Lets contrast all this against the firefighters, who were asking for 30k, and I believe they had their training paid for them. No, second thought, lets not.
It's not about demeaning the Pilot profession, it's about the reality of GB today.
If anyone thinks paying back a £70,000 loan on a £25k salary in the Britain of the moment is do-able, I would ask them to take themselves for a head check. It's just not, unless you want a quality of life thats sub standard to being in Prison. I'm not joking.
For a start, it's NOT £25k - you have to pay tax on that, oh, and you also have to have a roof over your head, eat, clothe yourself, pay transport costs and (heaven forbid) maybe even some form of social life (yes, O'Grumpy ones, if you don't want end up in the nuthouse, social interaction IS a necessity for a human being) so in the end, your £25K ends up being a lot more like £12k. Or easily worse, depending on where you live in England.
Throw a family, mortgage, and a child into that mix and you can absolutely forget it. Even if you try it, you are one car repair bill/burst water main/loose roof slate away from being bust. Big time. The bank will not be your friend at this time. They dont like lending more money to people with no assets, a vinly wallet with some paper in it and the clothes that look like you have a store card at Oxfam. Which, incidentally, is an accurate assesment of your situation.
Anyone who tells you otherwise has a vested interest and is trying to sell you something. Believe it. Or not. It's your pain.
If your doing it, your either single with a well paying flexible hour job, or have money saved or a family backing to call on. Daddy's either sold some land and given you some money, or you have sold your house (note, dont try this approach AFTER the great UK housing crash thats coming) and ploughed that money into making wokka wokka noises. You sure aint doing it any other way. No chance.
Even at the other side, there are a lot more Pilots then their are positions. Want to be a £25k (and thats rare) F.I. all your life? Thought not.
I'll voice a thought on this one. I've yet to meet a F.I. I'm envious of for anything other than stick skills. The lack of social life, 12 year old car and the way they look at your Greggs sandwich are a little off putting.
It's a racket well and true this aviation lark.