PPL as resettlement.

[RotaryWingB2]

Has anyone completed a PPL as part of their resettlement package?

I'm not a pilot, but a technician. I've been looking into doing PPL with OBA, and wondered just how much I'd have to cough up myself, and how much resettlement will cover.

Advice appreciated.

[x213a]

I got a **** off pill trying for mine using ELC's etc and just gave in and self funded.

[RotaryWingB2]

OBA quote to have done over 500 resettlement packages, I'm just trying to find someone that's done one!

You would get a '**** off' pill with ELC's, they are paying (partly) for my EASA Pt 66 tech licences, so I can't complain.

[RotaryWingB2]

Has nobody done this?:(

[Mark M'Words]

I did it. Did the PPL at the flying club at Brize I was stationed at Lyneham at the time. It was in 1988 though and I can't really remember what I was able to claim for although the accom. was free. Good luck.:ok:

[Aeronut]

I used SLC against ground school and CAA fees for PPL issue. Managed to use 2 years worth.

If you check the ELC providers you will find a few registered flying schools in there. I remember contacting some schools to ensure they registered for this very reason.

[Fitter2]

I did, in a fashion. My 3 week resettlement course was 10 miles from Blackbushe. No suitable service accomodation was available, so I got rate 1s.

As a Silver C glider pilot, as the ANO rules were in '69, I needed 3 hours solo plus flying and written tests to get a PPL A.

Finding suitable digs, the surplus on Rate 1 was sufficient to fund my PPL ( on non-radio J3 Cub), during lunch hours, and 1 evening 2 hour solo bimble around Hants and Wilts.

8 hours power in logbook and PPL achieved. (But that wasn't the sort of thing you meant, and can't be done today.)

[ex-rotaree]

Apologies if this is out of date but certainly over 1999-2000, it was possible to use the yearly educational allowances to fund ATPL(A) exams by distance learning and then get a friendly Supply Officer (or equivalent) to sign you off for Hotel expenses while at Oxford Air Training for the exams. In the final 18 months, I then used my resettlement allowances to fund a non approved IR as it was a 'professional course'.

It may be that the PPL is regarded as recreational rather than professional study. Would it help if you asked for the money for a CPL? ;)

[Greenielynxpilot]

Don't let the education & resettlement officers give you any waffle - ELCAS, SLC and your resettlement allowance are all appropriate sources of funding for flying training. All you have to do is demonstrate that the course in some way aids your personal or professional development - and if you cant blag that, don't even bother sitting the PPL exams! (Top tip ... "the PPL is an unavoidable stepping stone on the path towards a CPL")

I used 2 yrs worth of ELCAS (2 x £1000) towards the ATPL groundschool course (some careful timing of module 1 and module 2 was required to make sure they fell over two academic/financial years). I then used the third year's worth (another £1000) for an R44 type rating.

I have used the SLC (£175 per year) for each of the last 3 yrs towards the cost of a Licence Proficiency Check.

For the resettlement, your entitlement is for a grant of £534 towards the cost of a training course, but you are also entitled to NRSA for up to 28 days if there is no service accommodation nearby.

A number of resettlement course providers, usually based overseas, have come up with packages where the accommodation and training is bundled together as a residential course. For a 4-week course the accomodation element is invoiced as 28 x £100 (or whatever the appropriate rate for that country is) and the tuition is charged at - unbelievably - £534 - making a total invoice of £3334 (there or thereabouts) all of which is - purely by coincidence - allowable as a claim under current resettlement rules.

Details are easily found in Quest, Pathfinder, Courses4Forces and similar magazines that are normally to be found in the RHQ toilets. You can become a diving instructor (go diving in the Seychelles), become a ski instructor (spend a month skiing in Canada), become a yachtmaster (a month sailing in Capetown). You get the picture ...

A US PPL package (flying and accommodation) would set you back about £4k if you arranged it privately - although flights, medical, exams, licence fees etc. all soon add up and will push the cost over the £5k mark quickly enough. You would need to find a provider who is happy to invoice you for their services in the manner descibed above.

Be prepared to stand in the education officer's in tray and make him or her approve your applications - most of the ones I met were simply unable to comprehend the full costs of flying training and could not believe that a course that cost over 2 grand could be completed in a weekend. However, with much patience and not too much patronizing, all of my claims have been paid. I am presently planning a holiday in the US - to add a seaplane rating to my licence, obviously.

[Starboard Door]

I have enquired recently about doing a PPL using ELCs. As I understand it ELCs cannot be used for PPLs unless you are in your resettlement period. Have a chat with your training people.:ok: SD

[GalleyTeapot]

I know plenty non pilot aircrew types who have used ELC for PPL, I'm going to use ELC for that too. For some reason they allow it for aircrew but groundcrew have to show a significant commitment to the station flying club or similar. That said, several (groundcrew) committee members of the flying club I know had ELC PPL funding turned down.

[x213a]

Has anybody who has left the services had any good outcomes from using elc's? I seem to hit brick walls all the way with either the learning centre not being registered or the subject being deemed illegible.

My resettlement period mainly gave me the impression that a whole industry had developed from it and various plumbing, fibre-optic and close protection training establishments were the key players.

[RotaryWingB2]

Thanks for the replies people, some useful info there.

Between here, OBA and my resettlement officer, I think it's covered.

x213a, I can't comment on after leaving, but I've had no problems using ELC's towards my EASA pt66 training.

[RolyFirkinQC]

I done my PPL as a resetlement back in 2000. I done the FAA course and spent a week in Florida. All my costs were paid for, accom,elc's (or whatever they were called back then), PIE, and the resettlement money.

The only thing i had to do for the education centre was tell them why i wanted to do it in Florida. Easy. Cheeper flying,(about a third less than what it was here), and better weather.......Application APPROVED!!:ok:

One thing that i didn't realise, is that when they tell you your entitled to 30 days, i doesn't include weekends or bank holidays. So when i booked my trip, i had actually only used 23 days not the 30, even though your still get your allowances for those days.

I did have to pull a little flanker to cover all the costs. As the accommodation only cost $10 per day, (accom belonged to the airport), i asked the flying club if they would send me an invoice for accommodation charges of $60 which they duly obliged. That's still $10 for accom and the rest went on the flying.:D

It just depends what licence you want. JAA/FAA. The FAA was, or still is, 35 hours which includes your night rating and i believe the JAA licence is 45 hours.

Hope your able to get what you want.:)

[BEagle]

I did have to pull a little flanker to cover all the costs. As the accommodation only cost $10 per day, (accom belonged to the airport), i asked the flying club if they would send me an invoice for accommodation charges of $60 which they duly obliged. That's still $10 for accom and the rest went on the flying.

Well, I would call that fraud. The more people who stoop to such practices, the more chance there is of ELC rules being tightened up yet further.....:=

[RolyFirkinQC]

Just be grateful i went for the cheaper option then!!

And fraud?....No.

Just remember in them days we were entiled to £50 a night for accommodation! So the blessed MoD is still Quids in as it was paid in dollars.:mad:

[A and C]

Please guys look a little nearer home for your PPL, the RAF has it's own flying clubs and in the long run you will find them cheaper than a trip to the USA.

As far as getting the ELC you must stress that this for you is the first part of a modular fATPL and therefore the first part of a professional qualification.

[buoy15]

Greenielynxpilot
How good are you at milking cows?
Such loyalty is unswerving and unbending
You should consider going for a Law degree to become an Ambulance Chaser:8

[Greenielynxpilot]

Been there, done that ;) ...

methinks we have met before, no?