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Guidance Aviation Instructor Pilots Shannon Bowman (PIC) and Ben Lewis (Spotter) took off at approximately 0900 on Thursday, January 12, 2011 to search for a man who was low on fuel and lost while driving through mountainous terrain. Heading south just west of Black Canyon City to the GPS coordinates that were provided to the Guidance Pilots by YCSO, the Guidance crew made contact with Sheriff Tom Frank (Frank51) and quickly located the jeep and driver. The Guidance crew then began searching for a trail that the jeep could use to exit the area.
Shannon Bowman piloting the Guidance R44 in Search and Rescue
A trail for the jeep was quickly found by the Guidance helicopter crew and the jeep began to exit. As the jeep did so, a driver and passenger of another vehicle with a flat tire were founding walking and the jeep was able to give those people a ride out of the mountainous terrain (a two for one!).
After about an hour on site, the Guidance crew departed from the scene. As they did so, they viewed Frank51 making contact with the jeep and occupants, assisting them the rest of the way down the mountain.
Click here to learn more about Guidance Aviation.
Students enrolling in the Flight Instructor Course at Mountain Ridge can receive Veterans benefits under either Chapter 30 or 33
Mountain Ridge Helicopters is pleased to announce that the VA has approved it’s Flight Instructor Course which after completion the pilot will be able to perform one of the most vital and influential roles in aviation, instructing others how to fly helicopters. Now, students enrolling in the Flight Instructor Course at Mountain Ridge can receive financial benefits under either Chapter 30 or 33. We are excited to continue working with our veterans and are committed to providing them, and all our students, with comprehensive and affordable training!
Mountain Ridge Helicopters is located in Northern Utah at the Logan-Cache Airport. MRH offers one on one training, Mountain flying and an excellent place to live. Contact Mountain Ridge Helicopters today to learn about the Helicopter Pilot Training Programs.
Approved applicants may now be eligible to receive up to 100 percent coverage of tuition, housing, and FAA testing expenses for attending Jeppesen
U.S. military veterans interested in a new career in aviation may now be eligible for increased tuition and housing benefits through a new policy enacted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Approved applicants may now be eligible to receive up to 100 percent coverage of tuition, housing, and FAA testing expenses for attending Jeppesen Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Dispatcher Certification course training. Veterans and dependents may receive tuition assistance through Veterans Affairs benefit programs such as the Post 9/11 VA Bill, Montgomery GI Bill and others.
Jeppesen, a unit of Boeing Flight Services and a global industry leader in navigation, operations, training and optimization solutions, offers training for numerous careers in the aviation industry. FAA licensed dispatchers are equipped with a body of knowledge that is applicable to many aviation careers. The dispatcher plays a critical role in maintaining aviation safety and efficiency, working in Airline Operations Control (AOC) centers worldwide.
Click here to contact Jeppesen for more details
Find a GI-Bill School – Aviation Schools for U.S. Veterans
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Source: Jeppesen
North-Aire Aviation LLC announces it has been chosen to provide the flight-training component of Yavapai College’s new Professional Airplane Pilot Flight Program.
Starting in January, this relationship allows both veterans and civilians to couple an Associate of Applied Science Degree with advanced flight certifications, providing a career path into the aviation industry. The program allows veterans who qualify for the post 9/11 GI Bill Program to take fixed wing flight courses through Yavapai College.
According to North-Aire Aviation spokesperson Justin Scott, “Through our program’s unique partnership with Yavapai College, veterans and civilians alike have access to an FAA-certified Part 141, Part 61 flight school through a public community college.”
North-Aire has been in business since 1973 as a Cessna pilot center providing private pilot through ATP certificates to students representing all 50 states and 47 countries.
Other certificates offered include high altitude and aerobatic training as well as seaplane ratings and tail wheel endorsements.
For more information on the new flight training program, contact Renee Alanis at the Yavapai College Admissions Office (renee.alanis@yc.edu).
Anyone interested in learning more about Yavapai College Aviation Degree programs should visit http://www.yc.edu.
