Just trying to find some info for about using VA to pay for part of a type rating. I read somewhere that they cover up to 60%. Is the process pretty painless? Do they reimburse after acquiring the type rating or before? Any and all info is greatly appreciated!

The process is painless if you go to a VA approved school.. They will fill out the paperwork for you. I got the 737 type with the VA and had no problems.

However, you may want to rethink whether you actually want to use your VA benefit for this. If you served after 9/11 you qualify for the new GI bill which pays A LOT of money compared to what you would get using the VA for a type rating. I don't know for sure, but I think the new GI bill may also be transferable to your kids. If so, paying for your kids college is worth way more than a type rating.

One thing to note that's significantly different from the regular GI Bill is that this one can only be used for courses and training offered by an "institution of higher learning." So it cannot be used for flight training or other vocational certifications (Realtor's license, etc) unless that training is at an accredited college or university.

But one good thing is that there were lots of people who were ineligible for the regular GI Bill because they had their college paid for by the govt either at the academies or thru ROTC scholarships. They are, however, eligible for the Post-9/11 bill.

Didn't see anything at the web site about transferring it to the kids. That would be nice, though.

Education Benefits - (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

The type training must be packaged as a Part 141 course, and offered by a school approved for VA bennies. It will cover 60% plus some extras such as checkride fees.

That is under the old MGIB. If you are eligible and stick with that, you have no worries.

Like the previous poster said, the new MGIB only covers accredited institutions, which narrows the field a bit. I suspect many small flight schools will be out of the VA/MGIB business in a few years. Most of the accredited schools (aviation degree programs) probably offer a standard career-pilot course, but probably don't offer types (maybe that will change).

If you are eligible for the old MGIB, you might be grandfathered to use the old rules...you may be able to tap the higher benefit payout but still use non-accredited 141 flight schools.

Kikuchiyo,

Where did you find the info on those who were previously not eligible being eligible? I had my college paid for by the govt by selling my soul to them. Thanks.

Went to Higher Power Aviation for my 737-type....they did the VA paperwork and made it totally painless. I got the reimbursement less than 30 days after finishing.

thanks for all the info so far guys. I was not aware that they were taking away getting flight ratings etc. This is really going to be rough for places out there that used to get a lot of guys coming in using VA benefits! I do qualify for the Post 911 GI Bill so I guess if I cant get a type rating using it, I will save it and pass it along to my wife or future kids someday!

In looking thru the basic info I got in my letter from the VA, their web site, and the pamphlet, they never mention any requirement that one must have been eligible for the old MGIB. The only requirements mentioned were dates, length, and character of service. In fact, they even say, "If you transferred from the MGIB..." as if it's possible for people to not have done so. So, yes, I'm making an ass-uption that they have deleted the exclusion for academy grads, etc. But maybe I'll call the VA this week if I get a chance.

I was wrong about:

but I'm glad I was. There's a whole section in the law about how to transfer eligibility under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (P9GIB ?) to either a spouse or dependent child. However, the pamphlet says "The Department of Defense (DoD) may offer you the opportunity to transfer benefits to your spouse or dependent children. DoD and the military services will issue policy on entitlement to transferability in the coming months."

Lastly, there's no indication that the MGIB is going away. If you are eligible for both and want to use the P9GIB, you have to elect to receive benefits under it in lieu of the MGIB. You could elect not to, and still receive your benefits under the MGIB.

Here's a pretty good article on the transferability of the GI Bill

DoD Defines New GI Bill Transfer Rules