Anybody used VA for Flight Training?

[Salty Dog]

I'm looking at the options for funding multi, comm, and CFI training while I'm on terminal leave. GI Bill not an option. I've tried to follow the VA/Hazelwood rumors but always end up in a circular logic website or dead end.

Is there anybody here that has actually used VA and/or Hazelwood bennies or know a real live person with answers?!?!

Any help/info greatly appreciated.

And yes, I did try to search these forums but get told VA is not a word and spelling it out didn't work either.

 

[Flaco]

VA or GI Bill

What do you mean "GI Bill not an option"?

I used VA bennies to pay 60% of my training through CFI.

You need to be in a part 141 program and you have to submit some paperwork, but it's not too difficult. Call and speak with a VA rep and they'll get you hooked up.

Then you just fill out a sheet at the end of the month, get it certified by the flight school's VA rep, and you'll get a check for 60% in a few weeks.

Flaco

 

[weekendwarrior]

Yeah, it's pretty simple. You have to get enrolled first, that's the biggest pain in the rear. Then once you are in the system, the checks come pretty easily. You will have a good lag time (3 months or so) before you see the checks, so be prepared to front some cash. You have to be Part 141, and the school has to be VA approved. The school should handle all the paperwork for you. It's a pretty good deal overall. I used it for my Inst and Multi ratings. It really comes in handy for Comm if you need it. If you already have the time built up, then it's not really worth it.

 

[Salty Dog]

Thanks for your time, gents.

GI Bill is not an option because I opted out. As an ingnorant Ensign I followed the sage wisdom of the E-3 that was processing me at PSD Det Coronado who said if you're Academy or ROTC you can't use it anyway. I failed to press the question "don't you mean ROTC Scholarship" as I was College Program and would, in fact, have been eligible. So now I'm a$$-out on the GI Bill. Live and learn.

The flight school I'm looking at in the D/FW area is 141 but their VA rep didn't seem particularly knowledgeable. 10 hr block time is $165 for a Seminole and $180 for 310 - $20 more by the slice. Obviously I'd like to know the reimbursement is forthcoming before I cut that whopper check.

I'll call the bubbas up in OK tomorrow to see if it makes more sense to me than it did last time.

Do you think using the benefits while I'm still on terminal leave prior to my official end of service date will be a problem? I have a DD214 worksheet but obviously not the final copy.

Thanks again.

 

[CCDiscoB]

I followed the sage wisdom of the E-3 that was processing me.....who said if you're Academy or ROTC you can't use it anyway. I failed to press the question "don't you mean ROTC Scholarship" as I was College Program and would, in fact, have been eligible. So now I'm a$$-out on the GI Bill. Live and learn.

Sounds familiar. I too was told the exact same thing. I wish I corrected the E-3 too.

 

[OPIE01]

I don't understand what you are asking

Either you have GI Bill benefits or not.

If you do have the GI Bill you can use it while on Active duty, I did for my type rating.

If you don't have GI Bill benefits, the Active Duty Tuition Assistance can't be used for flight training.

Now one thing you might be able to do is join a Guard or Reserve unit, and you might be able to get the GI bill benefits through them.

 

[Tweetdrvr]

The Guard has a no cost GI Bill that is available. You have 10 years to use the benefits from the day you sign the paperwork for the GI Bill or something close to it. The top dollar amount is slightly less than active duty, but they reimburse the same 60% of 141 course costs, you can just take fewer courses.

I did my single engine commercial add-on, CFI, and B-737 type before my 10yr clock ran out.

Good luck

 

[JungleJetFO]

good and bad

First, you can actually get GI benefits if you feel you were not properly briefed on it. There were numerous guys in my squadron that appealed it and got the GI Bill after they declined it in AOCS. It took a long time and I'm not sure what they had to do, but I am 100% positive they won that battle.
I used the GI Bill and it has it's good and bad sides. It depends what you want to use it for. To build up flight time, it can be pretty good. If you want to get a rating such as an ATP, it's not so good since you have to complete the Part 141 syllabus which ends up costing a lot since you have to do a lot more ground instruction and a lot more flights than you would if you just use your bud as a Part 61 CFI. In the end, I did not feel like I saved any money but I probably got 20 hours more flight time. I found the syllabus one big pain in the ass. In my opinion, you would want to save the GI bill for a type rating since you will flat out save 60% on the costs unless you can find someone that can hook you up, much harder to find than a CFI.

 

[weekendwarrior]

This is exactly why I did my commercial part 61. I had enough hours, so it cost me alot less to do than the 141 program. I did however use my VA for my instrument and multi rating. This was more than worth it, because the syllabus wasn't that much difference in cost. The commercial on the other hand was about $6,000 less for the part 61.

 

[Slim]

When I enlisted in 1981, I was also told I could not use New/Montgomery GI Bill for flight training. Flight training was not an option at that time. I also could not use the benefits to obtain another BA/BS degree (I already had one), nor could I use it since I was not an active duty member.

In 1993, I discovered the New/Montgomery GI Bill was ammended to include flight training benefits. It's covered under Chpt. 106 of the New/Montgomery GI Bill. I used it to cover my CFII and MEI certificates. It does work.

I don't know how it affects anyone not currently serving (active duty, NG, Reserve), but you must apply for Chpt. 106 benefits. Tweetdrvr has the correct information. I heard, recently, the 10-year window may have been extended. By the way, I did 20+ years, all in the NG.

Good Luck...Fly safe!