dl_88, I'm delighted that you, "still love flying," I really am. I see from your profile that you are 23 years old & I remember the time (not that long ago
)when I too, loved flying. However, now that the gloss has gone from this industry; that Parc are paying 777 f/os less than a London bus driver at TNT, that Ryanair are flying round with only the front left seat not having been paid for by someone etc., etc., you will find that as life progresses you'll want financial reward rather than a slap in the face just because you "love" flying. You won't find it anymore. What, "Passion," could anyone possibly have for constantly working through the night, suffering jet lag, minimum rest at all destinations, being away from your family, being held totally accountable when the sh1t hits the fan with no company back-up; working with flight attendants who have an attitude the size of Mexico city & have zero respect for you because they are delighted that the, "Rich captain," has taken a hit in his wallet? We don't do this for the sake a vocational calling: leave that to the doctors & nurses who deserve every cent they receive.
And, so long as pilots keep accepting these garbage conditions the worse it will get.
As far as when the P2F thing started; I remember BMI, British Midland as it was then, offering type rating courses on the 737 for anyone willing to pay for it around 1990. Of course the big explosion in P2F was with Ryanair, probably 2001-2002.