The Scoop on the recreational rating

EvoV98 said:
You see the issue? If i leave with a log book all of you are happy, but if I take that logbook and use it to get a lower rating I am cheating the system? its BS
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No, not all of us are happy.

Using "the system" to fund your hobby is fairly likely to get "the system" changed so those with more legitimate needs will have more trouble. Like what is probably going to happen (if it hasn't already) for the helicopter guys.

This is a want, not a need. You need to understand what the GI Bill is really for. Some people do actually need it.

Yes, taking an F intentionally is gaming the system. The ethical thing to do is pay the difference out of pocket.
 
AOPA says this about rec pilots (latest data from 2011 forecast):

Student = 115,000
Recreational = 210 (my note: This number has been dropping every year. The high point was 343 in '99.)
Sport = 4,350
Private = 196,650
Commercial = 123,900
ATP = 142,650
Other (includes helicopter/glider only) = 36,900
 
MAKG1 said:
No, not all of us are happy.

Using "the system" to fund your hobby is fairly likely to get "the system" changed so those with more legitimate needs will have more trouble. Like what is probably going to happen (if it hasn't already) for the helicopter guys.

This is a want, not a need. You need to understand what the GI Bill is really for. Some people do actually need it.

Yes, taking an F intentionally is gaming the system. The ethical thing to do is pay the difference out of pocket.
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Having a minor on a degree is not for a hobbie guy. By that logic no veteran should be able to have a minor on their degree plan. And I didnt realize I need to explain my life plan to the internet so people wont get there panties in a bunch..... Did I say I was going to fail on purpose? NO I did not.
 
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A recreational certificate is for a hobby... And you'll always be limited to 1 passenger and 50 miles (though specific training at a new airport will let you go 50 miles from there, the total distance per flight is still 50 miles).

If you only get a recreational certificate, then the government will have paid for a new career for you in a way that does not result in a career, but only a hobby.

Pay the difference out of pocket if you need more hours and get the PPL with government subsidies, but the government is not meant to pay for your recreational hobby.
 
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EvoV98 said:
Having a minor on a degree is not for a hobbie guy. By that logic no veteran should be able to have a minor on their degree plan. And I didnt realize I need to explain my life plan to the internet so people wont get there panties in a bunch..... Did I say I was going to fail on purpose? NO I did not.
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Either you're going for a career change or you are not. Which is it?

Yes, you did ask a question about intentional fails.

It sure seems like you're trying to get free flight training because you can. Some of us see that as misuse of a rather important resource.
 
EvoV98 said:
See it is my understanding that if I fail the course then I have to pay the money they spent back... I also thought about seeing if I could take the course again as an additonal elective but I think with the minor I have all my elective full.

I also dont like the single passenger restriction of a rec pilot.


And be careful, you may get attacked for gaming the system by suggesting that I fail.... lol
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As you should pay it back.




You're taking the taxpayers for a ride to fund a hobby and what you're trying to do, combined with what some shady schools have done, is exactly why many feel that GI benefits should not be allowed to fund flight training.
 
James331 said:
As you should pay it back.




You're taking the taxpayers for a ride to fund a hobby and what you're trying to do, combined with what some shady schools have done, is exactly why many feel that GI benefits should not be allowed to fund flight training.
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BS! He served and earned his VA entitlement. He needs to talk to a VA counselor. He may eventually choose to instruct part time even if he never makes aviation his full time job. Good luck and I thank the OP for his service.
 
Witmo said:
BS! He served and earned his VA entitlement. He needs to talk to a VA counselor. He may eventually choose to instruct part time even if he never makes aviation his full time job. Good luck and I thank the OP for his service.
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Not with a recreational certificate.
 
Witmo said:
BS! He served and earned his VA entitlement. He needs to talk to a VA counselor. He may eventually choose to instruct part time even if he never makes aviation his full time job. Good luck and I thank the OP for his service.
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Maybe one day he'll want to be a race car driver, we should buy him a corvette too. :rofl:

Maybe he might wake up and decide to be a PGA golfer, let's buy him some ping clubs, a membership to a PGA course and a full time trainer :rofl:

If it was just coming out of your check, sure go hog wild, but it's coming out of mine too and I'm not down with this guy "finding himself" through hobbies on my tab.


And I will not thank him for his voluntary service, I wasn't thanked for my forced support, nor do I feel he actually defended the country, nation building and contractors wars are not protecting freedoms, just protecting stock tickers. The only folks I thank for their service are volunteer medics, SAR and FD.


That said we promised this guy a education, we should produce, that said he should have been a adult and picked a single vocation and got on with it already.

Abuse of GA benefits should be a immediate termination of ALL military benefits.
 
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MAKG1 said:
Either you're going for a career change or you are not. Which is it?

Yes, you did ask a question about intentional fails.

It sure seems like you're trying to get free flight training because you can. Some of us see that as misuse of a rather important resource.
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Never did I ask about failing! it was brought up by someone else or can you not read?
 
James331 said:
Maybe one day he'll want to be a race car driver, we should buy him a corvette too. :rofl:

Maybe he might wake up and decide to be a PGA golfer, let's buy him some ping clubs, a membership to a PGA course and a full time trainer :rofl:

If it was just coming out of your check, sure go hog wild, but it's coming out of mine too and I'm not down with this guy "finding himself" through hobbies on my tab.
QUOTE]

As already stated I paid money, thats cash that I made, to buy into it and had tax dollars paid as well, go quit acting like I didnt pay for and earn the benefits.
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If the OP can't afford the hours to get the Private certificate he should definitely stick to the Recreational certificate. He can't afford to fly anywhere anyway.
 
EvoV98 said:
As already stated I paid money, thats cash that I made, to buy into it and had tax dollars paid as well, go quit acting like I didnt pay for and earn the benefits.
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Yup - you paid some into it. According to military.com you paid in $1,200 for the Montgomery GI Bill... but if you are on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which started on August 1, 2011, it seems to be no cost to you. As a taxpayer, I paid into it too... and the taxpayers as a whole are picking up a much bigger tab than you did (that's why it is called a benefit).

To get value for my tax dollars, I need you to have a viable career... and a recreational certificate will not do that. If I am paying for part of your schooling, you need to be employable when you are done.
 
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What's all this about "intentional fails?" If you don't pass the FAA checkride at the end of a flying course or you are not signed off for the checkride due to lack of proficiency in some task, it's a legitimate F for the course. You have the option of taking an Incomplete and paying out of pocket for additional hours, or accepting the F and having the VA pay to repeat the course. They'll only do this one time. It's the same if you failed calculus 101. You don't take the final or you fail the final, you get an F and you repeat the course. If you take an incomplete and don't finish, it turns into an F. There is no "gaming of the system." That's the way college works.
 
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