Learn more about our RTP and Pilot Certificate and Rating Programs
ROTOR TRANSITION PROGRAM (RTP) - Part 141/61, VA, CA, and BAH Briefing
Hello All. We run Safety in Motion Flight Center here in the Pacific Northwest, and since both our facilities border the east/west sides of Joint Base Lewis McChord, we have processed a lot of active duty and veterans through our RTP and general pilot certificate and rating programs using VA, CA, or out-of-pocket funding. After reading some of the RTAG comments and questions coupled with in-person visits I get with questions, I can see there is a good amount mis-information/mis-understanding out there I would like to help clear up. A little about me, I'm an ATP with CFI/CFII/MEI and have managed Part 61 and 141 flight schools for 25 years, and ran an aviation college for 13 years. I'm also a VA Certifying Official and have done so for both 141 Schools and Collegiate programs. I'm also a Navy veteran and used my GI Bill benefits for some of my flight training. In other words, I'm immersed in this stuff!
PART 141 OR 61
News flash - Part 141 is not more expensive than Part 61 - period. The caveat is if the 141 flight schools providing the training are familiar with how to utilize training under Part 141 to your advantage. Basically, Part 61 of the regulations is simply a list of requirements for a pilot to obtain a given pilot certificate or rating. Part 141 outlines the requirements and conditions for a flight school to be "FAA-approved" and as such is typically more structured and allows for reduced flight times for certificates/ratings. Quick comparison for 'full course' duration:
Private Pilot - Pt 61 is 40 hrs. Part 141 is 35 hrs
Instrument Rating Pt 61 is essentially 90 hrs. Part 141 is 35 hrs.
Commercial Pilot - Pt 61 is 250 total time. Part 141 is 120 hrs in course (All said under Pt 141 a Commercial could be completed at 190 hrs total time.)
Nothing in the Part 141 regulations require you to graduate from the course, meaning you can enroll and train under Part 141 but disenroll at some point and do a checkride under Part 61 assuming you meet the Part 61 requirements. For our RTP students utilizing VA benefits, we enroll them into the Part 141 course as the VA requires training to be conducted under Part 141. Once the RTP student (typically a military helicopter pilot with civilian commercial pilot-helicopter) logs the experience requirements needed for a commercial pilot-airplane certificate under Part 61, we simply disenroll them from both Part 141 and the VA programs, and they take their checkride. If you already have a commercial certificate, YOU DO NOT need the full 120 hours under Part 141 (unless you need it for other time-building goals). Learn more about Part 141 and 61 HERE.
VA GI Bill and Army Ignite (Credentialing Assistance)
Let's go in reverse. The Army has a program called the "Army Credentialing Assistance Program" (ACAP), which is also known as "Credentialing Assistance" (CA). Essentially it provides active-duty soldiers with $4,000.00 in funding that can be used for flight training or other education-based programs THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE you to be trained under Part 141. The school just needs to be approved as a vendor and have the appropriate funding programs established to meet CA requirements. This $4,000.00 is replenished every September 1st. A good plan is to use these funds first, then GI Bill afterward to save your VA benefit entitlement. There is a service obligation if you accept this, so this may be an issue if you're about to separate from service soon. For more information click HERE.
As of this writing, the CA program is about to drop its benefit from $4,000 to $1,000 for this benefit year due to funding issues, so be sure to ask and understand the program. Heck, even $1,000.00 is a help! (8/26/21 Update - Although CA still awards $4,000, they now will only approve $1,000 of it for flight training courses. This is reported to be a limitation through 2022).
VA Programs - This would require a full page and each person's situation is typically a bit different. Here are the highlights:
Both Montgomery and Post 9/11 GI Bill for aviation have two separate options: Flight Training and Collegiate. You can not use both at the same time. So if you're enrolled in a college so you can get BAH pay, you can not simultaneously use the benefit at a local Part 141 flight school for flight training (unless that flight school is affiliated with the college's program and approved by the VA).
VA Flight training benefit has an annual cap. 2021 that cap is $14,881.59 per fiscal year, which runs August 1 through July 31. This "annual cap" is a bit of a misnomer because the VA also has a maximum reimbursement per training course as identified in the Part 141 regulations (thanks to those schools who gamed the system in the past). So for example, the instrument rating course restricts funding to 35-hours of dual instruction, 30-hours of ground instruction, and 8.75 pre/post instruction. Let's assume that costs $7,000.00. As you hit each one of those category hour limits, the VA stops funding in that category. So if it took you $10,000 to complete your instrument rating, the VA would only fund $7,000 of it (in this example), even though you have $14,881 of benefits. You would have the remaining $7,881 available to you for your commercial certificate training within that fiscal year. There are things we can do to help you get the most out of your training with the least impact on your benefits.
For RTP students looking to fast-track to the airlines, we at Safety in Motion don't require you to get your Private, Instrument, then Commercial certificates. Keep in mind that the VA will not fund the Private certificate, and only funds the instrument rating if you additionally enrolled in the commercial course. As military pilots, you're already commercially certificated so there are more efficient ways to move forward (with less impact on your benefits.)
Other general requirements are that you need a minimum of a 2nd class FAA medical certificate. Although your military medical will work for general pilot training, the VA Requires" that you possess the civilian FAA 2nd Class Medical Certificate.
For more information on VA GI Bill for Flight Training click HERE.
BAH/BAQ Stipend
As mentioned previously, BAH/BAQ will only be paid out for collegiate type programs while maintaining a full-time class load. This can be used while receiving flight training, BUT ONLY for those schools associated and partnered with a VA-approved college. The flight programs at these schools is considered "a lab" for a given course. It is also restricted in not receiving funding for Private Pilot course work, and additionally to Part 141 hour limitations as mentioned above. The VA has been back-and-forth with funding Private certification at colleges, and as of this writing has approved about 20 college that own & operate their own fleet within the college, so it may be worth a search if that route is of interest to you. In our neck of the woods, Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA is one of those colleges.
Lastly, which is a faster route to the airlines?
There are numerous routes from colleges, flight schools, and academies. Here is a quick reference:
Colleges - Have multiple sources of funding, offer degree and/or academic certificate programs, may be FAA-approved for "Restricted-ATP" programs, and allow for BAH payments. A few colleges that have their own in-house flight training departments may be approved for accepting VA funding for the Private Pilot Certificate.
Flight Academies - Typically referred to accelerated training programs where you are immersed in training to get your certificates are ratings quickly. They typically require you to do your own self-studying and prep before hand as the training is usually just focused on flying and time building. These programs may or may not be VA and CA approved and can be fairly expensive with all the funds needing to paid up front, so read the fine print on the enrollment agreement!
Flight Schools - Some may be affiliated with colleges. Depending on staffing and resources, flight schools can also provide "fast track" training so long as you dedicate the same time as you would at an academy. The advantage is that you don't have to give up your job and/or relocate and they are typically more affordable. Just be sure the school has sufficient airplanes and instructors. Most importantly, they have 'a plan' and syllabus for your training! Also remember that only Part 141 flight schools approved by the VA are able to support the GI Bill and not only the school, but the individual courses have to be approved as well - so ask questions.
The airline industry is hiring like crazy! We were expecting things to increase by Nov/Dec 2021, but it's already here and the pilot shortage is expected to deepen in the months and years to come. It's a great time to be in the industry - especially as pilots and flight instructors!
Y'all stay safe out there.
~ Shawn Pratt
