The tipping point
Whilst the Right Honourable Gentleman has expressed his point of view, and although it is not essentially without merit, there are certain aspects to consider.
Payment by credit card will give some protection. Other means may well have little or no protection.
Insurance against default might be an option; take financial advice from a professional authorised to provide it.
Those who have just started might well decide to throw in the towel, cut their losses and perhaps wait for better times and eventually go down the modular route.
Alternatively the ATO might agree to you pausing training for say a year, perhaps longer, until the prospects of employment becomes less opaque.
I assume the ATO is still trading.
Those deep into the flying having spent 75%+ might well decide to keep on going. What has been spent is a ‘sunk cost’ and with nothing to show for it apart from a PPL at best. So for that extra 25% you are issued with a licence, and await in a state of hibernation.
Renewals, keeping reasonably current, needs careful planning and something the ATO might be flexible with special deals going for previous customers.
Another option would be to delay the MCC element so that you have the course later downstream when the “green shoots” aka interviews start to appear. Hit the ground running.
As for those not at the start, or near the end, at least complete the EASA exams successfully, before making a final decision.
Unfortunately, not all ATOs will survive the tsunami. Spent your money carefully, as up front payments are always at potential risk.
Above all, above smooooth talking snake oil salesmen.
Last edited by parkfell; 7th July 2020 at 11:23.