North-Aire can be reached at (928) 445-8320, info@northaire.com, or http://www.northaire.com.
Click here to explore more flight training schools in Arizona
Find a GI-Bill School – Aviation Schools for U.S. Veterans
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US Military Veterans and flight students receiving their solo wings at the recent GA BBQ 2011
Curtis Marshall, Veteran, Sergeant, US Marines and Jason Martin, Veteran, Sergeant, US Army, have dream jobs working as professional helicopter pilots. These dream jobs have been created by the unique programs offered by Guidance Aviation and Yavapai College.
Marshall is a helicopter instructor pilot and Martin an instrument rated helicopter pilot working on his commercial rating. Both head up student services at Guidance Aviation, providing assistance to fellow veterans who want to use their Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to become professional helicopter pilots.
Marshall is an ideal case study for veterans looking to become professional pilots using their Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. He relocated from Boston to Prescott, Arizona where he used his Post 9/11 benefits at Guidance Aviation and acquired his flight instructor rating. Upon graduating, Guidance Aviation hired Marshall not only as a flight instructor, but also as Manager of Student Services.
“It’s a dream job and I am perfectly suited for it. I can realize my dream of flight and I am also provided the opportunity to assist my fellow veterans with the daunting task of addressing all the concerns, questions and of course, paperwork associated with leveraging your GI benefits for flight training. Having already accomplished this goal, it makes it a lot easier for me to assist other veterans coming into the program,” states Marshall.
Marshall’s cohort in the student services program at Guidance Aviation is Jason Martin. Martin spent 4.5 years in the US Army with over 30 months spent in Iraq as a combat engineer.
“Once this program became available, I realized it was a once in lifetime opportunity, something no other veterans have been offered before us,” states Martin. “I had been trying to fly in the military for so long but the selection process to fly for the military is lengthy and difficult. The Post 9/11 GI Bill allows me to start flying now. I am now an instrument rated pilot working on my commercial certificate. Best of all, working in student services allows me to get the word out to other vets that want to fly.”
If you are currently serving in the military, or a veteran, and you are looking to use your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits for flight training, contact Curtis or Jason at Guidance Aviation
Informative links:
Guidance Helicopters: http://www.guidancehelicopters.com/
Guidance Aviation: http://www.guidance.aero/
Veteran info: http://www.guidancehelicopters.com/veteran.html
Find a GI-Bill School – Aviation Schools for U.S. Veterans
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Related links:
Post 9/11 Grandfather Clause “Update”:
http://guidanceaviation.blogspot.com/2011/06/veterans-help-other-veterans-use-post.html
Post 9/11 Grandfather Clause:
http://guidanceaviation.blogspot.com/2011/05/post-911-flight-training-grandfather.html
Learn what you need to know about flight training and the GI Bill
If you’ve served on active duty in the US Military, you may be eligible for reimbursement of some or all of your flight training costs under the GI Bill. While you may still have to pay some costs out of pocket, the GI Bill is a great way to help pay for your flight training. The only catch is, with the addition of new benefits for some veterans the process has gotten a little more complex. Here are four things you need to know about using the GI Bill and flight training:
1 – What funding options are available to me?
2 – What training is eligible for reimbursement?
3 – How do I qualify?
4 – What is covered?
Please click here to read the full article Four Things You Need To Know About The GI Bill And Flight Training
Find a GI-Bill School – Aviation Schools for U.S. Veterans
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Expanded GI Bill includes provisions for flight training
Starting in October 2011, veterans who qualify for the Expanded Post-9/11 GI Bill will be allowed to use their benefits to pay tuition at a number of non-degree vocational programs, including flight training. This is the most comprehensive revision of the law as it applies to veterans’ benefits since the Montgomery GI Bill of 1985 and the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.
In the past, veterans were limited to using their educational benefits to earn college degrees. With the expansion of benefits, military veterans can now attend flight schools even if they enroll in a non-degree granting program. However, it’s important to know that the GI Bill will not pay for primary flight training (for example, a private pilot license) but will pay for advanced ratings required to work as a pilot (like an instrument rating or commercial pilot license).
