Originally Posted by
wheels_down
The Virgin cadetship last time round had 4000 people apply. 12 got in. From memory the majority were female, they use these courses to increase the low quota of female pilots. Jetstar has a similar quota of applicants and entry. The cadets all seem very young also late teens, early 20s.
If if you want to go down the GA to Regional to Airline Route the first few years you will be earning 40k a year, then a few more years of 50k, then as we approach the 10 year mark you might be at a regional on 70k. And that’s after a couple of years slogging away getting a self funded CPL which you are negative a hundred grand before the first job. Then comes the issue of funding the first job.
Option 2 is easier if single and flexible. The only way to really do it these days is a decade of 6 figure earning in another industry to set your life up then go into it. Otherwise financially miserable.
Wheels, that whole attitude and focus on $$$ is what makes people miserable in the first place - no matter what their profession. Yeah you can earn way more in jobs such as investment banking, but having a $3m dollar mortgage and nice view does not correlate to happiness. The earlier poster, if you really are doing it for the right reasons, then who cares about a cadetship. That will probably lead you straight back to where you were as a banker. Do it for the adventure and do it because you're passionate about it. Don't do it because you think you'll be flying a big jet in a fancy looking uniform.