Yes I do as I stated in my previous post. When I applied to the scheme last year, when things were VERY buoyant, I would have said that there was no better opportunity on the market to get a low houred modular trained guy to the pointy end of a jet for a good quality "career" airline, without paying for a type rating and without being ripped off for salary on completion. I still think that because, if you take out the partner airlines, who else is there to apply to that is a better opportunity on short haul? Perhaps BA but I believe they have been known to take from the hold pool on occasion and the Irish (won't go there!!!!). I personally don't feel that it is worth applying or accepting a position that offers less of an opportunity and terms and conditions than those that CTC's partner airlines are offering, bearing in mind that I have already been accepted and am in a hold pool in which I WAS moving up quite nicely. If you were in a hold pool for easy would you accept a sooner job with say eastern? If you work for Eastern I really don't mean to offend so please don't go there I just wanted to make a point!!!
Is it a good opportunity and a pro active way of getting a job? Hell yes and with a company that currently has a perfect 100% record for placing people. Am I taking a gamble by turning down what I consider lesser jobs? Yes but I think it is a calculated gamble and at my age I want to shoot for the highest I can, to get my career on track. Shame really because if I was younger, I would have loved to fly everything I could get my hands on before the "push button flying". Lets be honest, out of all the flying jobs out there, airline flying has to be the worst if you love flying but it pays for the biggest house whilst still doing more or less what you love. So while the wait is frustrating (because I am proper skint!) I still love flying my little aeroplane around the sky and giving something to my students! FL 350 sounds comparatively dull! Things have slowed down and news has been scarce which I am disappointed with CTC about and by the sounds of things, so are others. On direct contact thou I have been assured that nothing untoward is going on so my gamble still stands and as Shaun says, I hope to not be disappointed.
I hope that gives you an honest answer to your question and why I think it is pro active. All of the above is my opinion and if you want to discuss further please PM me or start another thread about the worth of CTC's opportunity. Please don't hijack this one.