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

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New online aviation programs can help you reach your aviation goals - photo courtesy of aceairways

Although online education is nothing new, the aviation industry is finally getting into the action. Several vocational schools and universities are now offering online programs that can teach some or all of the course material needed to launch a career in aviation. Some of these institutions even offer financial aid to those who qualify.

Online Professional Pilot Programs – Although you can’t learn to fly a real airplane from the comfort of your own home, several schools now offer a way to earn a degree online while simultaneously attending either a local flight school or a cooperating flight academy. And by going this route, you may be eligible to receive financial aid grants and loans, if you qualify. Most airlines now require a college degree for employment so earning a Bachelor or Associate degree concurrently with your physical flight training may be a great way to go. Mountain State University is now offering degrees online concurrently with enrollment at one of ATP’s (Airline Transport Professionals) 25 U.S. training locations. Similarly, Utah Valley University has made arrangements with a number of other flight schools to allow you to earn your degree while learning to fly.

Online Aircraft Dispatcher Programs – Sheffield School of Aeronautics and Jeppesen now offer online courses for their Aircraft Dispatcher Training programs. These courses prepare you for a short classroom experience which leads up to taking the appropriate FAA (or other governing body) flight dispatcher tests.

Online Aviation Associate, Bachelor and Masters Degrees – Everglades University is now offering several different aviation degree programs online including Aviation Management, Aviation Technology, and even a Master’s Degree in Aviation Science.

Online training in the aviation industry is finally here and it offers you new possibilities in the way of financing and building your resume for your ultimate aviation goal. To learn more about these programs please visit our Online Aviation Programs page where you can contact each school for more information.

AOPA will be hosting a number of regional meetings as part of their Flight Training Student Retention Initiative

The meeting locations, which were chosen based on flight school density, will host two meetings in order to maximize participation. One meeting is intended to allow flight training providers, such as flight instructors, to offer their insights into how AOPA can help them succeed in growing the pilot population. The other is for members of the aviation community at large. The two meetings work hand-in-hand to gather perspectives from both sides of the flight training equation, instructor and student.

According to reports, AOPA estimates that nearly three in four people who start flight training do not complete their training and earn a pilot certificate. With an overall population in a state of decay, it is important to develop new pilots. These meetings will hopefully impart the AOPA initiative with the right stuff to sort out this completion issue.

For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.

Source: Student Retention Initiative gains frontline perspective at regional meetings

This article was written by Matthew Everett, a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

The program currently has 7 Piper Arrows used in training for commercial ratings.

The institute has a long history, stretching from as far back as 1946, of graduating pilots for the airlines, aviation industry, and government. The Civil Aeronautics Authority (the pre-FAA era government overseeing aviation) issued the program the first airman pilot examining agency certificate on May 29, 1950.

The July 21st vote to shut down the program is a part of a package of cost-cutting measures designed to help balance the school budget. The decision is not without controversy, however, as it opposes a faculty senate decision not to shut down the program. Unfortunately, proposed savings of $500,000 to $750,000 a year from closing the program coupled with declining enrollment has overshadowed the institute’s graduation rate. The only hope for the program seems to be the Illinois Board of Higher Education, who must approve the closure, or some out of the box thinking.

Program supporters are currently investigating methods to allow the institute to continue offering flight-training opportunity. Specifically, supporters are currently seeking out other schools who might have interest in establishing flight training programs and discussing ways the institute can support those initiatives.

According to the program’s chief pilot, 160 students had enrolled in program courses for the spring. She indicated that the program seems to have fallen out of favor rather than become unviable. The program director quit five years ago and no replacement has been hired. Instead, there have been persistent rumors of the program’s imminent closure which certainly had an effect on the enrollment numbers.

Despite their size, the smallest program on the Urbana-Champaign campus, the program has graduated a number of very successful graduates currently working in all areas of the aviation industry. Their training fleet, which includes 18 Piper Archers, seven Piper Arrows, three Piper Seminoles, and two Cessna 152s. With only one aircraft with a glass cockpit, this is hardly an excessively costly fleet considering the level of enrollment.

For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.

Source: University of Illinois aviation program to close

This article was written by Matthew Everett, a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

On International Learn To Fly Day, pilots can offer introductory flights to any interested people who want to learn to fly. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) will lead the way by having its individual chapters offer complimentary adult flight lessons across the country on this specific day. For the EAA, introductory flights for adults are an extension of its popular Young Eagles program. Since 1992, that program has offered free flights to more than 1.6 million young people.

Organizations and EAA chapters hosting events connected to International Learn to Fly Day are encouraged to post these events on an official website affiliated with the day. The website fallows visitors to locate any local event designed to encourage a person to discover more about flying and what goes into it. Any group or company can also post their own event on the site that welcomes people interested in flying and flight training.

The inaugural International Learn to Fly Day took place only a year ago after the United States Congress passed a resolution the same year declaring that the third Saturday in May would serve as a day to recognize the contributions of flight instructors, flight schools and aviation groups in promoting flying as well as teaching and training the next generation of pilots.

