hey there. new to the forum out of pensacola soon to be Jax. i was just wondering if there are and ELOs on the forum that may be able to answer the question i have about becoming a pilot for my own recreational use under 'furthering education'. my father, uncle and now cousin (navy LT) are all pilots and i feel left out. *laughs*. its something ive always wanted just never had the opportunity. if there is any kind of info anyone may help me with that would be great. thank you very much.

~E

I know there are plenty of certified flight instructors in the Jacksonville area. As to whether the navy will pay for...that's something I never bothered to find out.

TA will not pay for flight training at all.

GI bill will but read this before diciding how you want to proceed. They only Pay 60% of flight tuition, and only pay a limited amount either way while on active duty (see part 3 on recieving benefits)

The VA will not pay for primary flight training at all. Once you are a certified private pilot, they will pick up 60% of any follow on training, such as an instrument rating, CFI, commercial, etc. but that 60% they pay will be deducted from your GI bill.

Learning to fly in Florida will cost you somewhere between $6000 and $10000 depending on how quick you pick it up and how diligent you are with it. I'm estimating high because avgas prices are killing pilots right now.

Best thing to do is ask if any family members are CFIs. If they are, and are current, they can serve as your instructor, something that will save you a lot of money. Also, check to see if Pcola has a Navy Flying Club. The one in Jacksonville rocks, and I'd be sort of surprised if there wasn't one at Pcola considering what that base is all about.

The good news is, these certifications, once you pick them up, are college credits at many schools. They're only any good towards an aviation degree, though.

if you have any questions, I am a pilot myself. Just did this a few years back, and it is a lot of work, and a hell of an accomplishment. If you're single and willing to ante up, it is worthwhile if you're really committed to it. Just think long and hard about the expense before you jump in, and shop around for good deals on plane rentals and CFI time.