is interesting as your profile says you only have a PPL...
apologies meeb - I haven't updated my profile since I first got a PPRUNE username. I shall do so forthwith...
I also stand by my belief that if you have the co-ordination to drive a manual car you have the co-ordination to fly an aircraft; some may find it easier or more natural but I would say that there are very few who cannot achieve it in the end. There are a lot of pilots out there who seem to believe that they are God's gift because they have learned to fly a plane. As a pilot I am not one of them.
And Maximum I do believe that the ATPL exams (I must admit I was thinking more about the thoery) are a lot easier than a lot of people seem to claim. I do not wish to belittle those who struggle (I find the theory a lot easier than the stick and pedals) but some people find academia difficult at any given level - there are plenty who cannot pass GCSEs and there are those who find it a breeze till they get to PhD level.
The bottom line is that those exams, the skills training and flight tests and then a large dose of luck (the last being the most important - although with regard to CVs etc you can make your own luck) is entirely what it takes to be an airline pilot. (as the legal minimum - I don't intend to start listing the required personal qualities) I accept that lots of people make huge sacrifices to go down this route but for a lot of them this is because of finances. From an integrated course you can achieve an ATPL pretty quickly as long as you have the money.
I love my job but I am amused when people keep comparing it to others whith which (in my opinion) it does not compare. I do not wish to denigrade myself or others but there seems to be a lot of people who put themselves on a par with brain surgeons because they can fly a plane.