"If there is anything to learn by the JAA system it is this, 200 hr graduate pilots of the approved schools can and DO enter the employment stream at a level where most of our pilots here take 3-5 years of hard badly paid graft to get to. "
Bucket, just my 2 cents worth.....
While the JAA system places a lot of emphasis on the theoretical and the mulit crew environment etc etc..... I have found that most JAA low time pilots (trained in the UK) looking for work (outside the UK) battle to maintain the centreline... lazy feet? So he can pass the exams and the sim test but not so hot in the hands-on department, and don't get me started on the subject of airmanship! Most of the pilots train abroad anyhow..... so don't mock the systems that your fellow aviators have tarined at
While I will say that the standards in SA appear to have dropped, it is very hard to generalise, it's really up to each individuals own ability.
My opinion on the JO's of the aviation industry is that there is clealry a market for it....Hell, I remember being approached, and while I might not agree with it all, some people A) have the cash and B) are that desperate. It's not cool how these poor suckers are being taken for a ride...... but then again when it comes to the interview at the next job... surely the employer who is holding the interview would pick this sort of thing up..... ask for a reference or something?
At the end of the day, realistically what can we do about this situation? It's up to the future employers to control the path of these pilots to a certain degree.
