Since posting that last night I spent several hours looking into the "Ab-Initio ATPL" courses offered by companies like Cabair and Multiflight that seem to be well recommended on these boards.
I'm now very interested in just waiting for my current university course to end in 2009 and then jumping straight onto one of these training programs. The only issue is that it's obviously a lot of money to throw down and with my eyesight 'problem' it's going to be even harder to get a job at the end of it I imagine.
Yes, I'd be having the time of my life while doing the training, thinking every second how much it was worth the £60k asking price, but when the course comes to an end and I'm stuck waiting/hoping for a job things might seem a little bit different.
I'd just like to ask, what do other 'pilots to-be' with fATPLs do while waiting for their big chance - or is it basically just get the best paid desk-job you can for a while and wait for your opportunity in the airline industry?
Dan