping my fingers crossed; they rent Extra 300s and Citabrias there!!! :cool:
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Bingo, you found it. They are the first in SoCal to be approved; as of 10/1. I don't see anything about Sunrise Aviation on the page though.
 
mat said:
Bingo, you found it. They are the first in SoCal to be approved; as of 10/1. I don't see anything about Sunrise Aviation on the page though.
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So, I'm told OCC actually owns their own plane but they also cooperate with Sunrise Aviation to offer the flight instruction. I've got a call into Lyn at Sunrise and she's working with her VA rep to get spun up. So far, they don't have any post 9/11 GI Bill stundents flying with them. I guess I would be the first. :o
 
ozziecat35 said:
Flush! you rock! I am going to submit this info to my contact at MSU (The director of VA Services) and see what she says. It seems like the issue for us is ATP not wanting to wait to be paid for flight training...


EDIT: UPDATE!

As soon as I forwarded Flush's communication to my contact at MSU she emailed me back with this:

Thanks for sharing the information. We have the payment information all worked out with ATP we just have to wait on the VA to add the program to our list of approved degrees before we can certify any students under this program. Our ELR is super busy traveling the country holding training sessions and has been all summer so it’s taking longer than normal for this process to happen but it should be soon.



Hurry up and wait folks...we're veterans...we should be used to this right? :crazy:
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Yes...lots of waiting. I happened across ATP's webpage and they have changed it...the jist is that they DON'T do VA benefits and WILL NOT be doing it AT ALL. Not good news, in my opinion.

http://www.atpflightschool.com/va/
 
"Yes...lots of waiting. I happened across ATP's webpage and they have changed it...the jist is that they DON'T do VA benefits and WILL NOT be doing it AT ALL. Not good news, in my opinion.

http://www.atpflightschool.com/va/ "


I'm concerned. This ATP web page update goes against what I have been told by my MSU rep and what has been previously posted. Just sent my ATP rep the link. It almost looks like someone at ATP just said "screw it".
 
Do you still have to have your private? or can your benefits cover your private, if you attend Aviator Flight Training College
 
vaheyboats said:
"Yes...lots of waiting. I happened across ATP's webpage and they have changed it...the jist is that they DON'T do VA benefits and WILL NOT be doing it AT ALL. Not good news, in my opinion.

http://www.atpflightschool.com/va/ "


I'm concerned. This ATP web page update goes against what I have been told by my MSU rep and what has been previously posted. Just sent my ATP rep the link. It almost looks like someone at ATP just said "screw it".
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Wow! Way to support the troops. That ATP is a classy company... :whatever:
 
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