help with flight training

Started by Tim Medeiros, February 29, 2008, 04:19:17 AM

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Tim Medeiros

I'm currently trying to get my private pilot certificate and was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to grants or scholarships, or even loans that would help me finance my effort.  I was able to get 28 hours as a cadet but due to circumstances beyond my control was unable to finish and money for me right now is difficult due to being enrolled in college.  I would like to try and get my private ticket by August, but that's personal preference.  My main reasons for getting this are to become a cadet orientation pilot once I get the required amount of hours, I'm currently not inclined to become a mission pilot but that may change in the future.

Thanks for any help.
TIMOTHY R. MEDEIROS, Lt Col, CAP
Chair, National IT Functional User Group
1577/2811

genejackson

http://level2.cap.gov/index.cfm?nodeID=5587

AOPA SCHOLARSHIP


AOPA is providing flight training scholarships to cadets to help earn a private pilot certificate.  Four scholarships will be awarded at $2500 each. 

Special Eligibility Requirements
1.  Be a current CAP Cadet or Senior Member2.  Have earned the Mitchell Award (cadets only)
3.  Be at least 16 on 1 June 2008.
4.  Apply using CAPF 95.
5.  Email the completed application to HQ CAP/CP by 31 January in accordance with the directions on the scholarships main page.
Gene Jackson
COL (R) US Army
Danville VA

CASH172

How old are you and where are you going to school?

Tim Medeiros

I'm 22 and currently going to a local college in west central FL, planning on going to a school in Daytona Beach area next fall, just waiting word back from my application, depending on the degree program they let me in, I may get advanced credit for having my private ticket, if I'm allowed to have my first choice program, I'll at least be able to rent aircraft easier to gain experience.

Lt Col Jackson, you now have me wishing I paid closer attention to the due date on that scholarship, I ended my hopes for this year when I read the 31 Dec date on the top of the page, had my CAPF 95 ready to go too.
TIMOTHY R. MEDEIROS, Lt Col, CAP
Chair, National IT Functional User Group
1577/2811

DNall

scholarships are fine if you actually win one, but not something to plan on. Lot of financing options out there, as well as something like embry riddle where you can apply financial aid.

There's ways to get it done, but flying is expensive. After you get your ticket, you're still a broke college student struggling to get by. How much flying can you do under those circumstances? Are you going to be able to stay current? I don't want to be negative, but it might be better to hold off & save up a bit so you can do it closer to graduation & be able to keep up with it as you move into that first job.

You can always come fly army in the guard/res as a WO. That gets you a commercial ticket with two years of college credit, just do your basics & you're done.

bosshawk

Your local EAA(Experimental Aircraft Association) can be another source of a scholarship.  I think that the availability, amount and application procedures likely change with the local chapter, but I do know that a lot of them give some form of scholarship.  I formerly belonged to my local chapter and I know that we gave a yearly scholarship for aviation training.

A word of advice from a guy who has been flying since 1959: don't go into debt just to be able to fly cadets.  If you seriously are looking at aviation as a career, then debt might be the way to go.

DNALL has an excellent suggestion: the military is hard to beat for training and experience.  My signature line is all that I need to say.

Give it a shot and good luck!!!!
Paul M. Reed
Col, USA(ret)
Former CAP Lt Col
Wilson #2777

DNall

Yeah, in all seriousness, we're critically short WO pilots in my unit (2 companies worth). Other states & units will be different, but there's places (like here) where you can get a slot pretty easily if you aren't a total idiot (partial is ok  ;D ). And, this is guaranteed apaches in our case. If you're under 35, can make 110 GT (ASVAB)/90 AFAST, & pass a flight phys, then you really need to look at putting in a packet.

You come out of that year process as a mil aviator with a civilian commercial ticket. Walk across the field & get hired on the spot co-piloting to oil rigs for big cash. That also works around your school. Your trng counts for jr & sr years of an aviation degree. Pick up your basics at Jr Col, 100% paid by guard, and graduate. You might want to grab a fixed wing endorsement in that process.

Then you just have to decide if you want to keep flying commercial helo, or take an initial pay cut to go airline (better looking stewardesses). You're going to be committed to the guard 6yrs after you enter flt school, so about 7-8 total. But honestly, once we get you flying you'll never want to stop. You'll be under 50 making over 250k/yr, with retirement from airline, state, and feds. Proceed thereafter to play golf & talk about the old days when a flight computer didn't involve a battery & inst nav didn't rely on satellites.

It's not for everybody, but there isn't a better deal out there.

Frenchie

Quote from: DNall on February 29, 2008, 05:43:41 AM
scholarships are fine if you actually win one, but not something to plan on. Lot of financing options out there, as well as something like embry riddle where you can apply financial aid.

There's ways to get it done, but flying is expensive. After you get your ticket, you're still a broke college student struggling to get by. How much flying can you do under those circumstances? Are you going to be able to stay current? I don't want to be negative, but it might be better to hold off & save up a bit so you can do it closer to graduation & be able to keep up with it as you move into that first job.

You can always come fly army in the guard/res as a WO. That gets you a commercial ticket with two years of college credit, just do your basics & you're done.

I agree here.  You really need to fly at a bare minimum of 1 hr per month just to stay current.  The bare minimum assumes that one hour is filled with PTS maneuvers like stalls, steep turns, short/soft field landings, crosswind landings, slow flight, etc.  You usually can't get this just flying the occassional CAP mission, even if your squadron flies a lot.  So if you can't afford to get your ticket, how are you possibly going to afford to stay current?

stillamarine

Quote from: DNall on March 01, 2008, 03:10:56 AM
Yeah, in all seriousness, we're critically short WO pilots in my unit (2 companies worth). Other states & units will be different, but there's places (like here) where you can get a slot pretty easily if you aren't a total idiot (partial is ok  ;D ). And, this is guaranteed apaches in our case. If you're under 35, can make 110 GT (ASVAB)/90 AFAST, & pass a flight phys, then you really need to look at putting in a packet.

You come out of that year process as a mil aviator with a civilian commercial ticket. Walk across the field & get hired on the spot co-piloting to oil rigs for big cash. That also works around your school. Your trng counts for jr & sr years of an aviation degree. Pick up your basics at Jr Col, 100% paid by guard, and graduate. You might want to grab a fixed wing endorsement in that process.

Then you just have to decide if you want to keep flying commercial helo, or take an initial pay cut to go airline (better looking stewardesses). You're going to be committed to the guard 6yrs after you enter flt school, so about 7-8 total. But honestly, once we get you flying you'll never want to stop. You'll be under 50 making over 250k/yr, with retirement from airline, state, and feds. Proceed thereafter to play golf & talk about the old days when a flight computer didn't involve a battery & inst nav didn't rely on satellites.

It's not for everybody, but there isn't a better deal out there.


Ugh, Shush! you got me looking over at the ARNG Recruiting site lol!
Tim Gardiner, 1st LT, CAP

USMC AD 1996-2001
USMCR    2001-2005  Admiral, Great State of Nebraska Navy  MS, MO, UDF
tim.gardiner@gmail.com

DNall

This one might be a little more helpful if you dig around a little:
http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/

Really if anybody's interested, PM me & we'll talk.