The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved the use of VA benefits to cover living expenses for participants of Duncan Aviation’s Airframe and Powerplant Apprenticeship programs. Duncan already covers the costs of the programs, including books, training, and testing. Under the VA approval, participants can use benefits to help offset the cost of tools and their monthly housing allowance toward living expenses while they are taking classes, learning new skills, or working toward the A&P certification. Technicians working full-time are paid while in training.

Duncan credited the approval in part to the help from its airframe mechanic II Brody Wullschleger, who had served in the U.S. Army and began as a tech helper at Duncan Aviation two years ago. “I had been talking to a friend who works at the VA here in Lincoln, and she mentioned that the post-9/11 GI Bill included a provision for benefits for on-the-job training,” said Wullschleger, who passed his airframe rating exams in August. “I was able to use the benefits for living expenses and apply some toward tools.”

In addition, Duncan said Performance Aircraft of Lincoln has agreed to proctor FAA airmen knowledge tests, eliminating the need for apprentices to drive to Omaha to find an FAA-authorized proctor. Along with the A&P exam, Performance Aircraft is authorized to proctor exams for private pilot, instrument, commercial, CFI, ATP, and unmanned aircraft, among others.