Originally Posted by
Dr Eckener
That about sums up the reasons why lots of people end up in lots of debt with no job, and enables airlines to ask for TR's etc.
It's not necessarily about going integrated or modular. You can as well go integrated and THEN take your time to work your way up the ladder, from aerial work and the lot. But you need a sort of commitment to patience, because the temptation of buying this and that to skip some steps will be, and unfortunately IS, strong. The modular route somehow helps in keeping a more natural pace. Note: I'm an integrated guy! The point is -and what I think Dr Eckener meant- that the aforequoted attitude ("I want to get it done quickly instead of messing about for years") is completely wrong, it's dangerous both for the individual and for the other thousands of wannabees, to say the least.
I can't help repeating: don't think an ATPL is a route to the airlines. It is NOT. Although it might eventually happen that you find that kind of job when you're finished, what you're buying by the FTOs is the chance of being a PILOT. THEN you have to develop this initial chance from the bottom of the stair, not trying to take ANOTHER chance by jumping at the top (or so they say..). Enjoy your climb; it's tasty, possibly one of the best parts of your career: and again, being thrown in a shiny big jet like a bowl-fish in the ocean, without tasting the joy of that "previous" experience, is really like missing something.
My 2 pennies
P.S.: And oh, Wannabe1974, when you say
I'm swapping a life of dullness for something I have wanted since I can remember.
That's great, it's so damn right to chase your dreams. But try not to sell your parents and things like that on the run, because..
Even if it does make me poor.
One day you might have a different opinion
