Dear Mr MAGVAR,
Having myself informed recently at some of the places offering SSTR I think my advice might be helpfull. What's your advise or experience? Are you maybe a SSTR salesman...
As I stated before my major concern is all the waiting...waiting list for the TR, waiting list for the line training and what about quality. I hear Astraeus is more than OK but what with the daily changing job market situation??
I think most of the guys going for the SSTR now are the ones that have been looking for a job in the last 2 years but there simply were (almost) no jobs. I think it might be usefull to consider end 2005, beginning 2006 as the comeback for optimism.
Should you go for it, why not consider a prop TR, 30 to 40% cheaper and you will not have to pay for line training or at least try to make a deal with an airline before you start the adventure.
Recently 1 out of 10 guys
with a TR was selected on an evaluation at TNT Airways before they started the ab-initio recruitment !! ha ha - take into account that the required standards are on another level once you claim to be the TR pilot!