Mikehotel, not wishing to drift off thread but have a quick read again & you will see (I trust) that my basic point was that Airlines should pay for the AIRLINE training. Come up with a basic CPL/IR & Perf A (or whatever is the entry level now) anyway you like. That used to be labled" (wrongly in my opinion) the "self improver route. It meant that a wanabee had certainly paid for his PPL (some scolarships were around) but then had to build up some 700 hours in order to sit the CPL writtens. Most obtained Assistant Instructor Ratings & then sat it out to Full Instructor & sat that out until 700 hours ( blimey) & then self financed the writtens. Gosh, & then next comes the twin rating & full I/R. If you could come up with the cash, you could "self sponsor" through the UK CAA Approved CPL/IR courses whereafter, only 200 hours was required for the writtens.
I sat on the Selection Board for an Airline that offered partial sponsorship. We took on people after the CPL stage & PAID for EVERYTHING thereafter.Those who came up with a CPL were amongst the finest group of dedicated people I have ever been privilaged to meet. I wanted to sponsor them all . We were, of course, held back by time constraint & limited budgets. It became very highly selective.
I do feel uncomfortable, though, with those who have self financed for the NEXT stage; everything from sending a CV, interview Board, lunch for the selection panel,type rating, Line Training. Not their fault but airlines' fault for preying on vulnerable. This is where it becomes unprofessional, surely, dear reader, by very definition ? It now becomes a free for all (pardon the pun) available only to those who can stump up the cash. Dreadful.
Back on thread, glamour definitely eroded & I find very little in the current Industry climate to recommend this career to the young and aspiring. I feel hugely disappointed by the way we, professional pilots have allowed this. I am ashamed that having seen it developing , I did very little. I was, in the jungle, trying to stay in the seat & trying to stay current. But I never paid for anything. However, I was tempted by the casting couch, just once, because the interviewer was one Sassy Chick !!
Sassy Pilot's wife, hope I managed to steer back on thread but you MUST write that book. Call it, " Sassy Pilot's Wife" ! Most wives will buy, all pilots should be forced to self fund & buy ! I am self funding acting lessons so that when the film comes out, you can offer me a part.
All the best to all.