I take your point about Ryanair and BA, but let's face it they have taken and still will take plenty of guys and girls who did not do integrated courses. They are two airlines out of 50ish carriers in the UK. I agree that one may get some post course assistance from the integrated schools, but I must admit that I would feel that that has to be looked at as a bonus when considering one's training route rather than a given. In the end, whichever route you take you end up with the same licence and making contacts within the industry during your training is the best way of hearing about jobs and getting your cv looked at.
Good luck to you all, whichever way you go.
PP
ps. To Piperindian,
At no point did I suggest that anyone gaining a licence in the recent past or present was finding it easy to get jobs. I personally don't think modular or integrated students stand much chance of securing a job with low hours for some time to come and war in the Gulf will only make things worse. Even when the market is good for hiring it is not easy to get a first break with low hours. The point is that guys who are starting training now will be gambling just the same as anyone else has in the past. Perhaps you were the one who went down the road of spending an awful lot of money without knowing all the facts. You have no-one to blame except yourself for giving up, life is full of 'downturns' just when you don't need them, but happily for those who come through it keeping positive and making it happen they will eventually succeed. It just takes longer than desired and proves that they are the best. So at least one less bitter and twisted frozen ATPL holder acting as competition for the winners!! Good luck to the rest of you, but don't give up the day job just yet.
Last edited by Pilot Pete; 23rd Sep 2002 at 20:24.