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Post 9/11 GI Bill Approved schools


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Does anyone have a list of any helicopter programs that are approved for the NEW gi bill? (must work in conjunction with a degree plan) I've been through a lot of forums and I know about Leading Edge Aviation in Bend and Hillsboro Aviation. Are there any others like this anywhere else through out the country? Any info is appreciated!

I'm looking for a school that will be covered 100% by the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, not to be confused with the Montgomery GI BIll that covers up to 60%.

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Upper Limit Aviation in Salt Lake City, UT. They have a degree program through SLCC. I've talked with a CFI from there not long ago and he says they are approved for the Ch.33 benefits. I believe they also have a long line course that is approved for the benefits.

 

Palm Beach Community College in FL also is approved for Ch.33 benefits...with this school you have an option to fly with either Palm Beach Helicopters or Cloud 9 Aviation.

 

Hope this helps. Other than these, Leading Edge Aviation and Hillsboro are the only others I know of.

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I will add one to the list:

 

University of North Dakota - Specializes in teaching Army cadets getting ready for flight school, lots of turbine training in Bell 206, and offers Yellow Ribbon Program.

http://www.financialaid.und.edu/Aviation_Students.html

 

I know of a couple of other colleges that accept veterans benefits, and offer helicopter training, but am unsure if they accept Chapter 33 Post 9/11 Gi Bill to pay for flight costs:

College of the Sequoias

COS VA office

 

Middle Georgia College

 

Could probably find some of these schools mentioned in other posts recently if you search the forum.

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The VA doesn't have a list of schools that offer college degree and flight training. They said they had no way of filtering the list down to that specicic of a request. Oh well, I guess its back to searching the web. lol

 

It seems that lots and lots of flight schools take the GI bill just not the Post/911. Hopefully they will continue to try and get approval from the VA

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I am ex military and currently work in the student services department at Guidance Helicopters while also a student going through the Commercial Program. Guidance is teaming up with Yavapai College (located 10 minutes from the airport) to offer an AAS (associate of applied science) professional pilot degree starting in the end of January. The program is pending a board approval, but is on track for the Spring semester. The Post 9/11 benefit will be able to cover the entire cost of the flight training in a 21 month time period, not bad considering no out of pocket expenses are necessary. If you want to do your training at high altitude in the south west you should research Guidance Helicopters a Part 141 FAA approved school.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Any person wishing to learn to fly whether fix wing or helicopters should check in to the the schools flight safety record. NTSB.GOV is a good place to start. News paper articles or just as the school if and how many crashes they have had.

 

 

Yep, i've said this before.. it's easy to check and some schools will tell you that they have had none when in fact it's not true. You have to think, if they are dishonest about this, what else are they hiding???

 

 

 

dp

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  • 1 month later...
  • 10 months later...

I'm sure you have figured this out but, narrow your search to part 141 schools. Edit: this is a start.

Upper Limit Aviation
Cloud 9 Helicopters
Utah Helicopters
Mauna Loa Helicopters
Universal Helicopters

Guidance

North East Helicopters
Leading Edge (if I remember right)
ect. ect. ect. The list is long these days as schools recognize the benefits of getting this aproval.

Man, I have run into a bunch. Decide first where you want to train (area), then search for schools close by. After doing that, use the plentiful advice on forums like these to find the school that best fits you.

That is what I have been doing for almost a year now. (I am still active Duty and trying my damnest to make the best carrer decisions. Probably won't happen though cause I am too anxious to start flying.)

 

Edit: I revisited this post due to a possible transfer and thought I should update/correct the data I posted. The flight school does have to train you under part 141, they also have to be affiliated with an IHL, and approved by the VA for Ch33 benefits. In the beginning I saw lots of schools that said VA approved, and part 141 but, they were only able to utilize CH30 benefits. So, my list is shorter now but, there have been other schools getting on board with these programs since.

Edited by gary-mike
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I'm sure you have figured thhis out but, narrow your search to part 141 schools.

