Well, well, this topic has certainly generated a lot of discussion which has gotten pretty heated at times.
It would certainly appear from those who have posted, an overwhelming majority of us wannabes (and between jobs ATPL'ers) that paying for ones TR is totally contemptable and out of the question.
As if this disturbing trend of expecting 'wannabes' to pay for their own TR were not bad enough, I find it disheartening to read of people like Harry Greyhound, with 1500+ hours and a TR and they are not even getting a look in with the likes of EJ. He's not the only one I've read about in the last few weeks, there are quite a few others who claim to have thousands of hours, including jet experience, who have been unemployed for anywhere between 6-11 months !!! I mean what the hell is going on here !! I tell you what, since this topic regarding the trend of airlines paying for their TR's first appeared I've been having a serious rethink of whether I actually want to even persue this career option anymore. I had fully come to terms with the fact I'd have to spend a fair wad of cashing converting my ICAO CPL Multi IFR to a JAA fATPL, not to mention dis-associatiting myself with my family and friends for at least 12 months to write the 14 exams. Given some of the odds are already stacking against me [35, kid and working professional wife in a highly specialised field who can't just up sticks and follow me up and down the country so I can follow my dream of being a commercial/airline pilot], I've got to seriously take stock and question whether I want to spend, or should I say 'waste' (?) my time and hard earned cash getting an fATPL. It was something which I had already viewed as being risky but being someone who not averse to a bit of risk and given that it was something I really wanted I decided it was a least worth a try. I don't object to paying for my own fATPL licence but after having does that to then engage an industry where one is expected to pay for their type ratings, well I'm simply not having it. I'm not prepared to spend the huge amounts of extra cash to get a TR !!! which could be like throwing good money after bad with no job guarantees !! The sad fact is ..... and it's for this reason I'm having this serious rethink, is there will always be those out there who will pay up and fuel the airlines perversion to screw over wannabes ............
Again, there are probably those out there, probably those in their early twenties who may be prepared to do this and live in squalor (cos let's face it - that's all they'll be able to aford after being paid peanuts, the bulk of which will be going straight back out to pay off all those hefty loans). Fact is, I'm not !! Yes, I really want to be a commercial pilot, but I've got my limitations. The kind of money now required to get some of these airlines to even look at you could bring me and my family a major boost in quality of life. With absolutely no guarantees of being able to pull anything off at the end of it all, except more vast spending, I'm now left thinking ..... I'm not sure it's worth it anymore !!!!
Right. Glad that's off my chest ..........
