STOP SMELLING JET FUEL!
Mole1010 - Very few airlines in this economic climate are taking on cadets and this is really a throw-back to the military way of doing things. For some reason, the fallacy exists that pilots can be trained to a better standard if they are being trained for an "Airline" CPL rather than a "non-Airline" CPL. There is no difference other than the normal differences that exist between pilots in general.
It is even more ludicrous to hear that QANTAS recognise that the Cadets lack GA experience (or take that as experience in general) and so are sent off to gain the required experience in GA. Meanwhile, there are many suitable, qualified and experienced pilots out there who have what is lacking in the cadets! Hopefully, HR departments will recognise this next time someone (probably either ex-military or an ex-cadet him/herself) mentions the idea of taking on cadets. Can QANTAS really justify spending so much UNNECESSARY money to their shareholders? I ask again, what is QANTAS receiving from the operators who are placing the Cadets?
Please understand, this is not an attack on the Cadets themselves. Those who get through (and those who don't) will get no stick from me. This is purely pointing out a fairly rediculous and archaic practice that fails to recognise hard work and ability over the ability to pass a series of tests if you happen to be born within a select number of years. An idea that I'm sure most would feel distinctly un-Australian.
LP