We Are Big on Veterans at Safety in Motion Flight Center
Our Chief Flight Instructor, along with many of the senior flight instructors and mechanics at Safety in Motion Flight Center, are military veterans, so we understand the importance of offering training to active, separated, and transitioning military veterans looking for careers as a pilot.
Safety in Motion Flight Center is a professional Part 141 Flight School, which is approved by both the FAA and VA for providing flight training programs and supporting a host of VA GI Bill® educational benefit programs.
We are also strong advocates for VA students.
Recently, our Chief Flight Instructor, Shawn Pratt, has been working with the Congressional House Committee on Veterans Affairs regarding an academic cap for completing commercial pilot coursework. It is our belief the VA’s policy of concurrent enrollment can be misinterpreted based on the following:
Evidence of intent to pursue a vocational objective is based on concurrent enrollment. The Professional Pilot focuses on the outcome of the concurrent enrollment, the unmet need, and the lack of proper funding. Case in point, Instrument and Commercial are viewed as one training course to ensure a vocational objective, however, the lack of proper funding does not follow, as explained in the following scenarios:
Example 1) "Person A" does not plan to pursue a vocational track. So, they enroll in both Instrument and Commercial courses. Once they complete their instrument rating, they simply quit. Now they're a Private Pilot with an Instrument Rating.
Example 2) "Person B" plans to fly for a career. They enroll in both courses as indicated above. They complete the Instrument rating, and about 1/2 of the commercial pilot certificate training until they run out of money (academic cap). The cap stays with them regardless of whether they stop or re-enroll. So they quit, snuffing out their career plans. This person is also now just a Private Pilot with an Instrument Rating.
Neither pathway ensures a vocational outcome based on the VA's current funding approval linking both courses to the same annual reimbursement cap.
VA limits the annual academic cap for Chapter 33 to currently $15,075.05 with no way to separate them.
If "the intent" is provided by the dual enrollment, then both courses should be properly funded under one generalized course. If the Instrument/Commercial course was somehow combined into some sort of Professional Pilot course, and that course was approved as a combined course, it would be different, but that is not the case. They are currently two separately approved FAA and VIB Courses.
Shawn will continue to follow through with this as he advocates for veteran students pursuing a career in aviation.
More on Veteran Funding
Once enrolled, veterans pay for their flight training out-of-pocket as they go and each month we submit a "certification" of what the veteran spent. The VA then reimburses this amount up to the VA’s annual cap limits, and the funds are reimbursed back to the veteran. Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill®, this amount is refunded at 100% up to the annual allowed limit which changes every September. For veterans enrolled under the Montgomery GI Bill® or REAP programs, reimbursement is limited to up to 60% of the allowed charges.
The staff at Safety in Motion Flight Center are quite knowledgeable about these various programs and how they work with flight training, so simply call or make an appointment so we can discuss your individual enrollment program and flight training goals. We're here to help!
Learn more HERE, or CONTACT US Today!
