Hmm I agree Topcat. Now TheBeak, I have bitten my lip with this thread as I don't really want to start an internal arguement with essentially someone from the same CTC Family. However here are your more prominent points:
- You say those that have been successful have only got through because they have the finances to do it.
- You harp on singing the same tune over and over again. Don't do it as you will end up with £80k+ worth of debt with no way of paying it back when you graduate.
Well please consider my couter-arguement:
- Surely back in the day when you were lucky enough to get an unsecured loan, wouldn't CTC know that a higher proportion of applicants could secure funding for the course? Therefore they were more confident at the earlier stages that the majority of applicants wouldn't have a problem financially? Compared to nowadays where only a small proportion of applicants can source the required finances? Additionally a lot of applicants are weeded out of the selection process before they even sit in front of the selection team where they can be grilled about their financial status? Surely if CTC were so confident nowadays about the finance being unproblematic then a high percentage of people would actually get through to stage 3? That wasn't the case on my stage when I was doing stage 2.
- I appreciate your comments about being £80k+ in debt when you're out but please realise that this is not the case for some cadets. If you're justifying your arguement for not training now because of this much debt being accrued then I can happily say: "Thanks for the advice mate but I am not loaning anywhere near that amount of money to fund this" Thus your arguement for not doing this really doesn't apply to me as I am fortunate enough to have extra capital put aside to fund the remainder of the course. Yes I am bloody lucky but I am not going to apologise for my personal circumstances! It is also worth noting that I have a degree and career to fall back on should I need it that will comfortably pay back my loan repayments should that become necessary.
Without being rude I think you are making a mockery of the CTC's selection process as I can confidently say that not many (in my experience) even get through to the position where they can explain their financial status to CTC. Have CTC lowed their selection standards to compensate for this? Again not in my experience.
Not only that but you very close to insulting those that have been successful. I'm certainly not going to say sorry for fitting the bill that CTC are after. I agree we're not any better than any other cadets and it would be arrogant to say we're the cream of the crop. We're learning to be airline pilots and I don't consider myself to be any better than my mates who have gone through or are going through other FTO's. We all have the same ambition and goals and will take whatever path best suits our own individial circumstances. For me it isn't a huge financial risk so arguing I will be £80k in debt at the end of it does not wash. I won't be, fact!
I am fully aware of the current climate, economy and industry and although it is very dire it will pick up. By the time I am out it may be a lot better. It may be a lot worse but nobody can predict it. If they think they can please tell me lottery numbers tonight!
TheBeak I don't want to get your back up or start a petty fight but please try and play devils advocate! For some cadets, your arguements for not starting are really pretty irrelevant.
Chilli.