I struggle to see how a pay2fly scheme will help anyone in Europe in the short term. Short term being the next 1 to 2 years.
I feel for the guys staring at their computers for hours a week waiting for a miracle. I did the same thing for 2 years from 2004 to 2006. I realised how tough the market was (and those were the good times) and managed to get a job which I enjoyed in the consular section of one of our embassies which paid the bills and kept me flying. I wasn't flying for a living, but tried not to dwell too much on that, because I knew I was in the same boat as everyone else.
Finally I got my opportunity flying turbo props. Of course now I have a new complaint, I'm stuck flying turbo props! I have nearly 5000 hours, ATPL, 2500 hours command on part 23 and 25 aircraft, TRE certificate and nobody with shiny jet aircraft will look at me because I dont have enough Jar 25 time, or EFIS time or 1000 hrs plus on medium jet. The list is endless. I have never failed an IR, TR or anything, I have great references but I can't get my foot in the door.
There is a way off of my turboprop however. PAY2FLY!
can you believe it. With all that time, command experience, instructor and examiner and if I want to get an interview in our current economic climate I have to fork out over 25,000 euros to fly a 737 for 8 months for nothing. I can't afford to support my family with the current T and C's offered to F/O's in Europe partly due to the countless number of newbies willing to fly for nothing.
Now, before I get attacked by the wannabes for sounding ungrateful considering I am flying for a living, believe me I'm not. I love my job, I thank my lucky stars that I have a job at a stable company and can support a family with a reasonably good lifestyle. I feel so fortunate I am not in the same boat as those guys at Spanair, Malev or the 1000's of guys looking for work.
I seem to be straying from my initial point of Pay2fly not helping you too much in the next couple of years. When I look at the websites for most airlines in the UK, they explain that they have fulfilled their pilot quotas for the foreseeable future. Next point is that many of the carriers are opting for these mentored integrated schemes which leaves the self sponsored or modular guys with little chance at the moment. Last point is there are 1000's of guys like myself, or the poor folks from the likes of Spanair practically bulldozing the doors of these carriers down.
Finally, at my current employer I am involved in recruitment and filtering through CVs. We have an unbelievable amount of guys apply with an A320 or 737 rating and 500 hours on type. Funny that considering we don't even fly those types. Of course these have been out of work for quite a while from carriers that didn't announce any layoffs. I wonder if this is telling us something about these pay2fly schemes.....?