Originally Posted by
BigMike
Leaving before you give a reasonable return of service for ratings or training, is just shooting yourself in the foot...
You will simply get a reputation that will follow you...
If I employ, and train/type rate you, I will ask that you stay for a fair, and agreed length of time to make the cost worthwhile.
I don't however, believe type ratings should be used as a form of bonus, or instead of paying someone properly. I will type rate you as an operational necessity, not as a reward.
BM, a lot of GA operators have that attitude & congratulations to you for it. From a line pilot's perspective it's not always a malicious or deceitful intent when leaving a company after receiving training. I've worked for some great operators who I consider friends, unfortunately the entire companies workload reduced significantly & I found myself in a personal situation where I just couldn't afford to stay with the company or I would have went broke. I didn't foresee that situation when I received the training but regardless of the reasons/excuses the end result was the same, the company trained me & about a year later I left. I worked hard to rectify my personal situation & I would be happy to go back to that company now if they'd have me, but a decade later I still feel regret that it went down that way. My regret doesn't help the operators bottom line & I guess if 1 particular operator has this happen a few times they would soon become reluctant to keep making the same mistake repeatedly & introduce bonds etc.
With the large companies they don't have a personal connection to the employee & I think they are adjusting their HR strategies in response to the generational shift, less people stay with 1 company for their working career these days compared to previous generations. I guess it's up to us to decide which world we want to live in when we choose which jobs to apply for, an unfortunate summary as surely a pilot paying for a rating to do a job is below the floor of reasonable business expenses.