Considering using VA Voc Rehab to change careers from nursing to pilot. Have about 9 years in air medical; 4 as medic on rotor, 5 as RN on fixed wing. Loved flying and rode up front on as many dead legs home as I could. Currently 40 y/o… thoughts? Advice?
Chris,
My thoughts are it doesn’t matter what my (or anyone else’s) thoughts are. What matters are yours.
If you’re asking if you’re too old your not. If you’re asking if you’ll be successful we have no clue? Not everyone can or should be a pilot. If you’re not sure you can than take a lesson or 5. If you’re confident you can and your ready then start sooner than later (40 isn’t old but it’s not young either). If it’s something you want to do then do it but again this is a decision only you can make.
The following link will provide some good information and you’re free to return with some specific questions.
Adam
Chris,
It is certainly not too late for you to get into the airline industry, but I would not waste any time either. Airline pilots must retire by the age of 65, so your career is limited. There is a detailed post in the FAQ section that covers airline pilots and age.
On another note, I know that using your VA benefits seems to make sense on the surface, but that can. be a cumbersome and time consuming process and is certainly not the most effective way to get to the airlines. I would consider using your benefits to obtain a degree if you do not have one, or passing them onto your children.
Chris
Good to know about the age limit for retirement! So 40 isn’t too late to start this off, perfect!
The benefits part is another area I need to get clarification on VA VR, is a specific program within va not linked to GI bill. It covers full cost of education/training programs that fit within a persons interests and aptitudes as identified through their interview and testing. So far my identified areas are healthcare - critical care, and science - more so natural science. That said, none of the testing involve anything to do with aviation. Not even “do you wonder how birds fly? Do you enjoy riding in airplanes? Have you ever thought about what it takes to become a pilot?” Nada!
So I’m gonna get personal here… to qualify for VA VR, one must have a certain level of VA disability rating. I’m sitting at 100%, total on ptsd alone. The doctor years of rotor medic was army, did 6 as an infantry medic before that, 2 years in Iraq. Got some skeletons. Going through covid and icu shortages as a fixed wing flight RN apparently didn’t help. I worry about passing the class 1 medical. I’m treating it, aggressively. Seen too many brothers and sisters that didn’t and what happened to them. But it does require meds, continued counseling and a regular sleep schedule…. I’ve looked on FAA website about the medical stuff, but it’s pretty vague lending to the subjective views of any given medical examiner.
The caveats with the VA VR for flight training, is that is must be part of a degree program, at least an associates degree.
Next factor: my wife and I are moving near Ontario Oregon which has such a program and it’s connected to Sky West’s Pilot Pathway Program. This all is extremely exciting and intriguing, but is there any way to get an idea if I could actually pass a class 1 medical? And does anyone have experience or knowledge of the skywest program and life In skywest airlines? We want to stay in that area near Ontario Oregon; Boise is the nearest big airport. Or would sky west make employees move residences through their careers?
One more factor I’d like your folks’ perspective on: stress. I’m used to stressors of 24-72 hour continuous flights, no notice dispatches, and trying to keep people from dying on me. I’ve only “lost” 5… as in handed off in cardiac arrest with all the bad signs, or they succumbed within the week after handoff. 6 including Iraq flight time. I know im getting really personal here, but it matters!
What are stressors like in the aviation world or airliners? Day to day, flight to flight, corporate pressures, common frustrations, crew relations especially between captain and first officers? Time away from family and changes to schedules from WX and maintenance delays? Etc. just want to get a well educated position going into this thing…
Chris,
You pretty much nailed the stressors from the airlines, I am sure they are nowhere as extreme as what you had as a medic.
That being said, the FAA is not a fan of PTSD and even less of a fan of mind altering medications. I recommend that you schedule a consultation with a FAA doctor, known as an “AME”. You can find one of those by searching here:
I would try to go to one that is a HIMS AME.
Chris
Chris,
First, thank you for your service. This is an exciting time for you and we hope to help as much as possible.
To start, I would schedule an appointment with an AME to see what the road ahead would look like to obtaining a first class medical. Right now that could be your biggest obstacle with a former PTSD diagnosis. The first class medical is required to be an airline pilot. You may have to go through a more extensive screening which can take time.
Once you get the first class medical situation figured out, I would jump into flight training as quickly as possible. I know it seems incredibly tempting to want to figure out how to use your military benefits to pay for your ratings unfortunately, having to be linked 2 degree programs means none of them will be quick and time is of the essence for you. It would be better for you to get your ratings and get to an airline and maximize your earning potential than to save on the initial investment.
Also, I spent about a year and a half at SkyWest and loved it. For a regional airline they operate incredibly well. I chose them for their financial strength and future stability in case I spent my whole career there. I also loved how flexible the bases were and the choice of which aircraft to fly.
Hannah