Originally Posted by
Gordomac
Interesting how the thread has drifted but still, I suggest, within the bounds of "Terms & Conditions:.
I sought, only, to point in the right direction and give accurate advice. Accused of all sorts but, largely, got from this forum what I sought.
One has to be careful with terminology. I appreciate that nothing compares with the schemes of the 60's. ""Fully sponsored"- really ? ""Partial sponsorship", "Fully funded"-Whaaat-? Absolute minefield and even wealthy Moms & Dads need awareness that the pockets need to be much deeper than what the initial quote suggested.
Even "Cadet"schemes make me chuckle. I think the current BA, Fully funded Cadet scheme allows max age at entry close to the retirement age of what was in place, er, in my day.
Another "Fully funded"scheme required the successful entrant to ,actually, ""|self fund"" about 100k in order to guard against subsequent course failure Pass the course, and the "bang guarantee"" was extinguished by the ""|sponsor". Oh dear.
Asking in my opener what Airlines were seeking at entry, I suggested info I got of one airline asking for 50 quid just to look over a CV. Got a biff in the face even at that suggestion. Good Lord indeed..
I do have severe problems in guiding youngsters accurately when,often accompanying the enquiry will be requests for information on how I achieved it.
At one point in my career (sorry) but I served on the Selection Board when we "Partially sponsored"". Good grief. We took CPL holders (however achieved) and fully sponsored the twin rating, IR course and all subsequent airline training to RHS B737.
It's ok Keyboard warriors. All in the past and the present looks very unappealing to me. A view I will pass on to the Wannabees at the Taverna.
A lot of the wealthy parents I presume are "cash rich, time poor" I base that on the repeated stories of woe that seem to occur when large sums of money are paid up-front to flying schools only for said flying schools to fail in their delivery of the product. It's quite obvious that satisfactory research hasn't been carried out by such people.
Whilst BA nominally allowed those up to the age of 55 to apply to the Speedbird Academy, however looking at the group photos of some of the successful applicants and a brief look at LinkedIn, I'd say at least 80% would have met the old pre-9/11 TEP requirements of being between 18 and 26. There were some over the age of 30 and apparently one or two in their early 40's, however I believe none older than that.
I think one of the reasons why cadet schemes are so popular now is that they are effectively profit deferral schemes for airlines. The cost of training is offset by a lower starting salary for a good few years and of course can be written off against tax. The savings from the lower salaries may be realised at a low point in an economic cycle when an airline is making a much smaller profit, or indeed a loss. It's lowering today's taxable profit to generate a greater net income in future years.