Bottom line is that your integrety will only get you so far. In a perfect aviation world the airlines would be actively recruiting new pilots by going to the license office to get YOUR contact details
. That would be the day huh? But for that to happen I think we would all have to move to another planet, and leave the backstabbers behind.
I`ve personally been very fortunate and never had to pay for training. I`ve probably sent out as many CVs as the next pilot, and got lucky through an aquintance who happened to be flying for a small cargo company, who happened to be looking for a couple of F/Os. Did my time there, which was worth while (or so I`m told by the Captains I now get to fly with
), and hopefully will get to stay with my present company for many, many years (still a bit blue-eyed
).
That being said, the market is a hostile place where you really have to fight for an interview. How do you get the edge on your competitors, and at the same time know that your competitors are your fellow aviators? Betwen the rock and a very hard place. And I guess that`s where one has to ask himself; what kind of integrity do I possess?
Just for the record, there is no difference in ability regarding SSTR and company sponsored TRs. You meet the same standards for your checkride.