ISBN - do you really believe that they would recruit cabin crew if the ATR was for base training only? And do you think that Skyblue would spend the better part of about US$ 4 million for a second-hand ATR42, only to use it for base checks?
Of course they will do ACMI charters with it - they have to get their money back somehow. Do you know many TRTOs that could afford to use an aircraft 3-4 times a month, and leave it on the ground the rest of the time?
They
are genuine - they've been in the training business for a while and have a wealth of experience on ATRs and 737s.
Cheers
P.S: As for the job placement figures you quote, not too sure where you get them from. Surely, only Skyblue know exactly how many of their graduates find employment afterwards? Do you include self-sponsored only, or airline students as well? ATR graduates only, or ATR and 737 graduates? Anyway, this thread is on the cabin crew forum, so let's not mess the issue with flight deck stuff.