i did IR but for my own use (business travel). Having seen how easily airlines get rid of pilots (that is if you ever get a job in first place), decided against pursuing career as an airline pilot.
An if you wonder why no one wants to do professional pilot training at the mo, have a look at images below.
Pictured: The graveyard where 'credit crunched' budget airlines send unwanted passenger jets | Mail Online
Note the phrase at the beggining;
Like giant toys discarded by a careless child, this collection of abandoned aeroplanes is a stark reminder of the current parlous state of the air industry.
Many compare Sep 11 to this crisis but its not the same. Post Sept 11 was bad due to security and once you improve security measures, that restores customer confidence and the industry bounces back. Current crisis happened due to economic slowdown, green revolution, high fuel costs, low cost airlines undercutting bigger companies and using "pay to work" scheme(scam) to get cheap labour etc etc.
The question was: How many people do CPL/IR right now? I guess very few wise ones.
