Raising money for your PPL

[Katamarino]

What's everyone's take on donations for Pilots for Paws costs???

I believe that a member here funds ownership of a very nice twin by doing almost exactly that.

 

[Soldier64]

I really dislike when people whore their veteran status for unrelated handouts. It's pathetic. Have some respect.

As an 11 year veteran I am not a fan of this method as well. You make great points for discussion.

When I said the same thing in a slightly different way, I was chastised for "not supporting our military". Be careful. :wink2:

You, however, did not say the same things. your exact words were "am not real happy that I also have to pay for people on the GI bill to get additional ratings at no cost to them." Drastically different statement. The way you said it has hints of disdain or jealousy. As a disclaimer, I have paid for all of my FW ratings myself using my own airplane. My GI Bill will be better used by my son, but I do not take issue with another veteran using his/her benefits.

 

[ollopa]

I highly doubt that a person who can't afford the PPL training is going to be able to afford to fly after the training anyway. He's probably not coming back here but I would urge him to think about saving some money for his family's security rather than spending all their extra cash on himself.

 

[DesertNomad]

You are correct, and my felling is not directed towards people who are using their benefits, but rather to the government that is providing those benefits. I don't think it's the government's job to be providing that service... or many other services either.

 

[Stingray Don]

I have a sneaky suspicion that OP will never log in again and see all these responses

Exactly. OP states, "I am just looking for feedback from anyone with knowledgeable information on how your training was funded". However, the GoFundMe states, I have posted to quite a few aviation sites". He wouldn't have spammed every aviation site if he was genuinely looking for advice.

 

[JoseCuervo]

When he first started this thread, his goFundMe was at $290.

It is now at $360.

Draw your own conclusions.

 

[Soldier64]

You are correct, and my felling is not directed towards people who are using their benefits, but rather to the government that is providing those benefits. I don't think it's the government's job to be providing that service... or many other services either.

I am not trying to be argumentative in any way. I will only point out that the benefits offered for military service help to keep an all volunteer force. I know many people, currently in the services, who would not do what we do without the benefits offered. Also, the government currently looking at cutting the benefits is resulting in a huge talent rift among junior to mid grade officers (most likely NCOs as well, but I only know about my peers for sure.)

Every decision has a consequence. We can cut the benefits back and bring back the draft to ensure the military is staffed or we can take measures to keep an all volunteer force. Just my opinion from inside my sandbox. That is also relative to the OP. He choose to get out of the military, have four kids, and pursue a flying career. Now he needs to do an analysis and see which decision works best for him.

 

[Captain]

What I like is the $6,748....the amount he's asking for in his gofundme. It's the exact number on the page he links to for a PPL (http://www.flycentex.com/page9.php).

So he's not interested in spending even $1 for his training. Gofundme for PPL and Uncle Sam for the rest. Super...

Spend 5 minutes looking for local flight school, another 15 minutes setting up a gofundme and bam!....problem solved. At least it's clearly not working with only enough raised to buy a cheap headset.

 

[DesertNomad]

I am not trying to be argumentative in any way. I will only point out that the benefits offered for military service help to keep an all volunteer force.

You are correct. My position is that many of our foreign adventures are not needed, yet they cost us billions. Maybe it'd be better to just downsize the military and pay for people's PPL and CPL... at least the money would go to something productive.

What I like is the $6,748....the amount he's asking for in his gofundme. It's the exact number on the page he links to for a PPL (http://www.flycentex.com/page9.php).

Interesting. That airport is where I bought my plane. I'd be really surprised if he could get a PPL for that. Multiply it by 2 and you are in a much better and realistic position. He is forgetting extra hours, a headset, books, the check ride, insurance...

 

[EvoV98]

Hello everyone. Just a bit about myself. I am a 27-year-old aspiring pilot with a mediocre job working security. I served for almost 7 years in the US Army as a M1A2 Abrams Tank Crew Member. The military brought me to Texas and I have been living there for almost 10 years now. I am just looking for feedback from anyone with knowledgeable information on how your training was funded. I know that me being a Veteran really helps me out funding wise for acquiring ratings. But it is of no use for me to actually get moving towards the completion of my PPL. I have been looking for any way possible for me to get the funding I need for me to accomplish this dream. I have made a go fund me and have actually got quite a few donations which will help me a bit but I am not even close to the funding needed. Due to my job not bringing in enough money for me to support my family of 6 (Wife and 4 kids) and my dream, obviously I am forced to support my family. There has been a plethora of individuals telling me to use the G.I. Bill to accomplish my PPL. They fail to understand that the G.I. Bill does not cover PPL Training. (As Seen Here http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/flight_training.asp ) I have also looked into financing the training but I just simply can’t afford it. I have reached out to the training site at my local airport I would like to attend. Here is what they said.
ME: Good day,
My name is Dustin. I am very interested in attending this flight school to receive my PPL. I saw on your site that you are in the process of getting the part 141 status? I was just wondering how much longer the processing time will take if you have an estimate. I am also curious as to how much would actually be covered?
THEM: Dustin,
We are now a 141 flight school. We do take GI benefits however; the GI bill will not pay for your initial private license. They require you to pay it. It will pay for everything beyond that training. Please feel free to call me at the number below to discuss.
Thank you,

