Hi,
I have an ATPL - I might even be the kind of person you're looking for (I make no assumptions) - but I'm sorry, I cannot afford that kind of thing. I accept my current training bond, and save money to pay it in case of any other offers, which I only actively hunt when I can afford the remainder of the bond. That is the way I do it. I do not want to incur any legal tangles, and am genuinely thankful for the opportunities companies have given me - I accept the bond, since it is only fair that they be able to recoup the money spent on training me if I accept a position with somebody else.
BUT, I WILL NOT shell out my own money for an aircraft of that cost - frankly an ATR is just too expensive. How could I possibly justify taking out that kind of loan, unless it was with zero interest, and the companies salary made it worthwhile? Flying training was already a huge chunk of money - I could understand if it was a C208 or something like that, but an ATR? Not a chance. I'm sure you will find people willing to live in debt, BUT with a house and a car, my salary is taken - sorry. And what about job security - what would happen if a pilot was retrenched, or furloughed? Surely that is a risk in the contract flying world? How would he or she service that kind of debt? Perhaps you have policies in place which minimise the risk, but I feel that those are risks not worth taking.
I also feel that this kind of policy is just a reflection of the realities of supply and demand - were the situation reversed, and companies competed for the attentions of too few pilots (a highly unlikely scenario, I agree!), this kind of thing would not happen. I understand the sense it makes from a business point of view, and pilots who try to shirk their training bonds put us all in a bad light, but I don't agree with paying for training up front.
That is my opinion, others may well differ.