 

Upper Limit Aviation

Cloud 9 Helicopters

Utah Helicopters

Mauna Loa Helicopters

Universal Helicopters

Leading Edge (if I remember right)

ect. ect. ect. The list is long these days as schools recognize the benefits of getting this aproval.

 

Man, I have run into a bunch. Decide first where you want to train (area), then search for schools close by. After doing that, use the plentiful advice on forums like these to find the school that best fits you.

 

That is what I have been doing for almost a year now. (I am still active Duty and trying my damnest to make the best carrer decisions. Probably won't happen though cause I am too anxious to start flying.)

Get your training in the R22 as that is where the jobs are. Guys call me all the time saying "I spent $150,000 with the GI bill and there is no job......................."

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Boatpix is right on this one from what I have read and researched. The R-22 is by far the most used heli in the training environment and for the most part if going the civilian route you will be doing some instructing before you get a job anywhere else.

 

You also should try to get some R-44 time, at least 50 hrs so you can instruct in them also.

 

Another thing to considder is a school that has muliple airframes. This may also be a requirement if yours and your instructors weight exceeds the limit of the R-22. Time in a Schweizer S300 may be a little more than a R-22, but it will be a lot less than going through the full program in a R-44.

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Florida institue of technology, who partners with bristow helicopters in titusville, fl. i spoke with their rep and the program sounds good. you get time in R22's and they have some bell 206's as well. what i like about them is that i can start taking a whole bunch of courses online right now utilizing TA, so when i get out of the military ill have extra time with the post 9/11 GI bill to utilize after i finish their degree program/rotary wing training, which im hoping to use to take some fixed wing courses...

 

embry riddle in prescott, az, who partners with universal helicopters. i think ive ruled embry riddle out though.

 

im going to take a campus tour of FIT in the next few months and ill post afterwards.

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Just wanted to add that for Ch.33 programs, there is a better list compiled in this thread: other Post 9/11 GI Bill thread

 

And uberchris, just curious why you've ruled out Embry-Riddle? Also not to be too nosy, but if you're in Oregon you should definitely check out COCC and Leading Edge Aviation if you haven't already. I only bring it up because personally I feel both those flight schools are better than Bristow (wasn't too impressed with them).

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I would highly recommend Mauna Loa Helicopters, we just had two of our CFI candidates fly to Kauai to take their check-rides and Robinson R44 instructor sign offs. Both guys had some really good things to say about the professionalism and the way the folks there really care about the students and making great pilots. I have heard this many times about Ben and his crew.

 

Another one of our commercial pilots-in-training went over for her cross country flights a few months ago and flew from Honolulu to Lanai, Molokai and back.. then flew commercially to the Big Island and flew an R44 there as well.

 

I know that high altitude time is extremely important, but also believe flying in that environment is also highly benificial... having experience in both makes so much sense..

 

aloha,

 

dp

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Mauna Loa! That would be nice. There may be dangerous distractions at low altitude though. hahaha

 

I wonder how my wife would feel about me going to Hawaii and leaving her in the lower 48? Hmmm, it may just be worth it.

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Just wanted to add that for Ch.33 programs, there is a better list compiled in this thread: other Post 9/11 GI Bill thread

 

And uberchris, just curious why you've ruled out Embry-Riddle? Also not to be too nosy, but if you're in Oregon you should definitely check out COCC and Leading Edge Aviation if you haven't already. I only bring it up because personally I feel both those flight schools are better than Bristow (wasn't too impressed with them).

 

 

i suppose i just like the fact that at bristow at least i would get some time on some bell 206's, whereas ERAU doesnt have any turbine birds. but maybe the term "ruled out" i shouldnt have used - the fact of the matter is that i am going to take a tour of both campuses in the near future.

 

if things go my way, i will be transferring to clearwater, FL, to finish out my last 30 months in the coast guard, and i was just hoping to not have to move all my stuff too far and get right into the FIT program while i was close. i have plenty of time to do my research though because i still have 4 years left in the USCG, so i suppose i will not rule out any school.

