Question for the Airmen....

[Radiation]

Hey guys, I've been searching around the forums for the past couple days trying to find answers specifically. Great community btw.
Alright on to the question. My main issue is trying to get my PPL. I'm 24 (joined the AF late) currently a SrA with two dependants so money becomes an issue. I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to get the PPL. I haven't looked at using the MGIBill to seriously as of yet...thinking about it, but I'm still trying to find a different path. Paying 40% is better than all of it, but origionally I was under the impression that the AF would pay for a vast majority if not all of it under the 2 year lifetime certification thing....but apparently the Air force doesn't view it as a certification thing.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for any help in advance.

[SRA_kbad]

Yeah, good luck with the VA. As far as I know, the GI Bill won't pay for the PPL. To be honest I'm not too sure what it will cover. For each rating that it does cover, I'm pretty sure it only pays 60% of the MINIMUM amount the rating would cost. So if you go over the required 55 hours of training (for example), the GI Bill won't cover the remaining cost of the rating. Thats how I inturpreted it. Getting answers out of the VA is almost impossible.
On top of all that, the school you get your ratings from must be VA Approved. In order for a flight school to be approved by the VA, it must train under part 141. I personally don't care for 141 training, but to each his own. Part 61 is definatly the cheaper way to go.
I gave up on using the VA for flight training. I'd rather use that benefit, and finish my degree.
Hope my little knowledge helped.
Welcome To JC

[Radiation]

I'm really starting to wonder about my education benefits....sure they are great....but what exactly does the certificate thing do? Like what does it apply to? Has anyone heard?
I'm thinking if I can find a way to get a scholarship for the flight portion I can use the TA for the ground training....as long as its an approved school....ugh.
Yeah looking over everything I was thinking that a 61 school would provide a better way to learn, for me at least.
I think they make this process so hard to deter you o.O
Thanks for the input.

[SRA_kbad]

Yeah, the trouble I had with the GI Bill/Education benefits, was that there are so many rules and stipulations when it came to flight training. The way I look at it is its your GI Bill. Use it for whatever kind of training, or education you wish. I don't understand why thats too much to ask.
I feel your pain brother.

There are others on this site who have used their benefit. This is just my point of view. Hopefully someone else will chime in and give you another perspective.

[Radiation]

My main goal is to get my PPL. I really dont have any long term job related goals besides maybe instruction or something along those lines. Something I can do anywhere I get stationed pretty much.
Wondering if anyone knows alternative ways to get the PPL started. FBO's are an obvious choice. But it still seems like a huge money pool required to start. Are there any other ways to offset the cost? Doing crap jobs for flight instruction...really whatever.
Thanks again.

Edit:
Just wanted to add that I currently work shift, so if getting a job at an FBO during the night shift is something fesable I'd be more that happy to jump on that stuff

[skywestseth]

Originally Posted by Radiation

....Edit:
Just wanted to add that I currently work shift, so if getting a job at an FBO during the night shift is something fesable I'd be more that happy to jump on that stuff

That is exactly how I got mine...I made more Aviation connections than I can keep track of. And got my PPL for a great price...

[surreal1221]

I paid for my PPL out of pocket.

Used my GI Bill benefits and attended a VA Approved Part 141 school when I seperated.

Took a loan out for 20k, and then floated the VA Money that was coming back for my Instrument Airplane, Commercial Multi, and Commercial Single, to pay for the rest of my training.

I ended up getting 18k back, and actually made a little bit of money.

[Radiation]

Originally Posted by skywestseth

That is exactly how I got mine...I made more Aviation connections than I can keep track of. And got my PPL for a great price...

I dont have plane specific knowledge. I work in the comm side of things for the Air Force, so I dont know how much of that would help me getting a job. And I only have 2 nights available mostly that I could work. Would that be a huge limiting factor?
Also thanks for the help thus far.
More Edits:
Is it possible to take care of ground school and slowly (after completing ground school) do my practical side?
I understand that may not be the best option, but just wondering how hard that path would be?
Also, now that I'm looking for it I can't find anywhere a listed prereq to be an instructor at a fbo...any guidlines towards that?

[germb747]

The GI bill won't pay for your PPL, but do you have an aero club anywhere near your duty station?--that might be the way to go for you.

[88MPH]

I'm ADAF, and did my training all on active duty, while going to Univ part time. It was hell, but it can DEF be done! (I didn't have kids/SO at the time though).

PPL comes out of pocket, unless you're lucky enough to get some kind of scholarship. The VA Certification won't help you at all with flight training. After PPL, 60% is paid.

More on that. The way it works, the 141 flight school has a Veterans Information Bulletin (VIB) that outlines the min and max approved for "typical" training times/hours. Anything you fly/spend within those limits is paid for 60%, except examiner fees and test fees.

With your PPL, feel free to do it however you want. Take as long or as short a time, it's completely up to you. Just remember that muscle memory and recency of experience plays a huge role in learning to fly, and IF you do ground/flight concurrently, it may prove to serve your progress better, but results may vary. PT 141 schedule may have a time limit, I'm not all too sure, I took 9 months to complete my IA/CPL.

During my PPL, I washed the planes at the Part 61 school. 1 hr of work for 1/2 hr of instruction, which really is a good deal. Turned out to me earning about $10/hr. I wish I could have done that at the 141 school.

... any other questions, feel free.