Post 9/11 GI Bill

Corpsmaide

Corpsmaide

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Corpsmaide
Anyone here using for flight training? Pros, cons. I know private is not covered, unless, it is through a university program. For those going through local flight schools, do most require money upfront then reimburse once they receive funds from the VA. Most schools around here require the money first. There is one school here that would allow you to train without the money upfront, but recently stopped due to the major delay in payment from the VA.

It also appears if I go through a university, I'd have to be enrolled in an aviation degree program. Which I do not want, as I am working on my psyc degree. Thought about enrolling in a program until I got private then quitting so I could finish my psyc degree.

Thank you all
 
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I started and got my Private Pilot Certificate in a college program in 2006, then enlisted into the USMC Reserve as I needed college money. I got sent overseas a couple times and I didn't have time I thought I would for school, so I stopped. Today, four days after my obligation ended, I'm back in school about to finish my Instrument Rating and start on my Commercial.

I highly suggest going through a college program IF one is nearby. No sense going far out of your way just for a Private Pilot Certificate. See if the school participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program (I only rate for 90% of the Post-9/11 GI bill, so I don't qualify) and gives a good amount for it. Embry Riddle should max out on the YRP, so you should be more than good, but even better if it's a state college.

As you know, you may only have classes paid under the Post-9/11 GI Bill that will get you a degree under your declared major at that time, so yes, you'll need to major in aviation unless by some miracle you can get that Private Pilot (and maybe Instrument Rating!) course signed off by a counsellor as an elective. They'll have to sign off on a sheet that gets sent to the VA every semester and if you add or drop course,s certifying the classes you're taking apply to your degree (I've had to drop a course and pick a new one because I satisfied the elective requirement years before). Nothing says you can't have a change of heart and decide to change your major, so you should be good.

Finally, talk to a college counsellor to see if the plan you formulated works. The counsellor has probably seen all sorts of VA claims and helped out a bunch of students for you, and it's their job to see that you get the education you want.
 
The only way you're getting PPL covered is as part of an aviation degree or possibly through the vocational flight training through a university.

(Edited to correct misinformation)
 
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If the PPL is covered that is great. That also differs from the Montgomery GI Bill.
 
I'd like to know how to get money for a Part-61 IR program not affliliated with a university.
 
I spent a lot of time researching this one, since I'm qualified for the post-9/11 GIBill version 2.0.

You have to use a Part 141 program. Be it through a university, or just at your discretion. If you go through a university program towards a degree the bill will cover a lot more of the costs. If you go through a flight school outside of a degree program you have a maximum of $10,000 per school year that will be reimbursed. This can be applied to the private certificate (the biggest change to the GIBill imo). If you're doing a non-degree university program towards flying they cover a bit more, I forget the numbers because it didn't apply to what I was interested in, but it is more than the individual straight to the flight school option.

The best option, if you can, is to enroll full-time to a university's degree program (associates is covered, it doesn't have to be bachelor's or higher, but I would recommend that). They will cover most of the cost depending on where the school is geographically and you will likely walk away with both a degree and advanced training (e.g. not just a PP-ASEL but also instrument and probably commercial, and beyond that even if you're in and from Texas or Illinois).

Make sure you qualify for a 2nd class medical (shouldn't be hard if you qualify for the 3rd) as you have to have a 2nd class medical BEFORE you do any training to receive VA compensation.

There's a stinger to the 3rd option which you can do depending on the cost of tuition and your personal situation: if you don't need the BAH to actually cover the cost of housing, use that to get your certificate or ratings -- it's a decent chunk of change per month, and this way you can go through a non-aviation degree program as well as get your wings.

Make sure you have your GIBill letter of approval before you apply anywhere though because if there's **anything** that could slow it down (which, if you've been through the military, you know this applies to everyone no matter how mundane their tour may have been) it could take a while, even if you meet all approval qualifications.
 
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