Originally Posted by
EFBprobs
It's gonna be tough to get away with not paying for private through commercial. There are some flight schools around, especially in FL that will pay for CFI/II if you sign a contract to instruct with them for a certain number of years. If thats how you want to build your hours. If you want it to go as fast as possible through the instructor route, you'll probably have to pull out a loan and go to a place like ATP or an equivalent that'll get you zero-hero (CFII) as fast as you're willing to go. What I would recommend, if you want to go corporate, is finding a flight school that also has a part 91 charter operation. Something with a pilatus or king air 90 or something like that which doesnt need a type rating. Once you get your commercial they may get you trained on those and build hours that way. Best advice I can give you is to call the flight schools in your area and see what they have to offer.
I can't do the CFI route because that would come with a huge drop in income, which I can't afford to absorb. Again, as much as I want to achieve my goal, albeit later in life, I can't do it at the expense of too much sacrifice on my family's part.
The funds I have available to me are as follows: I have $5,000 in my student account at the FBO.
To complete my PPL, I can use that $5,000, as well as an additional $3,000 per year in tuition assistance benefits from the National Guard.
After I get my PPL, my GI Bill from the VA kicks in, I get another $9,000-$12,000 per year in addition to the $3,000 military tuition assistance benefit to complete my other ratings.
I'm pretty sure if I take a regimented approach, I could minimize the out of pocket costs as I get my ratings, while juggling a full-time career, but as someone who has been there and done that, I appreciate your insight.