well I didn't like having to pay for the tests, but that's just how it seems to be in this industry! Quite frankly I'd rather pay £60 now, £40k later and then be stuck with with Flybe for a few years; than pay, for the sake of argument, £70k and risk hanging around for a couple of years trying to get a job...
But knowing that there were only ever going to be 4 places or so and hundreds of applicants, you have to accept that you probably will end up paying yourself. I know that, and am saving up to pay for (most likely) the modular route myself. But it doesn't stop me applying for these schemes on the way; its not the easiest career to get started in (!) and so I think you have to give everything a shot. Alright, Flybe are only contributing £20k (and you have to pay it back) but its better than nothing, right???
If I thought I didn't stand a chance of getting the sponsorship, I wouldn't have paid the money and applied. But I think I do stand a chance and so I'm willing to pay what is a relatively small sum of money to find out.