I am a realist; I entirely understand that there will always be those who will have the ability to spend their way into a job (though if they've got that much money you'd have to wonder why they bother!), and, over the last few years, a type rating does seem to have given some people an advantage. I have no doubt that it will continue this way for the moment, and I don't blame people for taking this route, but I believe that the market will eventually make it too much of a lottery for airlines and they will have to start providing more training at their own expense again.
My real anger is reserved for those who, having paid for their training, announce (like the originator of another recent thread) that they'll go on working for an airline for little or no pay. That is what really devalues the pilot's job. I can't understand why a person would do this, but it seems that they are out there.
The Ryanair situation is intolerable and will be addressed once the airline is forced to accept union representation - as long as the pilot workforce retains its unity of purpose. In the meantime, we can only press for incremental improvement in the training business, eventually hoping to persuade airlines to recognise and assume their training responsibilities. It won't happen overnight!
Scroggs
Last edited by scroggs; 1st Sep 2004 at 21:42.