Originally Posted by
Chris the Robot
I'm just about old enough to remember when the topic of CTC was on here in 2006-2007. Back then the cost was about £60k (which you generally got back), type ratings were generally paid for by partner airlines (who were matched with students mid-training), there was a HSBC Professional Studies loan which was available for everyone. You could only ever apply once, if you failed you didn't get a second go and only about 2% of applicants (from all financial backgrounds) got in.. At the time, it really seemed like THE place to be, shame I was a few years too young.
Seems like things have changed a bit...
I think it was when they traded their reputation for cash, by selling themselves. And then did it again, and the investors decided to maximise their return by opening the floodgates and turning it into the sausage factory.
It became a very successful money making machine, then L3 bought it. And tried to ramp it up even more. But it seems that the quality dropped as the quantity increased. And they've reached critical mass.
Their selling point was their placement record and industry reputation. As close to guaranteed airline job as you could get, that was worth paying for, in many peoples opinion. But without that, they are nothing but an overpriced flight school.