Originally Posted by Beazlebub
So what?
The flying schools are businesses that need to survive. They only do that by selling their products. Those that they employ can only pay their mortgages/rent and other bills if their employer has the income to pay them.
If this chap or his parents are able to raise the funds to pay for this course, then that is their business. If they want to go out and buy a Mercedes SL for the same sum of money, that is equally their business.
Whether this chap or his parents are relying on this course to provide a short term return is something that is incumbent on them to research and decide. The poster isn't asking for an assessment of the market place or more "expert" opinion, he simply wants to know if anyone else is expecting to start on the course he is proposing to join.
This economy has gone tits up for many a reason but reasons such as lack of consumer confidence and because of the extreme negative media coverage do not help one bit, which can directly relate to some of the negative yet realistic and helpful advice given out by you guys on here, who seem to spend all your day searching the web for a negative bits of news and posting it on here. (and there was me thinking this website is where I can talk about flying and not about economics!)
If we want this economy to get better we must carry on spending. Spending will create jobs and then more output will be supplied in the economy. The above quote typifies this. If we tell this lad to do one and not to spend his money it could mean another unemployed person out there (a Cabair employee). If he wants to begin his training let him, its his choice and I'm sure he's weighed up his options.
I myself am beginning a modular route next month, I'm going to Florida for a PPL and 100 hours. I know its highly unlikely ill get a job any time soon, and its even unlikely I will find a part time job at Morrisons when I begin my ATPLs in June. But now is the right time for me. (I have the funds!) I want to have my qualification as a pilot before I settle down and move in / marry / start a family with my girl friend.
If I were to delay my pilot training there are no highly paid jobs out there at the minute, that wouldn't involve me doing a university degree or some college course which creates more debt, which I could use to fund a marriage/house/family.
That's why I will do it now, whilst I'm young and whilst my girl friend is also learning at uni towards her career.
I know Im going to get the "so why dont you just do a uni degree and go for piloting in 10 years when im settled down" lark. Well I'll reply now. My sister and all her age group are just finishing uni and at the minute I work with about 10 uni graduates, issuing airline tickets for thomas cook, and none of them are managing to find a job/have found a job in there line of degree. Jobs are just as scarce when it comes to uni, so qualified pilots are not much different. So Uni is a no goer on my front!