Originally Posted by
PDR1
Had I chosen "professional pilot" then I would have had access to the fame, fortune and hot babes, and probably still had the fast cars, but I would never have got the lettuce. If you want the lettuce after your name you do have to do the work and achieve the degree, not just bitch about it later.
It's either that or share out the cash and give use 2nd dibs on some of the totty.
I'm not too sure about any of those... I ain't seen no fame, fortune or fast cars (though I have noticed the occasional Porscha, Lambo, Aston etc in the crew car park!)... hot babes..hmm, better look over me shoulder before I type anything, the wife could be hovering around!
But I do agree about having to put the work in for a degree!
I will re-iterate: ticking boxes to pass 14 Atpl subjects does
NOT in any way shape or form equate to any work required at degree level. Equally, having achieved 10,000 or 30,000 hours flying a 300T jet around the globe does not entitle one to a degree! What academic achievement have we exactly attained to be able to say we should be awarded a degree?
Despite what others are trying to say, this is a job that requires no particularly high academic standards! Sure there is an element of aptitude, hand-eye coordination, decision-making, teamwork.
However, as someone else has said previously, most Atpl candidates achieve 90%+ pass marks on all subjects. That really says it all about the academic level of knowledge required to pass the Atpls...
The exact same goes for a Type Rating. It's just an awfully massive amount of technical info and procedures. I know because I've done 3.
But for heaven's sake it's not degree level learning!
What PDR1 said about successfully obtaining an ATPL and a TR is essentially true! We take an awful amount of information, and very basic for that matter, and apply it to our job. Again, airmanship, a "non-eventful" div to St Johns or Nizhnevartovsk, a successful landing in crosswind with gusts to 45kt, or a well-handled engine fire are NOT something you can go and claim a degree for!
You want a degree, go to Uni like everyone else who wanted a degree did before you. Simples really.