Initial celebrations of International Learn to Fly Day in 2010 drew more than 40,000 people to nearly 250 events nationwide. Surveys showed that nearly two-thirds of people introduced to aviation on that day planned to pursue flight training on their own after attending one of the 250 events.

EAA officials are encouraging other aviation groups and businesses to join in the efforts to promote flying by offering introductory flights, open houses and seminars at airports and other locations across the globe.

Sources:
http://www.generalaviationnews.com/2011/05/08/international-learn-to-fly-day-may-21/
http://www.learntofly.org/

Endangered species? Many students can't afford flight training

Despite a recent Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) research study to the contrary, cost remains the primary hurdle to both new pilot starts and general aviation industry growth, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in an unprecedented position to change all that. The aviation industry as a whole, and especially the recreational side of general aviation (GA) is suffering the devastating effects of the perfect storm: skyrocketing fuel prices, declining discretionary incomes, virtually no financing for instruction or aircraft, increasing maintenance costs, community efforts to close airports, and punishing coverage of the industry as a whole from the media. It’s no wonder most aviation-based business are struggling.

To prove my point, let’s consider a hypothetical world where the cost of earning a private pilot license in today’s dollars is around $500, total. How many people would be signing up at your local flight school right now? I believe the sky would be dark with trainers as a huge percentage of the population flock to their local airport in search of flying lessons. And how many times have you heard a former student pilot say, I have all the money I need to earn my pilot’s license, I just didn’t like the instructor”? If you’re like me, it’s never happened. After providing all the excuses about “not enough time” or “can’t pass the test”, student pilots who did not complete their training usually complete the discussion with “and flying is just too expensive”.

AOPA’s 2010 study concluded that about 70% of the people interviewed expressed a desire to learn to fly for recreational or personal business. From these numbers it’s easy to see that most prospective pilots are going to have to pull the money out of discretionary income. Sure, outfits like Pilot Finance, Inc. can help, and some people resort to using a credit card to foot at least part of the bill, but the reality is many student pilots have to decide whether to put gas in the car, or gas in the plane, because they can’t afford to do both.

And that’s exactly where the FAA is poised to make a difference. Over the years, the FAA has created a truly remarkable air transportation system, and they deserve credit for merging air travel, training, and maintenance practices together into an extremely safe aviation industry. But that success has come at price, and I believe we’re all paying that price now. The very layers of paperwork and oversight that have created our safe system have inflated prices to the obscene for just about everything in the aviation world. Aircraft parts, when compared to their automotive counterparts for example, are typically many times the price for virtually the same piece of equipment, and most of that cost difference can be traced to FAA bureaucracies (with a fair share spilling over to liability insurance as well). Just this week, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt commented that the agency is possibly facing large budget cuts and layoffs. If that’s the case, this seems like the perfect time to re-analyze the current state of aviation regulation and loosen the grip, just a little, in key areas the FAA oversees. While we’re at it, why don’t we pass legislation that could severely limit the legal liability of aviation manufacturers. Both of these efforts could help drive down the overall costs of flying.

Let’s face it, aviation world… learning to fly is just too expensive. That’s the problem. And until that changes, we’re in for a long, painful “recovery” from our current state. I think the aviation industry has reached TBO and needs an overhaul. The sooner the better.

I’d like to hear what you think… please answer our poll question on Facebook “Is the cost of flight training the primary hurdle to earning your pilot license?”

Sources:

Babbitt: Budget Cuts Are At Tipping Point
AOPA – A Survey of Students, Pilots, and Instructors (pdf)

Santa Monica Airport - photo courtesy P3air.com

The Los Angeles City Council April 21 voted unanimously to shut down six flight schools which operate at the Santa Monica Airport. According to an article in the Santa Monica Daily Press (smdp.com), the legislation approved would also establish a flight pattern that would make airplanes fly over homes in the area.

The legislation was originally proposed in March by the California city council. Council members Bill Rosendahl, Paul Koretz, and Janice Hahn proposed the legislation because of their concern fledgling pilots and idling jets might cause safety and environmental problems in the area.

According to an article, “Flight Schools Under Attack in Santa Monica, CA” in the AviationSchoolsOnline.com Flight Training Blog, the actions taken by the city council could not just affect the schools in California, but flight schools across the country. The article stated the initial goal by the city council was just to force the Federal Aviation Administration to make flight schools in certain areas close or alter flight plans.

The article in the blog operated by the aviation schools claims the council members have no knowledge of aviation and do not appreciate the impact of their actions.

According to the article in smdp.com, the action was taken to halt “numerous practice maneuvers” that take place over the area, thus improving safety. The resolution specifically cited a crash in July 2010 over the Penmar Golf Course. The National Transportation Safety Board has not determined the cause of that crash.

The article in the blog by aviation schools reported that some claim students at the flight school engage in dangerous maneuvers.

