Using VA benefits for ATP
 

My question pertains to the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

As I understand it...

- To use VA benefits to cover ALL of your ATP training, you need to use a Part 141 school.

- However, if you go with a Part 61 school, you can still use VA benefits for the actual checkride. Why? Because they will pay for "Licensing and Certification.

The VA website says they will pay up to $2000 for Licensing and Certification. However, when I did a search for ATP on their site, it came up, and under the column "Fee", the practical was $500 and the written test was $100. "Fee" didn't say "maximum", "recommended", etc...

The ATP exam is going to run around $1500-$1600 due to fee and rental.
Does anyone have any experience in this to know if you can get the full $1600 back (since it is less than $2000)?
Or is the $500 the max they will reimburse?

Thanks.

My advice is, just pay for the atp out of pocket and use the post 911 for something else (pass to your spouse/kids). You will maximize your benefits much greater this way. As far as what I've been told by the VA, all training must be accomplished at a part 141 school, including certifications. And this school must be accredited by the VA in that state.

This. You wont be able to use the GI Bill for the rental fees and by the time you do all the paperwork (and the VA screws it up) you'll wish you hadn't wasted your time.

In your position save the GI Bill for something else. It might be worth it if you need a G-V or 73 type rating or something like that, but I wouldn't do that until you have a job offer.

This is how I understand it/did it.

I used the Post 9/11 GI Bill last year to get my ATP. The only way to use the GI Bill to pay for it was to go to a Part 141 school. Since you don't need a sign off to take your ATP check ride, the check ride was done 'Part 61'. I was told that it wouldn't be covered.

On the other hand, I am using the GI Bill right now to get my MEI and you need a sign off for that. I am pretty sure the check ride will still be 'Part 61' and not be covered.

Agree with all others on this, pay out of pocket if it's the standard ATP, if not and it's a 737 or other type/ATP course then consider using GI bill. I got my ATP locally last summer paying our of pocket, but crazy me is now considering a 737 type from HPA or CPT. If I were to do it over again I would have gotten the 737 type/ATP to begin with. I have a young child and have done the TEB but part or me is concerned that benefit might not me around in 16 years when he is ready for school, so I feel like I can justify using part of it on a 737 type now while the benefit still exists.

I'm going to use my Post 9/11 GI bill for the ATP at a 141 school. From what I've been told you can still get the checkride covered, but it seems as though there are 3 or 4 different stories/opinions running around out there depending on who you talk to at the VA (typical government BS). I did the transfer paperwork to give my benefits to my kids, but they're both young (6 and 3) and by the time they're of age, I wouldn't be surprised if the government takes the benefits away when they're bankrupt in 10 years. They're already trying to take our 20-year retirements away. So, I dump extra cash into my IRA and also put a little bit into 529's for the purposes of paying for my kids school. If the 9/11 GI bill is still around, great, but I'm not relying on it. A lot can happen in the next 12-15 years with our government.

I don't have a ME rating yet (and currently have no ME time), so I'm planning on using my Post 9/11 GI Bill to pay for a Part 141 ME rating and 15 hours (included as part of the course) the week after next. Then, I'll have to buy 10 hours on my own. I should be able to split it with a buddy. After that, I plan on using the Post 9/11 GI Bill again while going to HPA or CPT to get the ATP/737 type (SOE restriction). I figure this effectively saves me from having to pay for 40 hours of ME time and an ATP check, so I'm estimating about $11,000 to $12,000 in savings compared to doing it out of pocket as cheaply as I can find, and I get a 737 type (SOE restriction). I'm not sure that 737 type is too terribly valuable in my case, but I hope it at least signals that I can pass a major airline training program.

Does anyone think this is a bad idea?

Just my experience, but I used the 9/11 bill to pay for my ATP.

Used I think two months of eligibility. Had to be part 141, and they reimburse you when training is complete for I think 60%. I got $1800 back on about $3000 in cost.

Post 9/11 GI Bill should have covered all of it. Montgomery GI Bill is the one with the 60/40 rule.

So, let me start over...

Who out there actually knows whether they will only cover the $500 or the full $2000.

- No, it doesn't have to be a Part 141 school when it comes to the check ride.
- Many think it is a waste of the benefit. Noted.

Does anyone know the answer?