Lookin for people who went to these schools...

[ACE1987]

Hey all,

 

I'm looking for some people who attended these particular schools that might be willing to answer some random questions for me.

 

Upper Limit Aviation

Guidance Aviation

Palm Beach Helicopters

 

I'm basically trying to get some information/questions answered from actual students or previous students from these 3 schools. PREFERABLY GI Bill users.

 

I plan to attend one of these schools when I EAS in roughly 9 months. So I was trying to get some inside information on em.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

[terminal_velo]

I was in your position a year go. I did a LOT of research on schools, looked at a lot of factors, and happend to chose one that you didn't list. I won't mention it unless you ask, because my point isn't to recruit you.

 

So, I haven't been to any of those schools you listed. I did want to tell you though that I have heard really terrible things about Upper Limit Aviation, from numerous people. One guy I know at my school tried two other helicopter schools before this. I think the first may have been Guidance, but I can't remember for sure. Then he tried Upper Limit, and said it was 10 times worse than his first school, so he came here.

 

From what I understand, some programs are set up to where the flight school gets the money directly. Others are set up to where the college gets it, and gives it to the flight school in pieces. I prefer the second method, as I think this helps keep the flight school in line and accountable for how the money is spent. The college has the leverage (buying power) to demand certain things from the flight school.

 

One thing you should really look out for are programs that have been designed to take advantage of your benefits for THEIR sake instead of for YOUR sake. Some schools appear to be designed to take a lot of of money from the VA, but give you as little as possible. That's why I chose the program that I'm in now. It's not perfect, but it's the one that seemed, to me, to be working the opposite way—designed to give you the best training for the amount of benefits you use.

 

Just be wary of the flight schools that see you as a cash cow, and not as a student. I got that impression from some of the schools. They were surviving almost entirely on GI Bill students, and were charging them rental rates WELL above market standard.

 

Go to a school that sees you as a student, with the GI Bill just being the way you chose to pay for it.

[pilot#476398]

One thing you should really look out for are programs that have been designed to take advantage of your benefits for THEIR sake instead of for YOUR sake. Some schools appear to be designed to take a lot of of money from the VA,

 

They will try to sell you completely unecessary training, like external load, and turbine transition, not to mention my all time favorite, do ALL your training in the R44,...total wastes of money!

 

You GI bill guys have to do a lot of research into the entry-level job market before talking to some of these schools,...'cause they can see you comin' a mile away!

[terminal_velo]

They will try to sell you completely unecessary training, like external load, and turbine transition

 

"Unnecessary" in regards to the minimums you need to be insurable and get a job, sure. I don't think an intro to some other things like external load and turbines is out of line in a professional pilot program.

 

But yes, doing the entire program in an R44 is unnecessary in most cases (there are some exceptions). I heard that some school does the entire program in a turbine.

[RagMan]

You should add Leading Edge Aviation to your list. Not sure why it's not there, but I would recommend looking into them.

[Fred0311]

I go to upper limit and haven't had any problems with them. Some people have snags here and there with the VA but I'm pretty sure your gonna see that anywhere. The va pays the collge and slcc puts the money on a school issued debit card though and you swipe it at upper limit every time you finish a flight. They do not pay upper limit directly. Feel free to pm me with any specific questions.

[ACE1987]

Thank you for the responses everyone. Ill be shooting out some messages to ya.

[pilot#476398]

"Unnecessary" in regards to the minimums you need to be insurable and get a job, sure. I don't think an intro to some other things like external load and turbines is out of line in a professional pilot program.

 

But yes, doing the entire program in an R44 is unnecessary in most cases (there are some exceptions). I heard that some school does the entire program in a turbine.

 

It all depends on who's paying the bill,...which is why these programs have come into existence!

 

I'd do all my training in an A109 if I didn't have to pay for it,...then of course I'd go get 50hrs in an R22 so I could find work!

[terminal_velo]

My point wasn't that you need turbine time, because you really don't need it. You also don't need an instrument rating.

 

I was just trying to say that, from an ethical perspective, it's not objectionable to include a little bit of turbine/advanced operations training in a professional aviation degree program. That is different, in my opinion, than requiring that the whole thing be done in an R44 when an R22 would work.

[gary-mike]

Upper Limit is a very busy school, they were saying around 100 students registered for spring semester. This has good and bad points in my opinion, I suggest you check it out and see what fits best for you. They do have a streamlined process and registration and VA goes pretty smooth from what I have seen. Of course there can be hiccups if you don't get some paperwork prepared in time (Medical cert, GI bill application, SLCC registration etc.)

 

They do put you in an R44 if you are over 190 lbs.

 

I don't have experience with the other two schools listed but I would check them out. Why only the three schools mentioned? There are more that you can use the GI Bill at..

[pilot#476398]

Upper Limit is a very busy school, they were saying around 100 students registered for spring semester. This has good and bad points in my opinion, I suggest you check it out and see what fits best for you. They do have a streamlined process and registration and VA goes pretty smooth from what I have seen. Of course there can be hiccups if you don't get some paperwork prepared in time (Medical cert, GI bill application, SLCC registration etc.)

 

They do put you in an R44 if you are over 190 lbs.

 

That's too bad! I weighed about that much, and still got my PPL and Com in the R22 and as such, it probably cost around half as much!,...don't let the VA know though!

 

So, do they hire those "fatties" to teach only in the R44 when they graduate?

Edited March 1, 2013 by pilot#476398

[Fred0311]

Yes I have a few friends who only instruct in the r44 there. Obviously get the sfar in both machines for your best chance and have the discipline to maintain the weight but if your in the r44 your not doomed. It's just a steeper hill to climb.

