Mercenary Pilot is quite correct there are many pilots who embark on a TR course only to find that when it comes to the base check they are unable to land the real aircraft.
Imagine you are the Fleet captain of an airline who has to explain to his superiors that he took on this guy, invested 20 grand in him, used the companies resources to try and train him, only to find that he can't land the aircraft.
It is true that most people who choose to carry out a type rating will eventually achieve a pass, the question is how many extra hours and extra pounds will it cost. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, with a TR you are a more attractive proposition.
Always Moving, I am disappointed at your failure to understand how things work in the real world. If you are willing to help support my wife and 2 kids, I will gladly stand next to you and wait until airlines decide to pay for training again, I can assure you it would be cheaper to buy the rating as I fear we will be waiting a fair while.
Pilotmike, as you rightly say companies will always look for the people who stand out from the crowd, the last thing they want is a training risk. I shall send your usual cheque in the post to thank you for your kind comments.
In summary I think we can all agree that to pay for a rating is not the most favourable way to get into this industry, we must all weigh the pros and cons of our personal situations and make our own decisions. For me the chosen path was, without question, the correct one