Leading Edge Aviation

[adwr070621]

man im still in iraq, got 3 months left, then get out in jan. lookin to start school either asap, or wait till end of next summer. i really hope this 100% paid program is for real, the money is definetly the only thing holding me back.

[AirBman21]

If you have questions, talk to John Miller at COCC. the guy is absolutely great. so helpful and knowledgeable as well.

 

his number is 541.318.3736

Edited July 30, 2009 by AirBman21

[AirBman21]

And this will certainly be helpful

 

http://aviation.cocc.edu/

[crashed_05]

lol..I feel like a damn recruiter.

[adwr070621]

yeah, ive sent a few emails to mr. miller and he has been a big help to me. i need to find out way more info before i commit tho leading edge seems like a high quality school.

 

on a side note, ive been reading the rotorcraft flying handbook to start off with, kinda hard reading at times. do you recommend any other material for beginners?

[adwr070621]

lol..I feel like a damn recruiter.

 

ha, no recruiting needed here, but if you were, your doin a good job

[crashed_05]

yeah, ive sent a few emails to mr. miller and he has been a big help to me. i need to find out way more info before i commit tho leading edge seems like a high quality school.

 

on a side note, ive been reading the rotorcraft flying handbook to start off with, kinda hard reading at times. do you recommend any other material for beginners?

 

The Rotorcraft Flying Handbook should be plenty to get a little head start on things. You'll eventually want to get the latest FAR/AIM. If you go to AOPA's website and click on the Air Safety Foundation, they have a crap load of little interactive courses free of charge. They cover everything from airport signage, to communication procedures, weather, and more. This is just for your own knowledge...it'll all be covered during your private pilot class.

[crashed_05]

One thing I noticed, is that when the VA website published the new '09-'10 tuition and fee amounts last week, it had changed for Oregon. The fee's amount (what covers the flight costs), dropped from $42,828 to $22,190.

 

 

I just talked with the VA rep at COCC and she said that the max figure for additional fees for OR is still over $42,000. I told her that it was posted on the VA website as 22,000 but she said its still 42 since she hasn't gotten anything in the mail from them yet.

 

I also asked if they participate in the yellow ribbon program and that was a big negative. So, if you exeed the maximum figure, the rest will be out of your pocket.

[rjl2001]

Ya, I really think the new rates should still be enough to cover the program. I'm going to disagree with the school though about it still being at $42,828. I was reading through the CFR looking for something else, but did find this:

 

§ 21.9640 Rates of payment of educational assistance.

(e) Publication of educational assistance rates. VA will publish the maximum amounts of tuition and fees payable for the upcoming academic year in the “Notices” section of theFederal Registerand on the GI Bill Web site at http:/www.gibill.va.gov by the first of August of each calendar year. The maximum amounts payable, as published, will be effective for each term, quarter, or semester that begins during the academic year.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3313, 3323©)

 

What I was actually looking for though, is if there are credit requirements to maintain 100% eligibility. It sounds like for tuition and fee's it doesn't matter, it's different than the old MGIB. But I was told for the BAH you had to take at least 7 credits, just wanted to find it in writing.

[crashed_05]

As long as you have 36 months active duty after Sept 10, 2001, you qualify for 100% of the benefit.

As far as the housing allowance, I found this on VA's website on the comparison chart..."Individuals who are pursuing training while on active duty, solely via distance learning, or are training at half-time or less are NOT eligible to receive the monthly housing allowance."

 

The new maximum figure chart is labeled "2009-2010". There's a link at the bottom of it that takes you to the old chart which is labeled "2008-2009". It looks like they got their new figures from the commercial helicopter class from COCC. Its the most expensive course, with the fees and all. Check it out...

AV 225 41246 Commercial Helicopter 03:15pm-05:00 TR 4.00 12 7 Gibbs,D PON 0204 $22815.00

Recommended Prerequisite: AV 115 and/or Private Pilot certificate.

Fees include $22190.00 flight provider fees and $625.00 simulator fees. Students who have

not paid for this course in full by the Fall tuition deadline will be dropped from the

class. Students who are dropped will not be eligible to re-register for this course until

the following term.

Instructor approval req.

 

The flight fees come out to 22,190 exactly, but then add on the simulator fees and you're over the max limit.

[adwr070621]

alright ive been all over the va website and numerous other sites tryin to go along with you guys to figure this gi bill out.

so that 22k amount is the max you can use per term/quarter? that doesnt sound so good at all. i mean better than nothing, but i was already walkin on clouds thinkin it was all paid for.

[crashed_05]

Well, I'm still walkin on clouds. Like I said a few posts up in the thread, COCC's VA rep told me that as far as she knows the max figure is still 42K. But, even if it does drop to the 22K figure, its still a whole lot better than what the old GI Bill offered for flight training. The commercial rating was the only one that looked like it would exceed the new amount, and that was just by a little bit.

Keep in mind, this is 22k per term..not per year. And its all for the flight training fees...the college's tuition is going to be covered by the $400+ per credit given by the VA. Sounds great to me. I'd be more than happy to put down a few thousand dollars of my own money If I had to to cover whatever the VA doesn't vs. paying 70k all on my own.

[crashed_05]

Just a little FYI...

I just received word not to long ago that Upper Limit Aviation and Salt Lake Community College is also approved by the VA for the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

I'm still going to Oregon.

