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Will the Post 9/11 GI Bill Pay for Helicopter Flight School?

May 27th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
I want to go to helicopter flight school.  Phoenix helicopters in Mesa, Arizona will become a GI Bill accepting school in June 2010.  The Old GI Bill only covers 60% of everything after the private license and no financial aid schools are supporting these types of schools.  I want to go to this school full time and get every license, which should take a year to a year and a half.  I have been told that the New GI Bill covers some of these schools and will even start out at the private license level and go beyond.  Is this true and how can I get this started so I’m not out of pocket $15,000 or more because a technical school is much better than a four year degree school any day.  Thank you, Neil

Hi Neil, Helicopter flight school has all of a sudden become popular, I just answered a question about helicopter flight school and the two GI Bills the other day.  If you want to use your Post 9/11 GI Bill for helicopter flight school, you might have to change your mind about schools which award degrees.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill can only be used at an institution of higher learning.  The VA defines an institution of higher learning as a school which is approved to award degrees.  The education program you are taking at the school doesn’t have to result in a degree, but the school has to have the ability to award degrees.  The example I used for the other question is an aeronautical college that can award degrees in programs such as aeronautical engineering.  If you can find a school like this that is approved by the VA as an institution of higher learning, and they have helicopter flight training in their curriculum, then you should be able to use your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits there.  You can search for VA approved schools and programs on this VA webpage.

Otherwise you may be using your Montgomery GI Bill benefits to attend helicopter flight school.  Receiving 60% of your costs for attending is still better than having to pay for everything yourself, but hopefully you can find a program that you can use your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits with.

Wherever you attend flight school, I can’t stress enough that you make sure the school is approved by the VA for GI Bill use.  Just because a school says that they will accept the GI Bill doesn’t mean that the VA accepts them.  I have heard about some commercial diving schools that are being a bit vague on that account, and veterans are finding that they owe a lot of money that they thought their GI Bill was going to pay.

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Posted in Montgomery G I Bill, New GI Bill, Veterans Education Benefits | 8 Comments »

8 Responses to “Will the Post 9/11 GI Bill Pay for Helicopter Flight School?”

  1. jake says:
    August 31, 2010 at 9:38 am

    rumor has it that the there is being a bill/exception that will pay for flight school in and of its self, no institute of higher learning neccisarry, wanted to know if there is anyone else that had heard or could confirm that

  2. Jeffery Anderson says:
    August 31, 2010 at 11:37 am

    Hi Jake, there are revisions to the Post 9/11 GI Bill being considered, but I don’t know if being able to attend flight school without it being associated with an institution of higher learning will be one of them. The revisions I have heard discussed the most have to do with the transfer of benefits provision and the housing allowance and how it’s affected by taking online classes. Perhaps someone else has heard something and can chime in.

  3. Ryan says:
    November 27, 2010 at 2:41 am

    This came fromt the WAVE handout for VA Reps. It reads that if you previously had the Mont GI Bill you can transfer to the POST 9/11 GI Bill and use it for flight school without it having to be an IHL.

    Under chapter 33 all programs must be offered by a degree-granting institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for chapter 30. Approved programs include undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and non-degree programs approved at the IHL. Additionally, tutorial assistance and reimbursement for one licensing or certification test are available under chapter 33.
    Students who elect chapter 33 and relinquish chapter 30, 1606, or 1607 may receive benefits for approved programs not offered by an IHL (non degree programs, flight training, correspondence courses, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, preparatory courses, and national tests). These students will be paid for these programs as if they were still receiving benefits under the relinquished benefit, but their entitlement will be charged under chapter 33.

  4. Mike says:
    January 27, 2011 at 12:34 pm

    The changes have been posted. I says starting Oct. 2011 flight schools alone will be covered, however they really are not. They set a yearly cap at $10,000. I don’t know about you, but I know I have not found a professeional pilot program that can be completed with $30,000 or less (especially for rotory wing).

  5. Jeffery Anderson says:
    January 27, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    Hi Mike, I haven’t researched any professional pilot programs so I’ll have to take your word for it. I suppose you can still try to find a school considered to be an institution of higher learning approved for GI Bill use that has a flight school affiliated with it and use your benefits in that fashion. Other veterans have told me they’ve been able to use their Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits for flight school that way. If that doesn’t work look on the bright side of things, that’s $10,000 a year assistance that you didn’t have before.

  6. GR says:
    April 8, 2011 at 6:44 pm

    You should check out the helicopter training programs offered through Yavapai College in Arizona. You can use your GI benefits. For more info, go to: http://www.yc.edu/academics/degrees-and-certificates/degcert.asp?dc=26

    Also check out Guidance Helicopters who is the sole provider of helicopter flight training for Yavapai College: http://www.guidancehelicopters.com/veteran.html

    When using your Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill you will be able to obtain an Associate of Applied Science – Professional Helicopter Pilot Degree. This Degree Program will allow you to earn a Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, Flight Instructor Certificate with Helicopter Rating and Instrument Helicopter Rating. Guidance Helicopters, Inc. is in partnership with Yavapai Community College in offering this Degree Program.

    Based on your length of active duty service, you are entitled to a percentage of the following:
    Cost of Tuition, fees, monthly housing allowance, stipend up to $1,000 for books and supplies, and more. Please email our VA Department at vadepartment@guidancehelicopters.com for further information.

  7. Justin Scott says:
    September 10, 2011 at 4:53 pm

    Guidance helicopter in Prescott az works directly with Yavapai College providing post 9/11 benefits. Starting 1-1-12 North-Aire will also work with Yavapai College to provide fixed wing post 9/11 benefits.

  8. Ron Kness says:
    September 20, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    Good info. Thanks Justin!

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