SC - I don't think that you can compare pilots working for free with the apprenticeships you talk about.. .. .An apprenticeship implies that the apprentice doesn't know the job and will be trained by his boss/mentor. Us new pilots have already trained, and got the qualification so although we will be gaining experience it isn't as though we are learning a new trade.. .. .I have to agree with you HM in that we all have a collective responsibility to maintain the value of our profession, otherwise in the long term we can only expect our wages to drop.. .. .I have no commitments in the way of family, mortgage etc so working for nothing is something that I could do, however it doesn't mean that I should. I fully expect that one day I will be in the RHS of a jet, but I am not going to prostitute myself to get there. There are pilots out there who have built a life around the salary they have come to depend on. I can survive on instructor wages, whereas they can't.. .. .I know all wannabes are desperate to fly, but it really will be better for everybody if they get a part time job to supplement an instructor wage or a full time job that affords them enough to hour build or get that type rating. Whatever they want, but just don't work for free. It will hurt us all in the long run. Be patient and weather the storm. When it blows over, there will be a demand for us again.. .. .PS and that goes for whoever it is advertising their free services in Flight International this week as well. You must have more money than sense!. .. .And that all I have to say about that. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />