RYR
The average F/O flies 700 hours per year.
Some bases this month are seeing F/O's on the 100 hours in 28 days maximum.
Average earnings in a year after the first 500 hours £43600 after deductions by RYR for simulator.
Most pilots self employed and paying capital gains tax at 18% plus National Insurance.
Those on 100 hours, this month are averaging £6600 gross.
EZY cadet pilots are pay to fly, which to them is the only game in town.
They are not part of EZY so BALPA are not interested in them or their T&C's.
BALPA are weak and self centered when it comes to contract workers and the pay to fly brigade. Don't ever rely on them to help if it could cost real money.
I would not be surprised if in the near future other companies follow suit and take on pay to fly pilots, after all its the cost cutting that the accountants want.
Whilst I do not like the EZY / BMI pay to fly schemes which are no more than exploiters of a market down turn, I cannot support the CTC scheme where upon paying for and passing a jet orientation the cadets are / were placed with an airline at the rate of £1000 per month plus flight pay for 6 months. Then at least most were ultimately offered employment after the 6 months at reasonable rates of pay.
However I ask myself how much profit did CTC rake in for each cadet.
As for RYR at least there is a job after training, providing the cadet makes the grade, and dispite all the knocking and slagging off, there is good money to be made by the cadet from completion of line training, and they are paid during line flying.
Until there is a major pilot shortage, brush off those cheque books and credit cards as the accountants will find these sorts of schemes very attractive to balance the books or turn a profit.
Should we agree or not on the morality of such actions it has been discussed here to the death, but the pay to fly boys and girls will be with us for some months to come.
I do not wish to see a continuous line of trainees who after 6 months are replaced by more cadets and thrown on to the unemployment line with huge debts.
Safety is the next question, and to date there appears to be a high standard achieved by most cadets on these schemes, but as in all training schemes there are a few who have problems and others who do not make the grade.
The ability and desire to pay, does not guarantee that the cadet will achieve the required standards and pass the course, they take that financial risk upon themselves, and the accountants are happy to let them take the risk rather than the airline.
As long as trainers are prepared to maintain standards and "Chop" those who do not make the grade, there is the same risk of an accident / incident in pay to fly training as in regular operations.
Who pays and how is NOT the problem, neither is the fact that its happening, its a sign of the times and little can be done about it just as long as there are airlines prepared to offer such training and people with the money to pay for it.