Craig Caddell
Central Texas Flight Training
(254) 760-3761

My end goal would be to become a CFI.
So from what I have stated, what are my options? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!!!
https://www.gofundme.com/abazi

If you go to an approved university with a flight program and it is apart of your degree program then the VA WILL pay for it. So if you start a flight managment degree you are good, if you start an unreatlated degree and the school has a flight minor which can fit your plan then you are good. Then you can apply for grants as well. I am currently working on a BS in IT Security minoring in flight, and the VA is shelling out cash for my PPL. and my school is 141.

 

[James331]

What I like is the $6,748....the amount he's asking for in his gofundme. It's the exact number on the page he links to for a PPL (http://www.flycentex.com/page9.php).

So he's not interested in spending even $1 for his training. Gofundme for PPL and Uncle Sam for the rest. Super...

Spend 5 minutes looking for local flight school, another 15 minutes setting up a gofundme and bam!....problem solved. At least it's clearly not working with only enough raised to buy a cheap headset.

I'm sure he's got another gofundme for his headset



BTW who here gave the beggar money??

I'll be the first to say, wasn't me

 

[EvoV98]

On a side note, this thread is to answer PPL funding questions right? Not to complain that US veterans who volunteered to serve the country and protect your freedoms have educational benefits. We have education benefits to ensure we have a place in society after our service is up. We didn't go to college after high school, we joined a war. If you don't like it you should write your congressmen and not hijack a unrelated conversation with your unsolicited opinions.

 

[James331]

On a side note, this thread is to answer PPL funding questions right? Not to complain that US veterans who volunteered to serve the country and protect your freedoms have educational benefits. We have education benefits to ensure we have a place in society after our service is up. We didn't go to college after high school, we joined a war. If you don't like it you should write your congressmen and not hijack a unrelated conversation with your unsolicited opinions.

Uhhh, maybe you should read the thread

The beggar wasn't protecting any freedoms posing on GoFundMe, dressed in his military uniform, holding a kid and a American flag to solicit money for money a Private Pilots License.

 

[marcoseddi]

I wonder what happens if you take too long to get money or you don't get enough or you decide to not go forward with training will you refund back the money .

 

[EvoV98]

Uhhh, maybe you should read the thread


The beggar wasn't protecting any freedoms posing on GoFundMe, dressed in his military uniform, holding a kid and a American flag to solicit money for money a Private Pilots License.

On several occasions it was mentioned that people did not like the idea of tax dollars being used on veteran educational benefits....

And the guy just wants to figure out how to get PPL since the VA wont pay outright without it being in a degree. so quit bashing veterans.. you dont like that he posted his gofundme link then say that. otherwise bashing veterans as a whole is insulting and uncalled for.

 

[DesertNomad]

On a side note, this thread is to answer PPL funding questions right? Not to complain that US veterans who volunteered to serve the country and protect your freedoms...

Which freedoms were protected? This thread is in response to the OP using his military status, a flag and a kid to gain sympathy and funding for a PPL. He was not drafted, but volunteered and knew what he was getting into. He could have just as easily gone to college and gotten a job... I am quite certain our freedoms would still exist... Though we might be paying more for oil and thus more for a PPL.

I said that I don't think the government should be paying for flight training in the civilian world and I certainly don't think random people on the internet should be paying for it either. Of course I think the government needs to uphold its existing contracts with veterans... And yes that includes post-PPL flight training

I think people (veterans included) should pay for flight training by getting a job and earning the money to do it. If that means two jobs and no cable TV, so be it. If one wants it bad enough, they will find a way.

 

[JoseCuervo]

On several occasions it was mentioned that people did not like the idea of tax dollars being used on veteran educational benefits....

And the guy just wants to figure out how to get PPL since the VA wont pay outright without it being in a degree. so quit bashing veterans.. you dont like that he posted his gofundme link then say that. otherwise bashing veterans as a whole is insulting and uncalled for.

I am not sure that a Private Pilot cert is "education". That is more of a hobby.

VA benefits for a real college/university or a vo-tech trade school are great.

For a PPL?? Meh....

 

[EvoV98]

Which freedoms were protected? This thread is in response to the OP using his military status, a flag and a kid to gain sympathy and funding for a PPL. He was not drafted, but volunteered and knew what he was getting into. He could have just as easily gone to college and gotten a job... I am quite certain our freedoms would still exist... Though we might be paying more for oil and thus more for a PPL.

