Notices
Flight Schools and Training Ratings, building hours, airmanship, CFI topics

Paying for flight training

Old 02-18-2016, 10:05 AM
  #1  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: May 2015
Posts: 440
Default Paying for flight training

Hey guys. How did/are you pay/paying for your flight training? I have a not pilot friend who did some road painting on the side. She said it was contract work, and compensation varied by contract, but she said pay was an average of about 50 bucks an hour. She said she took home 1600 after taxes for 3 days of work. I obviously know this is an average, and salary can vary considerably. I am intrigued, though. I was just wondering if anyone else knows of any other odd ball jobs that one might be able to do for a decent pay to pay for more than one or two hours of flight time a month.....
DiveAndDrive is offline  
Old 02-18-2016, 06:15 PM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Apr 2015
Position: CRJ
Posts: 372
Default

Do whatever you are good at, work your butt off, save all you can, study hard to reduce your training costs.

I used a combination of VA benefits, parents help and waiting tables 5 days a week. I wouldn't look for a holy grail of jobs because once you get a taste of the money its hard to leave. best of luck.

edit: i did have a student who would work on a fishing boat for two weeks and make some decent coin, then come back and fly for two weeks, rinse and repeat. i will say that he never ended up finishing
Tippy is offline  
Old 02-18-2016, 06:17 PM
  #3  
Gets Weekends Off
 
mexipilot84's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Position: Gear Handle supervisor
Posts: 1,035
Default

I went to the military and used my GI Bill. Worked full time at DL to pay for training while the VA reiumbursed me, just kept reinvesting the money I got back into flight time.
mexipilot84 is offline  
Old 02-18-2016, 11:14 PM
  #4  
Gets Weekends Off
 
jonnyjetprop's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,408
Default

Worked full time, night shift, washing airplanes and then becoming a non-licensed aircraft mechanic. Delivered pizzas and worked back of the house on weekends.
jonnyjetprop is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 06:19 PM
  #5  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,099
Default

You ever watch Deadliest Catch? Go on one of those boats and get 30 grand for a few weeks of work. Easy job.
TheWeatherman is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 09:01 PM
  #6  
Gets Weekends Off
 
JamesNoBrakes's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Nov 2011
Position: Volleyball Player
Posts: 3,977
Default

Originally Posted by DiveAndDrive View Post
Hey guys. How did/are you pay/paying for your flight training? I have a not pilot friend who did some road painting on the side. She said it was contract work, and compensation varied by contract, but she said pay was an average of about 50 bucks an hour. She said she took home 1600 after taxes for 3 days of work. I obviously know this is an average, and salary can vary considerably. I am intrigued, though. I was just wondering if anyone else knows of any other odd ball jobs that one might be able to do for a decent pay to pay for more than one or two hours of flight time a month.....
Here's what we know now:

You don't have to get your certificates and ratings "right away" or "as fast as possible". Anyone who tells you that has their eyes on YOUR MONEY and they just want to get their hands on it. Find a job, maybe takes a few years, where you can save and scrounge and have enough on the side to get your ratings. A few years and you've got those certs/ratings and you are debt free. It can not be stated enough how far ahead of the game you'll be because of this.
JamesNoBrakes is offline  
Old 02-23-2016, 08:01 AM
  #7  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: May 2015
Posts: 440
Default

For those of you who used your VA benefits, how did you do it? 141 school or an aviation college or some other way? I've got my PPL already, so I BELIEVE anything after that is considered continuing education, if the training is done at a 141 school, correct?
DiveAndDrive is offline  
Old 02-23-2016, 12:38 PM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,099
Default

Do you have the Montgomery GI Bill or the Post 9/11? If you still have the Montgomery and haven't converted, you have the option of going to a Part 141 VA approved flight school to get your ratings. In that scenario, 60% of your training costs are covered. You are on the hook for the other 40%.

If you have already converted to Post 9/11, there is really only one way to get your ratings that makes sense and that is to get them at a college while getting your associates or bachelors. In that scenario everything is 100% covered plus you get a book stipend and a housing allowance based on the number of credits you are taking. The other way is to use a Yellow Ribbon program and you are limited in what you can spend on that. I don't know much about that so you would have to ask someone else.

When I left the military I had a choice since I still had the Montgomery GI Bill. Despite already having a Masters degree and not needing another degree, I chose to convert to the Post 9/11 GI bill and get my training in pursuit of an Associate’s degree. I did this for a couple reasons. First, I would occur no debt since everything is paid for. Secondly, I would then get a reduced ATP of 1250 hours. The negative is that it would take me about 6 – 8 months longer to get all my ratings. Due to my Undergrad degree, I was able to get all my Gen Eds credited so all I had to do was the flying (I already had my PPL like you when I entered) and take the aviation specific classes needed for the degree. I will complete everything this summer, 18 total months.

It all depends on your stiuation and what works best for you. If you have a large family that you need to support, then going back to school may not be an option for you.
TheWeatherman is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
blaquehawk99
Flight Schools and Training
29
06-11-2015 09:51 AM
iflyatnite
Cargo
75
05-03-2010 07:13 AM
PCNUTT
Cargo
37
05-23-2007 08:12 PM
Biggimote
Flight Schools and Training
4
04-19-2006 07:21 PM
Schnides
Regional
8
12-22-2005 07:01 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices