Despite already having a degree, I enrolled in an aviation university for a BS in professional aviation or something like that. But the only classes I enrolled in were flight labs—no real classes. A bunch of us at Riley did it at a nearby school while we were active duty a few years ago. They had full time GI bill students as well, but we just knocked out our add-on ratings real quick on weekends and at night and were done. I took 3 check rides (inst/comm single/multi) in a 2 month period. Guys with no prior FW time took a little longer, but were funded to get 250 airplane PIC hours (so almost 300 total). After some GI Bill/yellow ribbon abuse by a few schools (namely the helicopter training schools doing primary training in a 206), the VA clamped down a little on the programs (only allow flight hours that are within syllabus for example) but as far as I know, these programs are still alive and well at many places. One of my bro’s who did that with me and flew at my bottom feeder regional used another 8 months of his GI bill to attend school in San Fran one day a week, doing the rest online, for some BS classes, just to get San Fran BAH, which paid twice as much as his first year regional pay.

There’s good stuff out there. Some of the VA/GI bill counselors know about it, some don’t. I didn’t believe my bro’s when they told me what they were doing until I drove to the school and talked to the guy in charge of the flight program who was well versed in the GI Bill, as half his students were GI bill guys.

 

Thanks that makes a bit more sense and what I'm doing is essentially the same thing, the money I'm using is directly going to pay for the inst/comm SE/ME and I since I have 15 months till retirement I was thinking about doing CFI, the owner of the flight school and I were talking about this. This was while I'm on active I can work nights and weekends and finish up the rest of that 250 pic fixed requirement.

 

Yes... use it as part of a part 141 MEI course (I imagine you could skip SE instructor? not too sure about that?).

 

Yeah but you can use the GI bill towards your Instructor ratings, single and multi-engine. With Part 141 syllabus, you probably will get MOST of the time paid for by GI bill. Also remember after 15 years in a major (if your young enough). spending a few bucks on flying NOW to make a LOT of money LATER will be 100% worth it.

 

You are right 100%. GI Bill part 141 school flying through a yellow ribbon program school is awesome.

 

Yes, your initial CFI rating can be any of them, does not have to be ASEL.

 

Thats what im saying, this particular is for my Commercial SE/ME but I have considered grabbing my CFI so I can work while I build time