Sad times indeed. I never fails to amaze me, the idea that in this 'modern world' we are mean't to be protecting individuals with human rights, yet here we have a clear breach of morals.
On the one side we have cadets, eager for training and desperate for experience (because if they don't get it quick, their rating/licence will expire) and the chances are they're riddled with debt.
On the other we have the training companies who are struggling to make the turnover they're used to and finding new ways to keep the meat grinder turning. Unfortunately, they seem to have found an endless supply and not only this, the airlines are loving it. Mr Training has his cut, Mr Airline gets his cut and the cadet pays for the lot. As WWW said, strange territory indeed. And very worrying.
When we get to a situation like this, with no moral responsibility from either training providers or airlines and a lack of common voice for those desperate for jobs, is a mediator not required? How can cadets be expected to understand how this industry operates when so much information and opinion is flung at them from day one of training and from so many different directions?
Where are the CAA? They don't seem to think there is a problem, despite the obvious safety implications. (some of these guys/gals are holding down two jobs, working in bars, cleaning, etc. Sharing beds, sleeping in cars, debt worries etc etc).
I find this whole situation stinks of corporate and government irresponsibility and something needs to be done. As has been mentioned time and time again (and in this thread already I think), does it take a genius to realise that this is going to cause an accident? Haven't we already been here anyway, with the Buffalo incident? Oh no, I forgot, that was on the other side of the world, so it doesn't apply here in the UK.
Who should take responsibility for this? My personal opinion is that a petition needs to be started, the unions need to get stuck in, a snowball needs to be rolled and it needs to be directed right into the doors of parliament and then out of there and into the doors of the press. I wonder what the public would think of airlines that took a 250hr pilot in place of an experienced pilot with over 1000hrs of on type experience, for financial gain?
TB.