[helipilotm]

 

 

That's too bad! I weighed about that much, and still got my PPL and Com in the R22 and as such, it probably cost around half as much!,...don't let the VA know though!

 

So, do they hire those "fatties" to teach only in the R44 when they graduate?

 

That's because there not at Sea level. It crack me up when a school at altitude puts "fatties" in a 44 and all the sea level pilots jump all over it saying that's not right. And I'm NOT on UL side at all in fact I wouldn't reccomend or encourage anybody to go there. The owner and her son are crooks. Mommys boy can do know wrong and is gods gift to aviation. In all reality he has no experience besids instructing and maybe a little turbine time thrown in.

[ACE1987]

I don't have experience with the other two schools listed but I would check them out. Why only the three schools mentioned? There are more that you can use the GI Bill at..

 

Thanks for the respone, care to elaborate on which ones your rerferring too?

 

Ive been searching out the schools who have programs with the AAS degree setups, so I can fully utilize my GI Bill. I have found a few other schools as well, but these seemed to be either the mainly talked about ones, or the other schools only offer an odd setup, like 0-Comm. No CFI or anything of that nature.

[Spike]

Hey all,

 

I'm looking for some people who attended these particular schools that might be willing to answer some random questions for me.

 

Upper Limit Aviation

Guidance Aviation

Palm Beach Helicopters

 

I'm basically trying to get some information/questions answered from actual students or previous students from these 3 schools. PREFERABLY GI Bill users.

 

I plan to attend one of these schools when I EAS in roughly 9 months. So I was trying to get some inside information on em.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Lot's of info has been posted in the past. I suggest using the search function or simply page through the Flight Training/School Reviews forum...

Edited March 1, 2013 by Spike

[pilot#476398]

That's because there not at Sea level. It crack me up when a school at altitude puts "fatties" in a 44 and all the sea level pilots jump all over it saying that's not right. And I'm NOT on UL side at all in fact I wouldn't reccomend or encourage anybody to go there. The owner and her son are crooks. Mommys boy can do know wrong and is gods gift to aviation. In all reality he has no experience besids instructing and maybe a little turbine time thrown in.

 

If your CFIs and students are too fat to fly the R22 then fly the S300! Don't waste their money on the R44! If a school told me I exceeded THEIR limit for the R22 and therefore I had to train in the R44, I'd go somewhere else!

 

I don't get why it would "crack you up" its not like the R22/R44 are the only two choices out there, and no one NEEDS to train at "altitude",...so why pay extra for it?

[Spike]

For example:

 

http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/14924-upper-limit-and-slcc/

[rick1128]

My point wasn't that you need turbine time, because you really don't need it. You also don't need an instrument rating.

 

While legally you do not need an instrument rating, the real world job market is making it a requirement. Plus if you don't have a CFII you will have a difficult time getting a CFI job.

[ACE1987]

Thanks Spike, I have been scanning many of the

old postings including that one, I' mainly made this post to find a few contacts I can message later on in my search for a school when more questions arise.

[jjsemperfi]

I've talked to students from Upper Limit who like the training, equipment and CFI's. I would stay away from Guidance though. We have had 2 students transfer from Guidance to our school and are pretty descent pilots but were ran through their training just like a number. Don't worry about training in specific types of helicopters. 30 hours of turbine or 50 hours of R44 will do nothing for you. However I would pick a school that has a turbine, and 44's so that you can build hours in them as a CFI. Having hours in multiple platforms will help out. 300 hrs in R22's, 300 in R44's, 200 in 300C's and 200 in a turbine looks much better on a resume than 1K in R22's. I would base my decision on location, fleet and get through it. Get your CFII and start building those hours.

[jeffs]

Sorry to jump on this post and hijack it, but does anyone have good information on Embry?

[Airhead]

ERAU is a private school so the GI bill will only cover a portion of the flying. A small portion. I got in and was all set to move to AZ when I found this out. I was told to get a loan for 50k to cover the additional expenses. However, if you get your ratings at a public school you can apply them towards the aeronautics degree at ERAU.

 

ACE1987, here are some other schools to look into:

 

Leading edge- Bend, OR

Cloud 9- W. Palm Beach

College of the Sequoias- Paso Robles, CA

Mauna Loa- HI

 

There is a school in Denver and one in the midwest. I can't remember the names but just watch the ads that are blinking on this site and you can find most of the schools that take the GI Bill.

[gary-mike]

Last I checked Mauna Loa could not take CH33 benefits, they may have got it by now though. Some off the top of my head are Upper Limit, Leading Edge, College of the Sequoias, Guidance, Cloud 9, North East helicopters, Universal, I think Hillsboro. There are more this is off the top of my head at the moment though.

[Airhead]

You're right about Mauna Loa

 

"MLH is approved by the Veterans Administration. This allows veterans to use their VA benefits to pay for flight school. MLH is approved for eligibility under chapters 30, 32, 1606, and Post 9-11. Veterans with benefits in chapters 30, 32, and 1606 may be eligible for reimbursement up to 60% of training funds after Private. Veterans with benefits under Post 9-11 may be eligible for up to $10,000 reimbursement of training funds per year after Private. To find out additional information on VA funding contact MLH."

[terminal_velo]

It's a bit deceptive of them to say they are approved for eligibility under Post 9/11.

 

Big difference between having the entire program funded by the Post 9/11 GI Bill at a school that's fully certified, and getting $10,000/year after private.