Getting current/capable again

Greetings all. I need some help with my situation. Back in 2004, I was
a flight instructor for just about a year when we found out my wife
was pregnant with twins. The student load I had wasn't enough, and I
had a second job, as well as my wife working. The wife was going to be
a stay-at-home mom and my income would not sustain us, or our medical
bills. After some much thought and prayers, we decided that a trip in
the Air Force for would be a good move. Now I am enlisted, and working
in Network Security. I could not go in as an Officer to fly since my
vision requires correction, and I lacked a degree.

Fast forward to 2008, I have 4 kids now, living in the Colorado
Springs, CO area, still enlisted, and have until 2010 before my
enlistment is up. I haven't touched a yoke since 2004. I have
subsequently lost my CFI/CFII since I had no students to teach, and
could not afford another "checkride" to keep it up. I really want to
get current again, and hopefully stay current by joining the local
CAP. If I can do that, my options of getting back into flying as a
dream career can get back on course.

So here is my question: How would you suggest I go about getting
current and capable again? I know I can get another medical with no
problem. I am supporting my family of 6 with soon to be E-5 pay. I
still have all my books from flight school, and could do some home-
based knowledge building. Are there any DVD courses or maybe any
flight schools in the area that you know of with a program built for
someone in my situation?

"Jeremiah Bess" wrote in message
...
Greetings all. I need some help with my situation. Back in 2004, I was
a flight instructor for just about a year when we found out my wife
was pregnant with twins. The student load I had wasn't enough, and I
had a second job, as well as my wife working. The wife was going to be
a stay-at-home mom and my income would not sustain us, or our medical
bills. After some much thought and prayers, we decided that a trip in
the Air Force for would be a good move. Now I am enlisted, and working
in Network Security. I could not go in as an Officer to fly since my
vision requires correction, and I lacked a degree.

Fast forward to 2008, I have 4 kids now, living in the Colorado
Springs, CO area, still enlisted, and have until 2010 before my
enlistment is up. I haven't touched a yoke since 2004. I have
subsequently lost my CFI/CFII since I had no students to teach, and
could not afford another "checkride" to keep it up. I really want to
get current again, and hopefully stay current by joining the local
CAP. If I can do that, my options of getting back into flying as a
dream career can get back on course.

So here is my question: How would you suggest I go about getting
current and capable again? I know I can get another medical with no
problem. I am supporting my family of 6 with soon to be E-5 pay. I
still have all my books from flight school, and could do some home-
based knowledge building. Are there any DVD courses or maybe any
flight schools in the area that you know of with a program built for
someone in my situation?

I had not flown in 20 years until recently. I renewed my medical, took
about three hours of dual and brushed up on the regs. My insturctor made
the proper notation in my logbook and I'm good to go. I'm still very
cautious and in the learning mode, but current and legal.

On Feb 17, 9:52 pm, Jeremiah Bess wrote:

So here is my question: How would you suggest I go about getting
current and capable again? I know I can get another medical with no
problem. I am supporting my family of 6 with soon to be E-5 pay. I
still have all my books from flight school, and could do some home-
based knowledge building. Are there any DVD courses or maybe any
flight schools in the area that you know of with a program built for
someone in my situation?

Is there an Aero club on base? Or have they gone the way of SAC?

Dan

On Feb 18, 5:07 am, " wrote:
Is there an Aero club on base? Or have they gone the way of SAC?

There is an aero club on the Academy where I work at. There is also
one at Peterson AFB, which is closer to where I live. Only the one at
Peterson allows use of the MGIB for training, but I am not sure my
situation is considered training. At least my understanding is the
MGIB can be used for training to get another rating/certificate above
the PPL. Does anyone know differently? I suppose I could just go ask
them when I get some time.

Darn...wrote you a nice long reply yesterday, but it appears to have
been lost 'in the ether'...that or or i didnt hit the "ether" key

Anyhhoo...to paraphrase...

-Pick up a new 2008 FAR/AIM, review 61 and 91, including the sport
pilot rules which may be new to you.
-Just go get a BFR at the local aero club. They'll figure out what
you need. That will get you back to VFR flying status...then go from
there. It'll take as long as it takes...but I bet you'll be
surprised at how well you do.

I had only flown 3x in the past 16 mos and and none in the past 8 mos
til I got a BFR a few weeks ago. about 2 hrs of ground and 1.3 in
the air...instructor said I did well.

Nice job on making E-5 the first or second time around...hard to do in
some fields. Time to move into Network security in the real world
when the enlistment is up? hmm...I know that's a hard choice, but
I'm glad I got out at 10 years. Went from E5 to GS11 as a radar
tech...and you're probably more marketable than me.
If that seems off-topic; I'm just looking out for your flying $$

....and..
unless it has changed drastically in the past 2 years, MGIB can only
be used for training in an approved 141 school in an approved program.
They pay (actually reimburse) 60% for ratings ABOVE private pilot. so,
you could use it for multi-instrument etc if you don't have that
already. The exact programs vary, check with the school.

FYI, some 141 schools have rates that are so high that you really
don't save much using MGIB vs finding a cheaper part 61 school/CFI.
That may not be an issue at a military aero club tho.

Best of luck to ya!
--Don












-


Don Byrer KJ5KB
Radar Tech & Smilin' Commercial Pilot Guy
Glider & CFI wannabe
kj5kb-at-hotmail.com

"I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without bending the gear..."
"Watch out for those doves...smack-smack-smack-smack..."

On Feb 18, 11:17 pm, Don Byrer wrote:
Best of luck to ya!

Thanks Don for the info. I think my flying will be good, but the
knowledge part I know I had partial brain dump to fit in my tech
school info. I will go get the FAR/AIM and do some studying. I've been
seeing articles in Flying Magazine about the whole Sport Pilot mess,
that seems like even the FAA is not clear on how they want that to
work out. OT: Yeah, I made E-5 the first time testing. Got lucky cause
I know my job well enough. I was higher than 99.83% of my peers for my
career field. Glad to have that testing done. Just waiting to get my
stripes and pay now. =)

Jeremiah Bess wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:17 pm, Don Byrer wrote:
Best of luck to ya!

Thanks Don for the info. I think my flying will be good, but the
knowledge part I know I had partial brain dump to fit in my tech
school info. I will go get the FAR/AIM and do some studying. I've been
seeing articles in Flying Magazine about the whole Sport Pilot mess,
that seems like even the FAA is not clear on how they want that to
work out.



First thing you need to do is stop reading Flying Magazine if you have
any interest in the LSA rules. For some reason they seem to have a real
dislike for anybody that doesn't fly turbine aircraft.

As for "the whole Sport Pilot mess" there doesn't seem to much of a mess
at all. Lots of new aircraft are being sold and sure they are overpriced
but what in aviation isn't.

Jeremiah Bess wrote:

On Feb 18, 5:07 am, " wrote:

Is there an Aero club on base? Or have they gone the way of SAC?


There is an aero club on the Academy where I work at. There is also
one at Peterson AFB, which is closer to where I live. Only the one at
Peterson allows use of the MGIB for training, but I am not sure my
situation is considered training. At least my understanding is the
MGIB can be used for training to get another rating/certificate above
the PPL. Does anyone know differently? I suppose I could just go ask
them when I get some time.

Could you use your GI Benfits and go to a part 141 school. I am not an
expert but an army recuiter was pushing this to me several years ago
when I went to see what they might have to offer in terms of aviation MOS.