[rjl2001]

Ya, in the last week I've spoken to Upper Limit with Salt Lake Comm. College and Palm Beach Helicopters with PBCC. Both are offering the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, and are covering 100% from Private through CFI. Both states are approved for at lest $60,000 in flight fee's per term. Upper Limit told me their mountain flying course, as well as their turbine transition course are also covered. The University of North Dakota's website says they offer it for their aviation flight training degree programs as well. The prices look really high, but it includes Bell 206 time. It should help that UND also offers the Yellow Ribbon Program.

[hooked4life]

I realize this thread has kind of shifted more towards a GI bill discussion, but I just wanted to say I went out to Leading Edge a couple of weeks ago. I drove out there to kind of get a feel for the place and I have to say it felt pretty good. John Miller from COCC met me there and we sat down and discussed the whole Aviation program at the college and training with Leading Edge. Everyone was very friendly and extremely helpful with answering all my questions and getting me set up to start training.

[adwr070621]

I realize this thread has kind of shifted more towards a GI bill discussion, but I just wanted to say I went out to Leading Edge a couple of weeks ago. I drove out there to kind of get a feel for the place and I have to say it felt pretty good. John Miller from COCC met me there and we sat down and discussed the whole Aviation program at the college and training with Leading Edge. Everyone was very friendly and extremely helpful with answering all my questions and getting me set up to start training.

 

did you take an intro flight?

[hooked4life]

did you take an intro flight?

 

No. I took one with another school a couple years ago and figured it would be more or less the same thing.

[crashed_05]

I did an intro with them a few days ago. Very awesome..the instructor let me at the controls for a bit and let me try some hovering when we got back. I did better than I thought I would. Can't wait to start my classes in a few weeks.

[adwr070621]

crash will you keep me posted?

[Jason Paterson]

Hope its ok to bring up an old thread. I've been lurking in these forums for awhile now trying to gain as much knowledge into finding a great helicopter school to start my career. Leading Edge is on top of my list. I've only heard great things about the school. I actually went up to Oregon a to check out a few schools and had an intro flight at Leading Edge. I was really impressed.

 

My main concern at the moment is financing. I've been doing nothing other saving these past few years and while I don't have the full amount, I feel comfortable trying to finance the rest. (I've debated waiting to save the entire amount but I feel like jumping in now and getting started is the way to go). Its great hearing your experiences of the school and getting different perspectives but It seems like most of the comments have been made by people using the GI bill.

 

Is there anyone who's attended/attending Leading Edge and using COCC to finance their training (and isn't using the GI Bill)? I plan on going through COCC to get my AAS degree and to help fund my helicopter training. I've spoken with John Miller and Galit in length about the program and a little about financing options (seems like alternative educational loans might be a good way to go) through the school but haven't had a chance to speak with a student. If anyone could explain their process they used to fund training through COCC I would greatly appreciate it.

[fry]

Also, someone said that COCC's classes are really overfull right now. And I think someone told me in Oregon you can get in-state tuition as long as you have an address there.

 

"...I think someone told me..."????

 

Why not go to their website and read the information?

 

Residency Policy

 

Determination of residency for purposes of tuition will be made according to the following definitions. Applicants to the nursing program must satisfy in-district residency requirements as outlined in the nursing program application packet.

 

In district

 

An individual who owns property, or who has maintained a permanent and continuous residence, in the district for one full year prior to the beginning of the first term of enrollment will be classified as an in-district resident. The COCC District consists of all of Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson Counties, the northern portion of Klamath and Lake Counties, and the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Jefferson and Wasco Counties.

 

Out of district (in state)

 

An individual who has maintained a permanent and continuous residence in the state of Oregon but outside of the COCC district during the full year prior to the beginning of the first term of enrollment will be classified as “out of district.” The student’s residency will convert to in-district two calendar years after the term in which the student began classes.

 

Out of state

 

An individual who has not maintained a permanent and continuous residence in the state of Oregon during the full year prior to the beginning of the first term of enrollment will be classified as “out of state.” The student’s residency will convert to in-district two calendar years after the term in which the student began classes.

 

Sounds to me like if you were not a resident of the district for one year before enrolling you will be paying Out of District rates ($91 per unit) or Out of State rates ($186 per unit) for two years after enrolling.

 

How hard was that?

[fry]

Ya, in the last week I've spoken to Upper Limit with Salt Lake Comm. College and Palm Beach Helicopters with PBCC. Both are offering the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, and are covering 100% from Private through CFI. Both states are approved for at lest $60,000 in flight fee's per term. Upper Limit told me their mountain flying course, as well as their turbine transition course are also covered. The University of North Dakota's website says they offer it for their aviation flight training degree programs as well. The prices look really high, but it includes Bell 206 time. It should help that UND also offers the Yellow Ribbon Program.

 

That GI Bill is a good deal...in fact, the only way to get occupational flight training that makes any sense...if it really works out that way. And it looks like it might according to the VA website:

 

http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/CH33...on_and_fees.htm

 

School tuition, flight training costs and a monthly housing allowance...is that right? Now that's the way to support vets.

[Jason Paterson]

Well I was hoping we could not quote the year old posts and maybe answer the latest post...?

[fry]

Well I was hoping we could not quote the year old posts and maybe answer the latest post...?

 

There's really nothing to answer that you don't already know. If you can get federally guaranteed loans by attending an accredited educational institution all well and good but they will not pay for the entire training so you will have to use your savings and maybe continue working. As for "alternative educational loans", if you mean private...not federally guaranteed...loans you're looking at high rates, probably needing a co-signor and also likely not enough to fully fund the training. That's pretty much the options...unless you go into the service.

[nocarsgo]

I heard they might have closed their Salem location?