Capt, While I agree with you in principle, its not about having the nerve to hold out for a company to buy your type rating. Its about being given the right information in the first place. Hundreds of wanabees peruse this forum in the hope of getting information on how they can get their license and a job because the only other real source of info is from the FTOs and we know that many of those price their courses well above their actual worth and base cost! If people here, tell them the status quo is to buy a type rating and fork out £60k for training, many will blindly believe that information.
The truth is that you dont have to get mortgage sized loans to fund your desire to be a pilot. My bill came to £30k, incl accomodation and for that sum I have an ICAO license and an FATPL. I have just been offered a dream job with an extremely reasonable bond which is absolutely minimal and it was all through sheer hard work and determination. I have turned down numerous interviews where I was told buying the type rating was mandatory and I am looking very much forward to my future.
It is those who are investigating their training options that we need to inform. We need to inform them of all the great ways of building experience (instructing, photo recon, meat bomb dropping and glider towing etc), building contacts and getting a value for money qualification that is going to let them do the best job in the world. That will help us and the future pilots get what we deserve for the job that we do and it will help protect those new to the industry!
We can start by telling wanabee pilots that they shouldnt pay for type ratings and that they should avoid schemes like the new one at Logan or we can collectively stick our heads in the sand!
Loganair has made the call to only accept type rated pilots and then bond them for a stupid amount for line training. That is a commercial decision that has sound backing when talking to the beancounters but should we as pilots be defending Logans right to effectively charge for a "service" as some here see it or should we be educating our future colleagues. There are wanabees here who are rightfully pissed off and we should be supporting them to that end so that the next wanabee knows the real deal!!! The apathy in this industry is pathetic!