Comparing chicken !!!!
Leo,
You may think a 29 tonne Dash is a light aircraft but the CAA don't. Regarding comparisons I think you'll find my outfit are doing quite nicely, still making a profit and have a largely happy and contented (union represented) workforce who enjoy their flying and perhaps most importantly feel by and large that the company does care about them and respect them.
Sure, there are gripes, and we'd all like to earn more, but they paid my type training, annual recurrency training, uniform, interview, hire cars, medicals and give me an employment contract with holiday pay, sick pay etc etc.
All in all I feel valued and certainly well trained. It's the culture of Ryanair that many people on here don't like as much as anything and no, I never applied and nor would I. You have nice aeroplanes for sure and an interesting mix of routes however I would never leave an employer who values me to join one who would treat me like something on the bottom of their shoe. I know amongst my peers I'm not alone either and that's probably why you are having to recruit so many Eastern Europeans rather than attracting experienced hires from regional carriers.
Incidentally I'm flattered you took the time and trouble to review my career history so comprehensively and no I didn't get into BA first time around but then I'm hardly alone in that.
By the way can you confirm or deny the rumour that you are indeed the Count of Mullingar himself??!!
Desk-pilot