Read the full article How To Use the Expanded GI Bill For Flight Training at AviationSchoolsOnline.com
Find a GI-Bill School – Aviation Schools for U.S. Veterans
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New GI Bill benefits flight training - image copyright and all rights reserved by Brandon Farris
Veterans with a passion for flying can now soar into the wild blue yonder with extended benefits through the GI Bill 2.0 as part of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010. Previously vocational and flight-related training were not covered, but now such training will be covered when the law goes into effect on October 1, 2011.
Veterans are urged to check with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that the flight school they chose is VA approved and meets VA qualifications prior to enrollment. Right now VA-approved flight schools are eligible for reimbursement through the Montgomery GI Bill.
In October veterans enrolling in flight schools will be able to receive direct payment through the Post-9 11 GI Bill. It is recommended that veterans who choose to pursue flight training attain a VA Certificate of Eligibility to determine how much military education benefits they may receive to put towards flight training. Regardless of VA reimbursement, veterans are responsible for fees associated with flight training programs.
Veterans who successfully complete an aviation training program will be a part of a growing selection of career opportunities. Flight-related careers are expected to show at least a 12% growth through 2018 according to US Bureau of Labor statistics. Job opportunities may include air cargo carriers, regional airlines, air taxis and low-cost carriers.
While college degrees and commercial pilot license are required for most flight-related jobs, military pilots have an advantage in the face of tough competition. Pilots can also start their professional flight careers working as flight instructors. This allows for the accumulation of flight hours and additional experience that will make veterans pursing aviation careers more attractive for lucrative jobs with commercial airlines.
The average wage for commercial pilots can range from approximately $73,000 to $117,000, depending on experience and specific flight-related job. Veterans can get more information on the Post-9 11 GI Bill at military.com or through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Click this link to see our Featured Flight Training Schools
Source
http://www.gibill.com/news/flight-training-now-covered-by-post-911-gi-bill-333.html
Find a GI-Bill School – Aviation Schools for U.S. Veterans
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A new source of financial aid for veterans' flight training has recently passed Congress and is on its way to the White House to be signed into law.
Veterans looking to start flight training have a new source of financial aid thanks to legislation approved in the House of Representatives on the 16th of December. The bill is now awaiting President Barack Obama’s signature.
The House approved the bill, S.3447 the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2010, with a vote of 409-3. S.3447 allows vets to take flight training, certificate programs, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, correspondence training, and other educational programs by broadening provisions of a 2008 bill. The new bill allows qualified military personnel to apply educational funding to these types of programs that was previously restricted to programs at colleges and universities. Among the qualifications required is that the individual must have served in active duty military for three years since Sept. 11, 2001. The Senate approved the bill on December 13
The bill, which improves the 2008 offering, allows veterans to use their benefits to cover in-state tuition and fees up to a maximum amount of $10,000 a year for flight training. The flight training must be and FAA approved course at a certified pilot school. The exclusion of similar provisions in the 2008 bill led Veterans groups to criticize the previous legislation. They indicated that out that learning other skills and trades, such as flying, would benefit veterans given the current state of the economy.
S.3447 is what is known as an authorization bill, meaning that funding will come from a separate appropriations process, and once funding is established, veterans can expect to start receiving benefits by August 2011. Interest groups are concerned that the new legislation could be subject to House ‘cut-go’ rules, which would require an existing program to be cut before the new program can be funded.
Regardless of potential funding snares, the bill is a good thing for the flight training industry and veterans. It provides veterans with an additional source of significant financial aid and it provides flight schools with a new pool of students with money that are ready to hit the skies. Most importantly, veterans who take advantage of this program will be on step closer to being able to take advantage of the coming shortage of airline pilots. If you’re a veteran and you qualify, be sure to keep up with this developing source of funding.
For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.
Find a GI-Bill School – Aviation Schools for U.S. Veterans
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