Pilot chute
Hecs help is not the same as fee help. Different Rules!!
VA cadet ship incorrectly uses FEE HELP to fund all aspects of training post PPL.
Virgin cadets will graduate their diploma of aviation (instrument flight operations) with a PPL with a MECIR on it. Immediately after the MECIR is achieved and after all of the VETFEE funding has been drawn down by FTA the cadets will be entered as 'Graduated' in the Government Computer system thus ending the governments interest in that individual and the course. The cadets will then immediately after sit a Commercial flight test (a cert iv qualification). The commercial flight test is not done prior to the mecir because that would make it too obvious that cert iv training was being carried out, and nested within the diploma level qualification where it has no place. Where is the commercial training you ask? Where is the commercial hour building? where is the fifty hours
Cross country command aeronautical experience required to be eligible for a CIR accrued? yes you guessed it, hidden in the instrument rating course away from the government auditors who sign off VETFEE eligibility.
Seriously, what place has solo cross country and dual commercial VFR Nav training have in an instrument rating course? By its very nature cir training is all dual and the enroute Nav should be done under the ifr rules and not VFR.
Remember:
Including all or part of lower level qualifications within a VET course of study cannot be used as a means of creating an entitlement to VET FEE-HELP assistance for students.
VET FEE-HELP assistance is only available for:
• VET courses of study: o VET diploma; o VET advanced diploma; o VET graduate certificate; and o VET graduate diploma
• VET units of study that make up the minimum requirement for the student to receive the qualification
VET FEE-HELP assistance is not available for units of study:
• where the student is doing more than is needed to receive the qualification;
• that are not a part of the diploma or above qualification; and
• that are part of a lower qualification, i.e. Certificate I, II, III or IV.
Substantial amounts of money are no doubt being incorrectly and possibly illegally drawn down from the government scheme. I say illegally as eligibility for VETFEE assistance is included in the Higher Education Support Act 2003, part of the laws of Australia.
To be honest I am surprised that Virgin Australia and particularly Mr Borghetti, a man who I view as having the upmost integrity and ethics, is having anything to do with this scam!