Someone from smdp.com unsuccessfully tried to contact Hahn to gain comments. She did not return calls.
A spokesman for the Federal Administration, however, dismissed any talk the flight schools operate in an unsafe manner, pointing out the planes involved operate out of many small airports.

“Nobody has offered one bit of evidence suggesting that Santa Monica flight school operations are anything but safe,” FAA spokesman Ian Gregor wrote in an e-mail. He pointed out the pilot killed in 2010 was an experienced commercial pilot, not a student at a pilot school. If the person was an experienced pilot, he could not have been a student receiving flight training.

Joe Justice, who runs the flight school, Justice Aviation, said in the smdp.com article that he believes the actions of the Los Angeles City Council are “political,” and he added he is “angry.” He said despite “rough landings” by students no people or homes on the ground have been “jeopardized.”

Sources:

Santa Monica Daily Press

AviationSchoolsOnline.com Flight Training Blog

Flight training is now included with the purchase of a Piper Archer LX - photo copyright Piper Aircraft, Inc.

Piper Aircraft Inc. is offering primary flight training with their new “Ready, Set, Fly” program to new owners of the Archer LX aircraft. The program is designed to teach new owners how to fly in an extensive three-week course. Piper Aircraft believes the program will promote the growth of general aviation by encouraging more people to become pilots. Piper announced the “Ready, Set, Fly” program at the Sun ‘n’ Fun International Fly-in & Expo in Lakeland, Florida this week.

According to Piper Aircraft vice president Randy Groom, this revolutionary new pilot training program will solve several common detractors to successfully learning how to fly an aircraft such as a lack of convenience, concerns about the quality of instruction available at many flight schools, and scheduling conflicts that hinder student pilot progress. The convenience issue is one of particular concern, and one that Piper is prepared to meet head-on. The standardized pilot training offered as part of the “Ready, Set, Fly” program is part of a short yet concentrated three-week course overseen by a professional instructor. By learning to fly in their own aircraft, owners become more familiar and comfortable which could also yield a long term safety benefit. The program also solves the problem of subpar equipment found at some flight schools.

This custom program was created specifically with the Archer LX in mind, and is intended to be a means to introduce prospective pilots to aviation. It further illustrates Piper’s commitment to the aviation industry, particularly to the light aircraft segment.

The Archer LX is a single-engine aircraft with a Lycoming 0-360-A4M, 180 hp engine that is capable of flying at speeds up to 147 mph (237 km/h) with a range of up to 522 nautical miles (966 km). A new, Garmin G500-equipped model costs $309,900. If an already qualified pilot purchases an Archer LX, they can apply their training time in the program toward a different FAA certification. Qualified and prospective pilots who purchase one of these new aircraft can also elect to conduct their pilot training at a different facility of their choice if they feel that Piper’s program is not for them.

Source: http://www.piper.com/pages/PiperOffersArcherLxReadySetFlyTrainingProgram_03292011.cfm

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.

Find a GI-Bill School – Aviation Schools for U.S. Veterans
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Flight Simulator to help pilots prepare for airline careers - New GI Bill benefits flight training - image copyright and all rights reserved by Brandon Farris

Western Michigan University flight training technology will now help students at West Michigan Aviation Academy. Western Michigan University donated a flight simulator to West Michigan Aviation Academy as a part of a continued partnership between both schools.

WMU offers what is considered one of the top college-level aviation programs in the United States. WMAA became the first, and so far only, public aviation charter high school in the U.S. The school initiated classes last fall and is currently enrolling for this fall.

The simulator WMU provided has an estimated value of $50,000. The device arrived at WMAA Tuesday at the school’s location by the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. On Wednesday Lennox Ramsey, a 16 year-old student at the school, demonstrated the flight simulator with instructor Keith Sutherland.

WMAA School Board President Dick DeVos welcomes the new flight simulator feeling that students will benefit the chance to “sharpen skills” needed to prepare for a career in aviation. Dave Powell, Dean of WMU College, announced plans to continue to work with WMAA as they grow and help produce a new generation of aviation professionals.

DeVos sees the simulator as an important part of the school’s training process, saying that it will have “tremendous educational use” and help students experience simulated real-world situations that will take the training out of textbooks and allow aviation concepts to be seen first-hand.

Patrick J. Cwayna, WMAA CEO, sees the addition of the flight simulator as a way of increasing the profile of the school and helping its students to attain a well-rounded education with tools that will lead to success. WMU uses the same type of simulator in its classrooms and feels the addition of such a simulator at WMMA will have a “real impact.”

The simulator teaches students how to operate a Cirrus SR20 plane, which is part of WMU’s aviation fleet. The academy already uses another simulator that serves to give students a basic idea of how a plane operates and how to handle typical operations.

The main difference between the existing simulator the school has and the one acquired from WMU is that the new simulator has real instruments and offers more of a hands-on approach to students. Western Michigan plans to bring part of their fleet to WMAA this summer, which will give students a chance to practice and hone their skills in a real plane.