 

and speaking of oregon, i will have to call my friend. he was one of the lucky ones to finish his rotary wing training (with no degree) with leading edge aviation, and score a job as an agricultural pilot right off the bat. this was about a year ago, hes just logged over a thousand hours flying like a madman. he had nothing but bad things to say about leading edge aviation, including that he thinks the school may shut down in the future. i will talk to him to see what he disliked about the school so much.

 

i will give them a call as well just to make contact and explore my options.

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  • 1 month later...

i suppose i just like the fact that at bristow at least i would get some time on some bell 206's, whereas ERAU doesnt have any turbine birds. but maybe the term "ruled out" i shouldnt have used - the fact of the matter is that i am going to take a tour of both campuses in the near future.

 

if things go my way, i will be transferring to clearwater, FL, to finish out my last 30 months in the coast guard, and i was just hoping to not have to move all my stuff too far and get right into the FIT program while i was close. i have plenty of time to do my research though because i still have 4 years left in the USCG, so i suppose i will not rule out any school.

 

and speaking of oregon, i will have to call my friend. he was one of the lucky ones to finish his rotary wing training (with no degree) with leading edge aviation, and score a job as an agricultural pilot right off the bat. this was about a year ago, hes just logged over a thousand hours flying like a madman. he had nothing but bad things to say about leading edge aviation, including that he thinks the school may shut down in the future. i will talk to him to see what he disliked about the school so much.

 

i will give them a call as well just to make contact and explore my options.

 

 

Congress essentially ruled out ERAU for you when they passed the "Post 9/11 improvement act" last month.

 

Not sure what climate you enjoy or if there is a specific type of training you are shooting for, but I am a current student at Guidance Helicopters in Prescott, AZ and they have a Post 9/11 program that won't be affected by the bill congress passed. I really couldn't ask for better training. The great thing is I get to log every hour as high altitude and the amount of off-airport work is substantially more than what I have gathered of other schools.

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Does anyone have a list of any helicopter programs that are approved for the NEW gi bill? (must work in conjunction with a degree plan) I've been through a lot of forums and I know about Leading Edge Aviation in Bend and Hillsboro Aviation. Are there any others like this anywhere else through out the country? Any info is appreciated!

I'm looking for a school that will be covered 100% by the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, not to be confused with the Montgomery GI BIll that covers up to 60%.

 

GUIDANCE HELICOPTERS and Yavapai Community College in Prescott, Arizona have a Chapter 33 post 911 GI Bill Program and they are unaffected by the new Senate Bill S3447. The training in 100% covered by the VA and can be completed in about 20 months all the way through Commercial CFI and CFII with SFAR Instructor qualifications in both the R22 and R44. The student services Manager is a Veteran that just finished the Guidance/Yavapai Program using his Chapter 33 benefit. He is an expert in this area. Regardless where you chose to go to school this guy is a HUGE help! His name is Curtis. Look up the school and ask for him before you make another move.

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  • 2 weeks later...

GUIDANCE HELICOPTERS and Yavapai Community College in Prescott, Arizona have a Chapter 33 post 911 GI Bill Program and they are unaffected by the new Senate Bill S3447. The training in 100% covered by the VA and can be completed in about 20 months all the way through Commercial CFI and CFII with SFAR Instructor qualifications in both the R22 and R44. The student services Manager is a Veteran that just finished the Guidance/Yavapai Program using his Chapter 33 benefit. He is an expert in this area. Regardless where you chose to go to school this guy is a HUGE help! His name is Curtis. Look up the school and ask for him before you make another move.

 

I hope this all true. As we veterans know the VA system is very confusing an can be overwhelming to understand it.

 

I have my eyes set on possibly attending Guidance.

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does anyone know which school has the most turbine time?

and has anyone heard about how the new GI BILL that will be in effect on august 2011 will change flight training FEEs?

originally some states have been at 40,000 or plus on fees covering flight fees without a sweat. but they are changing it to 17,500 for tution and fees for the whole year.

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