So, couple of points - Kelly, fully agree my figures may well be incorrect - however, they are based on a number of things....firstly, I started looking at Professional training in 2006. The costs (of the courses I looked at - not necessarily representative admittedly) have gone up between then and now by 14%. I find it unlikely that these have been the only price hikes since 1991. If that was mirrored consistently, then the course price in 91 would have been C £28k. Alright, hardly scientific, but...
Secondly, I noted a post many moons ago by WWW, where he stated the course costs in y2k as C.£45k. For all the faults, I do tend to think that WWW knows his onions on aviation topics.
Incidentally, if we extrapolate the 14% growth in costs over three years figure, then year 2000 costs would be (by my, highly unscientific method) ....£45k. Hmm..
The £50k I mention is only my stab in the dark at what the AVERAGE cost of an fATPL is....FTE is nearly £100k now with the fx rates against them, OAA is >£70k
But, ok...I accept I may have been a little over enthusiastic in my estimation of costs.
However, the flaw I find is that you're still expecting people to do it the way YOU did it. But the world has changed and the rules that once applied, are no longer applicable. It is still possible to do it that way, but the fact is, that you're paying for your morals [which, btw, I don't think is right] if you refuse any job with a bought TR or a reduced salary. And that's not fair to your family - for me, I don't feel I have the right to ask my wife to support me whilst I earn £15k a year for three years, when shes supported MY dream this far anyway. I think you could make a good case to say that you're paying for the type rating anyway, for someone that FIs until someone offers it to them for free....you're paying for it in lost income. I fully agree that by going this route, you're not worsening Ts&Cs longer term, but you're still paying
For my money, it's academic anyway, one, two, ten even a hundred people refusing to pay won't stop the pay to fly phenomena. What we need is companies to stop it, we need people like P-Ts company to push Balpa to control it. I know, I KNOW the replies will say "but if all newbies refused to pay..." which is true...this would kill it stone dead. But so would all TRIs refusing to train anyone that's paid for that seat....and I know which one should be easier to make happen...
one is like herding cats, the other is showing people the direct effect they're having on their own Ts & Cs.