I said that I don't think the government should be paying for flight training in the civilian world (of course I think the government need to uphold its existing contracts with veterans) and I certainly don't think random people on the internet should be paying for it either.

I think people (veterans included) should pay for flight training by getting a job and earning the money to do it. If that means two jobs and no cable TV, so be it. If one wants it bad enough, they will find a way.

Then dont give him any money... its simple.... But he and all veterans are entitled to our benifits as we choose to defend our country. we sacrificed not you therefore you, the citizens and government owe us a debt. That sir is how this works and again if you dont like feel free to write your state representation. the GI Bill does in fact pay for flight training and undergrad and grad degrees. We have earned our benifits and they are not hand outs. If you dont like the gofundme page thats a seperate issue than saying that veterans are leeches.

 

[EvoV98]

I am not sure that a Private Pilot cert is "education". That is more of a hobby.

VA benefits for a real college/university or a vo-tech trade school are great.

For a PPL?? Meh....

is a PPL required for a commercial rating? is it the fundamentals of all the other ratings? then how is it not education? Also the PPL isnt covered unless it is apart of a degree program.....

 

[DesertNomad]

Then dont give him any money... its simple.... But he and all veterans are entitled to our benifits as we choose to defend our country.

Were you stationed on the Canadian border, the Mexican border, or patrolling the east or west coast? If not, than you were not "defending the country" in my opinion. You certainly sacrificed... but assuming you were in the Mid East, it was nation building and not defending America.

I have written my Congressmen on this subject and while I agree that we can't deny veterans the benefits we promised them originally, I think the practice needs to be changed in the future. That's all. And to be clear, I also think that GoFundMe is the wrong way to pay for a PPL or any other hobby activity.

 

[EvoV98]

Were you stationed on the Canadian border, the Mexican border, or patrolling the east or west coast? If not, than you were not "defending the country" in my opinion.

I have written my Congressmen on this subject and while I agree that we can't deny veterans the benefits we promised them originally, I think the practice needs to be changed in the future.

So in other words you dont agree with the current wars... not my fault or anyone elses. the simple fact is we volunteered to serve the country not only to the present wars that are killing terrorist that have already attacked us, and would again, but if anything else came up who would be called, the same people fighting the current wars. We(veterans) go out there and come back ****ed up becasue we felt the need to protect the country and people like you want to tell us to walk it off. Again we earned our beneifts, by the nasty **** we had to do and where we had to go, while you were here flying around a protected country. There is a reason why the armed service is a volunteer force, because they dont want people with the kind of views you have which are only about themselves....

And like I said the gofundme page is a whole differnet issue. I know I am not going to give money for something like that, he can use his moany and his benefits, both of which he earned.....

 

[DesertNomad]

while you were here flying around a protected country. There is a reason why the armed service is a volunteer force, becaseu they dont want people with the kind of views you have which are only about themselves....

Actually, I just moved back to the US recently. I was living in the Mid East and Europe since shortly after 9/11... and managed to avoid getting bombed by weapons that my tax dollars paid for. They missed me by 6km. :wink2:

I hope you find a way to get your PPL... It's a great achievement and privilege.

 

[James331]

Were you stationed on the Canadian border, the Mexican border, or patrolling the east or west coast? If not, than you were not "defending the country" in my opinion. You certainly sacrificed... but assuming you were in the Mid East, it was nation building and not defending America.

I have written my Congressmen on this subject and while I agree that we can't deny veterans the benefits we promised them originally, I think the practice needs to be changed in the future. That's all. And to be clear, I also think that GoFundMe is the wrong way to pay for a PPL or any other hobby activity.

Exactly.


And again.......


EVO, this topic was about the beggars attempt to solicit money via gofundme.

 

[EvoV98]

Exactly.


And again.......


EVO, this topic was about the beggars attempt to solicit money via gofundme.

Again.... Then maybe there should be no talk about vets using their GI BIll being leeches and talk about peeople using gofundme....

 

[James331]

Again.... Then maybe there should be no talk about vets using their GI BIll being leeches and talk about peeople using gofundme....

Uhhhhhhhhhh

He's a leach and a beggar due to his gofundme crap.


Or is gofundme part of your GI bill?

 

[DesertNomad]

Maybe the Air Force would have been a better choice than the Army. The Air Force has planes and teaches people how to fly them. They taught my dad who never knew what GoFundMe is.

 

[AggieMike88]

100+ posts to argue if that one eye cat is going in or going out...

Gotta love PoA.

 

[mscard88]

Maybe the Air Force would have been a better choice than the Army. The Air Force has planes and teaches people how to fly them. They taught my dad who never knew what GoFundMe is.

Army also teaches in airplanes in addition to helos. In addition to the Air Force, the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard all fly planes and helos. National Air Guard/Reserve slots are worth pursuing also.

