Yes, they do believe they are a training risk. Rightly or wrongly so, that is the experience that many of them have had.
Two things here. Firstly, have modular and integrated students really been given the same opportunity to show off their skills/training aptitude? Second thing, you hear this line all the time from those who are not on the receiving side of this dilemma, but there's never been any hard facts to emerge from it.
You two aren’t integrated students are you? Before people accuse me of being jealous, I admit I am, but let me explain. Several years ago when I was a certain ‘Wannabe18’, these schemes were even more common than now. On this and other forums, more experienced wannabe’s (most who had a PPL) were complaining about such schemes saying they did not have any regard for people who have a proven love for this career. Having spent in the region of 6k to prove their love for flying they would be disheartened by the fact that these schemes always seemed to specify an upper limit on the number of hours. FlyBE with their ridiculous 70 hour cap for example. In addition to this there would be an inherent disregard for ones flying experience to the point where the flying school would not discount the cost of any training that was not required. This should be ample proof that profits are far more important to a school than what’s best for the student.
To such wannabe’s I used to, in my selfish arrogance say such schemes were important to new wannabe’s, as we would find it hard to fund a PPL anyway. I honestly can’t believe it now but I used to accuse the older wannabe’s of being a risk to potential employers because they were more experienced and used to doing things “the PPL way”. Now, 5 years later,
I am the experienced wannabe. For how long can someone who loves flying sit around on their arse hoping for a sponsorship to come through? It appears to me those who are prepared to do just that are more likely to get into the majors. I am now faced with the same situation those wannabe’s of past were and what have I done wrong? I’ve played the game, did nothing wrong at all. I think that comment that no business is required to give me a job if I don't meet their 'hows' (even if I meet their 'whats') is spot on, which basically confirms what I have suspected all along. And that is that snobbery and self-righteousness are still alive and well in aviation.