Gosh guys - chill, please! I really didn't mean to provoke such a heated exchange! Rainboe your "Warning Toxic" title is very apt!
I didn't particularly want to go into all this but just so you know where I am coming from:
I am (or at least was!) a very experienced Turboprop Captain. Sadly I lost my job and seemingly career in the wake of the tragedy of 9/11! I have been unemployed ever since! I recently had one successful interview only to fail the subsequent "simulator assessment". I have just had another unsuccessful interview the argument being that I was considered "too great a training risk" after 4+ years of not flying! Fair enough, maybe, - although of course they knew from my c.v. that I hadn't flown for 4+ years so why waste everybody's time inviting me for interview but that's another story!
Now unexpectedly I have been invited for another interview and simulator assessment and I simply cannot afford to blow what may well be my last chance hence my genuine desire to secure a "jump seat" ride on the aircraft type in question!
I only wish I had a pound for every time I had allowed someone to travel on the jump-seat whilst I was a Captain - sadly though times change!
9/11 put me on the dole and it seems all these years later it is still preventing me from becoming re-employed!
BOAC and Halfwayback thank you very much for your comments. Rainboe - thanks for your "toxic" frankness!