Plus you earn GI Bill benefits too! (had to put that in there for ya )

 

[LandSickness]

Hello everyone. Just a bit about myself. I am a 27-year-old aspiring pilot with a mediocre job working security. I served for almost 7 years in the US Army as a M1A2 Abrams Tank Crew Member. The military brought me to Texas and I have been living there for almost 10 years now. I am just looking for feedback from anyone with knowledgeable information on how your training was funded. I know that me being a Veteran really helps me out funding wise for acquiring ratings. But it is of no use for me to actually get moving towards the completion of my PPL. I have been looking for any way possible for me to get the funding I need for me to accomplish this dream. I have made a go fund me and have actually got quite a few donations which will help me a bit but I am not even close to the funding needed. Due to my job not bringing in enough money for me to support my family of 6 (Wife and 4 kids) and my dream, obviously I am forced to support my family. There has been a plethora of individuals telling me to use the G.I. Bill to accomplish my PPL. They fail to understand that the G.I. Bill does not cover PPL Training. (As Seen Here http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/flight_training.asp ) I have also looked into financing the training but I just simply can’t afford it. I have reached out to the training site at my local airport I would like to attend. Here is what they said.
ME: Good day,
My name is Dustin. I am very interested in attending this flight school to receive my PPL. I saw on your site that you are in the process of getting the part 141 status? I was just wondering how much longer the processing time will take if you have an estimate. I am also curious as to how much would actually be covered?
THEM: Dustin,
We are now a 141 flight school. We do take GI benefits however; the GI bill will not pay for your initial private license. They require you to pay it. It will pay for everything beyond that training. Please feel free to call me at the number below to discuss.
Thank you,

Craig Caddell
Central Texas Flight Training
(254) 760-3761

My end goal would be to become a CFI.
So from what I have stated, what are my options? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!!!
https://www.gofundme.com/abazi

Four kids by 27? Leaving the military with no real prospects? OP hasn't exactly shown himself to be much of a planner. The first step is having a plan. Begging is not a plan. As an American Veteran, begging should be beneath you, unless you're one of those people who join the military to be taken care of. Using Gofundme in this way is begging.

Stop living with your hand out, get off your ass and do what it takes to reach your goall. Oh, and don't say you're "forced" to support your family. Makes you sound like a tool living with your hand out.

 

[Gucci Pilot]

Four kids by 27? Leaving the military with no real prospects? OP hasn't exactly shown himself to be much of a planner. The first step is having a plan. Begging is not a plan. As an American Veteran, begging should be beneath you, unless you're one of those people who join the military to be taken care of. Using Gofundme in this way is begging.

Stop living with your hand out, get off your ass and do what it takes to reach your goall. Oh, and don't say you're "forced" to support your family. Makes you sound like a tool living with your hand out.

My vote for best post in this whole thread.

 

[cwoods798]

Alright, I've read quite a few of the comments on this thread and both agree and disagree with some of what I've seen. I myself am a veteran and have used my GI Bill to receive all of my flight training. Do I think that our country can afford to pay flight training for a mass number of veterans...no, I don't. But with that being said, our military is 100% volunteer. When I signed the dotted line I knew that there was inherent risks (I joined during a time of war) involved with fulfilling my end of the contract. I deployed to some of the ****tiest parts of the world and am fortunate enough to have made it back in one piece. I served my time and fulfilled my contractual obligations to my country, and now my country is fulfilling its contractual obligations to me by paying for school. I am grateful for my education benefits, and I think that any veteran that holds up his end of the deal should get a square deal when he gets home. With that being said, I totally disagree with creating GoFundMe accounts in order to pay for something that you WANT. In my opinion our society (my generation in particular) has adopted a mind set that "everyone owes me" or "I'm entitled to your assistance." While I am using my benefits to get an education I am also working two jobs. I guess what I'm trying to say is that even if I had never served, I would have absolutely no problem knowing that a portion of my tax dollars go toward paying for veterans education, because that is the deal that our country made with them. What I do have a problem with is people (veterans) who expect others to just give them something. There are certain programs that the GI Bill will pay for PPL as well as the rest of your certs, they just require more work, including completing a degree. No one owes you anything. There is no such thing as free. Be thankful for what you have and be willing to WORK for what you want....the end result will mean more to you. Good luck to the OP and if you're reading this and have any questions about schools feel free to PM me.

 

[Bird Man]

I realize the OP put up the GoFundMe for the exact amount the flight school is "claiming" he will get his PPL for.

HOWEVER...

He will also have to pay taxes on the amount he gets from the donations, so he may want to increase his donation request.

 

[mscard88]

He will also have to pay taxes on the amount he gets from the donations, so he may want to increase his donation request.

I don't think he'll have that worry as I don't see him reaching his GoFund goal.