I think this and the getting job thing is the biggest worry for me, especially if the candidate is not matched to an airline during training, at present only something like 42 out of the 72 candidates per year are matched. Although they will be put in a pool of trained pilots on the ATP scheme at the end of training, to go into that amount of debt with no clear route to a job despite CTC promising they'll do everything they can to get a job is still slightly worrying. It will be interesting to see how the non matched pilots fare when it comes to getting a job at the end of training.
There is clearly a risk but it is exactly the same risk taken by self funded Oxford, BAE Student.
When you add the interest, debt is very similar.
Difference is CTC gives you a high chance of a job and also covers the type rating within that similar self funded cost.
That's the way I see it.