Bitterness
I have read this thread with interest and I have to say there is a hell of a lot of bitterness on here. I thought the idea of PPRUNE was so that we could all unite, share information and generally be part of a community which loves aviation??
I also don't understand this venomous attitude between Modular and Integrated students. We're not all that different in the head - most of us love the thrill of taking off, the challenge of getting from point A to point B and the peace of mind of walking away from the aircraft safely after a flight. We all want to become employed - at which point the training will be irrelevant and we will share the flight controls with people who we don't even ask what kind of training they did, nevermind judge them on their response! So, the Integrated students shouldn't lose sight of the fact that for some, Modular represents the only way of fulfilling a dream, but at the same time, Modular people shouldn't take any satisfaction in the fact that integrated students don't have the most ideal situation at present. Are we not all in this game together? Sharing information to inform the masses as opposed to critisising decisions that have been made by individuals?
Personally, I am a modular student. My Dad is a builder and my Mum is a nurse. Neither of them are particularly wealthy, but they work unbelievably hard and as long as I work half as hard as they have done I will be pleased. Realistically, my family can't provide me the money I need for the training, let alone Integrated - but I don't blame them for that, that's just natural selection and how it is - i'm not bitter about it. If my Dad was a lawyer and my Mum a high class hooker, would I use their money to train? Damn right I would! I don't blame anybody for using the resources available to them as long as the passion and commitment to genuinely be pilots is there.
I had a chance to go integrated but I failed my simulator checkride at Phase 4 of the CTC. Therefore, I have had to work hard, save money and borrow from the bank to start my training. Does this make me hate people who got on the CTC course? Absolutely not - good luck to them. They were successful in something I wasn't and again, that's life.
The point I am getting at is that however you train and however you find the funds to do it, it is only relevant if you a) work hard and b) enjoy it. All other factors such as rich parents, big bank loans, poor parents, small loans, investments that have come good for you, etc etc etc - they are all totally insignificant if you don't knuckle down and work hard whilst enjoying it. I am not flying until tomorrow evening now and I have had four or five early morning flights on the spin, so I have afforded myself the luxury of a couple of bud lights and a lie in tomorrow. But as I sit here on my balcony in Orlando and look out at the waving palm tress and lightning illuminating the sky, I am totally happy with what I am doing. If I could go back and get on the CTC course, I'm not going to lie and say I wouldn't do it, because of course I would, but it wasn't to be, so I just have to reach my goal another way. So for those who are lucky enough to be on such schemes, ignore these bitter people who are on here boasting that the industry is going belly up and you're the ones who will suffer - they haven't come to terms with the fact that they aren't as fortunate as you either because (like me) they weren't talented enough to get on a CTC type scheme or because you have had financial backing that wasn't available to them.
I, on the other hand have totally come to terms with this and I wish everybody, whether you are modular or integrated, the very best of luck. Most of us have taken a big step into this training arena, leaving behind good jobs and making financial gambles - but I for one wouldn't swap it for the world. We're all aiming to get to the same place so why are we battling with each other to get there!?
Just enjoy it - for some of us, the pursuit of this dream will not come to fuition and for others, they will have great careers - but one thing is for certain, if I find myself in an office doing a boring job in 10 years time still paying loans off, I will be quite depressed, but I will always have the memories of being in a beautiful part of the world, being young and learning how to fly an airplane, having the time of my life and that is something which I don't think money can buy.
To end, here is a quote from one of my friends back home in an email he sent to me. It made me realise that I have had the balls to do what I'm doing and even if it never comes off, at least I tried:
"Fair play mate - out there chasing the dream while were all here working for pennies and answering to idiots". Very true - all students should be applauded for their ambition and their sacrifices. Let's just stop having a dig at each other eh?