captplaystation.....couldn't agree more....you echo my sentiments entirely.
In all honesty my current situation ordinarily demands that I must follow lemming-like toward a RYR or EZY Crookfield/Flexi-Screw set-up if i'm to move ahead in my chosen career at this time. All my peers in the main advise I must do this, and they are guys who are very senior in their respective companies (mainstream airlines) and are very knowledgable, and yet inextricably as much as I know this to be sadly true, having flown as an F/o for the last 5 years (albeit admittedly on a very small a/c, AOC) I am at a stage where I have a huge reluctance in lining the pockets of senior management at aforementioned companies in order to further my career. My experience level again is limited (1000hrs+) but nonetheless relevant you would think - when I first started I remember well having conversations along the lines of "get those first 500 hrs, and the rest will naturally occur" etc., etc......again, sadly not so any more - today, I would be in a better situation employment-wise if I was fresh from training with a shiny new blue book and 200 hrs - call me bitter, but how screwy is that ?? not to take anything away from any new cadet from college, as most are superb i'm sure, but the whole situation has got oddly twisted and mixed, and now it falls to money to get you the job, rather than experience and talent. Oh, am not suggesting i'm talented for a second.....i'm not !.