I can not believe this crap, there is no form of sponsorship here. First of all, we the pilots, pay the training costs upfront then easyjet pays it back to us at the rate of £25,000 over 5 years. Looks o.k. on paper, BUT when you consider that as the sponsored pilot you lose £25,000 in wages over the 5 years this doesn't look so great suddenly. For the privledge of this great sponsorship you are also bonded for the 5 year period.
Now before I get shot down, I can accept that new pilots should in certain circumstances accept a reduced wage and a bonded period, but only when the company has paid for the training. When the pilot pays for the training there should be no reduction in wages.
Unfortuantly this kind of scheme has all come about because certain new pilots paid for their type ratings to get a foot up on other candidates. This means that the airlines thought 'well, if one pays why not ask the rest to' and here we are. I can understand how people in Honest Franks position are tempted to get back into aviation via this scheme and I couldn't honestly say that in his position I wouldn't do the same. It seems however that EZ are not interested in pilots who have experience like Frank who have over the 1500 hour mark, so what for pilots like Frank and I who don't qualify, does anyone think that EZ will employ us when they can 'sponsor' some one who will pay their own training expenses. I don't think so!!!
