How many here learned to fly under the "GI Bill?"

What effect did the loss of the GI bill benefits have on GA?

Why doesn't our military have a similar benefit today?

On Mar 24, 8:22 am, "Blueskies" wrote:
What effect did the loss of the GI bill benefits have on GA?

Why doesn't our military have a similar benefit today?

Back in the late 60's, early 70's, we had a lot of GI Bill guys flying
with us. In our helicopter school there were at least half, and in the
school I ran - Ag Flying - at least 75% were. Does it have an affect?
I think so. It certainly helped me in the early 60's to do what I
could not have afforded. I did a couple years of college and then
switched to aviation. Never regretted it.
The school I work at now offers the GI Bill training but no one has
come forward as yet and I don't know why. Management is all military
and so are the senior intructors like me. All we have for now is fixed
wing and while they have considered rotor, the initial outlay is just
too steep for the return at this point. I'd like to get back into
rotor instruction just to have some fun before I hang it up in the
next few years.
Rocky

No one ever learned to fly! GI bill gave benifits once you had your PP
tocontinue on to become a comercial pilot or better. The intent is that you
had to be able to get a job with the training provided.

I spent over $6000.00 of Uncles money in the late seventies towards my
comercial / Instrument, then got discharged only to return home to find no
VA flight training available. Seems the VA's requirements were such a pain
for the FBO's they did not want to bother anymore. Needless to say with a
you family my flight training came to a halt. Now I fly simply because I
want to and I can. I think in the long run I may enjoy it better than if I
needed to do it to put food on the table.

Ron Gardner

"Blueskies" wrote in message
...
What effect did the loss of the GI bill benefits have on GA?

Why doesn't our military have a similar benefit today?

R. Gardner wrote:
No one ever learned to fly! GI bill gave benifits once you had your PP
tocontinue on to become a comercial pilot or better.

Maybe in the 70's (I don't know), but I do know that my father and uncle
got their PPL in the late 40's under the GI Bill.

I'm retired military and have benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill.
You can use the current GI Bill for flight training but as was
mentioned, the VA doesn't make it easy. Not only does the school have
to have a Part 141 program that you're interested in, the Part 141
syllabus has to be specifically approved by the VA. What the VA knows
about flight training wouldn't fill a teacup and yet they have to
review the school's program to see if it "qualifies." The fact that
the FAA has already done so before it issued a '141 certificate is not
sufficient. Flight schools don't like the paperwork hassle dealing
with VA career pencil pushers whose primary goal in life is to create
more paperwork that they can constantly review so they can continue to
draw a paycheck. Theoretically, the VA will pay up to 60% of the cost
of training past the PPL. I'm currently getting my A&P through the VA
at a community college and my benefits more than cover the tuition and
books. I looked at using them for flight training but figured I would
pay less by paying 100% myself to a CFI under Part 61 and renting than
going to the only VA approved school here in San Antonio and taking
their professional pilot course at a 60% discount (the VA
contribution).

Ask Congress, the military does not control such benefits.

GI Bill training does help aviation, it employs CFIs, helps
support flight schools and with the lower number of military
trained pilots, it provides a pool of new pilots to charter
and airline operators.

But too many people used their training money and then just
quit flying, so Congress cut the budget.



"Blueskies" wrote in message
...
| What effect did the loss of the GI bill benefits have on
GA?
|
| Why doesn't our military have a similar benefit today?
|
|

When I was running the VA program at my school in the early 70s they had to
have the private in their pocket before we could sign them up.

Bob Gardner

"RomeoMike" wrote in message
...


R. Gardner wrote:
No one ever learned to fly! GI bill gave benifits once you had your PP
tocontinue on to become a comercial pilot or better.

Maybe in the 70's (I don't know), but I do know that my father and uncle
got their PPL in the late 40's under the GI Bill.

No one ever learned to fly! GI bill gave benifits once you had your PP
tocontinue on to become a comercial pilot or better.

Incorrect. I finished the hours toward my private on the GI Bill, in
1947, before I went to Pensacola and learned to fly all over again.

vince norris

vincent p. norris wrote:
No one ever learned to fly! GI bill gave benifits once you had your PP
tocontinue on to become a comercial pilot or better.

Incorrect. I finished the hours toward my private on the GI Bill, in
1947, before I went to Pensacola and learned to fly all over again.

vince norris

I think you meant to respond to R Gardner, not me.

Blueskies wrote:
What effect did the loss of the GI bill benefits have on GA?

Why doesn't our military have a similar benefit today?



I didn't have direct access to GI Bill benefits as I'm not a veteran. I did,
however, get to fly a hell of a lot on long cross countries as a safety pilot...
cross countries paid for by the GI Bill. There's nothing like flying down to
Key Largo in a Cherokee Six for $6.50 / hour wet.

Those were the days. G



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com