Lt. Goose - I'd be interested if you expanded slightly on the education/flight training route you are on. It sounds interesting and I'd like to learn more about this growing route.
Back to my point. People like WWW need to say what they're saying. If not, half the wannabes on this forum (like me) would be lulled into a false sense of security. I've heard it all before, "By the time we're finished, the market will be gagging for new pilots" Yeah...whatever... I probably could afford the rest of my training if I had a penny for every time someone has said that one to me!*
After all, if none of us noobs were around to start these "OMG OMG OMG!!! there's a light at the end of the tunnel!!" threads, then people such as mad-jock and WWW would have no need to tell us the grim truth of this industry.
I honestly think that they're trying to help us, and anyone who decides against their advice could be classed as a fool.
Its commentary and Private Messages like this which keeps me performing this role over the years. There is a relentless and well funded propaganda machine spinning a pro-training message to Wannabes. The Flight Training Industry and the Employers all have a vested interest in keeping an oversupply of new pilots. Against this slick, funded wall of spin there's not much outside of PPRuNe that is willing to tell Wannabes the truth without spin.
Hence in 2005 I was on here telling Wannabes that this was a Golden Age for Wannabes and that CTC was the mutts nuts and Integrated was the best way to grab a jet job fast! But by summer 2007 I was being labelled a gloom and doom monger armchair economist pessimist for warning of a house price crash, major recession and airline bankruptcy. When the facts change then so does my opinion. The 'industry' though will ALWAYS tell you its the ideal time to train. They're bastards like that.
You are a commodity to these people. Wannabes are often young (under 30) and haven't (sorry to patronise) had many lessons in how the big bad world actually works. That. And that alone is what sparks me into pumping out posts here. Trust me, it doesn't make me popular, make my life easier or gain me anything other than the occasional word of thanks.
At the moment I'm turning more bearish than I have been for the past 3 months. I think Greece is going to turn into a contagion, UK credit rating is going to loose its AAA status and a double dip is in the pipeline.
The Olympics could be quite a low key affair next time.
WWW