This is straight from a Letter of Appointment, back in 2000:
"By signing this Letter of Appointment, you will be bonded for a minimum payment of $A20,000 or full training cost recovery, where the full training cost recovery amount exceeds the minimum payment of $A20,000. These bond provisions remain in force for a three year period which commences on the date of appointment as pilot under initial training."
So bonding is nothing new at Q. Incidentally, I was told that the bond was enacted due to a few 400 S/Os leaving to work for Cathay a few years back. Can't confirm any truth in that, but it sounded reasonable at the time!!
WG
