I dunno, if this is indeed true, it sounds like a pretty fair way of doing things to me. He has shown his loyalty to the company, and they have returned that loyalty with the "progression" that all you blokes out there all harp on about. I have lost count of how many times I have heard someone whinge about a company due to lack of progression...now when an excellent example of progression is given, you whinge that its not fair. Make up your minds.
In the ag world its always worked this way. You start of loading the plane as ground crew, prove you're a good worker, and with any luck you'll be able to work your way up to a flying job. This bloke has obviously proven himself to be a good worker, and been rewarded for it too.
