I have to reiterate that this IS a valuable dicussion. With the Pilot Shortage looming (AGAIN! Happens a lot these looming shortages, dont they?), umerous training organisations are once again attempting to out-do each other.
Then the real firecracker of the MPL is dropped into the frey.
I have been targetted by the marketing propaganda because of my position, but am VERY much aware of the institution in the far east that is touting the MPL the highest and proudest at the moment.
They are indeed opening up in Sharjah as well as having a branch in the far east and a link to the UK.
Their connection to Gulf Air / Emirates is an unknown to me personally, but I will check it out.
I am afraid this debate may sway this way and that, but one thing will remain true. There will be limitations on the MPL, just as there were in the case thinking of introducing that Glass Cockpit Only Instrument Rating. A good point which was raised is that that the cost of the normal (?) route is near identical to the new MPL. Between £35k - 40k - ish.
However, theres a simple choice to be made, and delving deep into the mysteries of the wordings and implications of the JAR bods may not help at the early inception stages of this new licence. Do you want to go tried-and-tested and risk that the MPL newbies scream past you to the jobs, but you can rest on the probability that things wont change that fast to allow that to happen, OR, take a leap and see if the new "fast track" works?
Personally, I think if I were looking to get trained now, and had my heart firmly on an airline position, I would seek out those people on or nearly through the MPL, and probe their experiences to the full. Have any got the jobs yet? What was the transition like? etc.
If it comes back mostly good and successful, then I would jump on board the new boat. That would be incentive enough for me!
BUT, I would be interested in hearing from any such people on here, and also, from my experience, my sector, the VIP Jet market sector, the MPL is being ignored utterly and is of no value here. Possibly due to lack of type rating available to MPL persons on applicable aircraft in this sector... who knows...
Anyway, keep up the investigations and discussions guys... it is all good!
WTAS