How do they get together £80,000+ in times when credit/loans are scarce and how stupid are they to take the risk for only a 6 month contract flying for money that doesn't cover their loan?
During my time - when commencing training - HSBC gave us unsecured loans for the full amounts including living expenses. The only risk was theirs. Whilst at CTC for my 'meet and greet' people were turning down monarch for easy, easy for monarch, laughing away CityJet and Flybe and even holding out for a specific type rating. So off my colleagues and I went with our training.
Lehman Brothers couldn't see what was about to happen, ING couldn't see what was about to happen, America couldn't see what was about to happen. You get the idea don't you? So there we were, balls deep in debt, balls deep in flying training and we were bent over a barrel. That's how we referred to it, that's how CTC referred to it and that's how our friends, lawyers, mummies and daddies and everyone else referred to it.
'm a DE ex Military Captain but with only 2000 hours I can't get a sniff anywhere, even as an FO, thanks to the young pilots who are willing to prostitute themselves to fly!
Here's the first bit of bad news for you - get some hankies for it. No one else can or will be held responsible for your decisions. You chose to join the military - you chose your path, I chose mine and everyone else chose theirs. Given that none of us have a crystal ball - a minimum of 90% of the outcome is down to luck. Some people spend their careers on the crest of the wave and some get smashed into the reef on the first flurry. Here's the second bit of bad news for you - easyJet, Airlines, aeroplanes and passengers don't need your experience. You'd require alot of retraining, coaching, guiding - An A320 type rating, possibly multi crew training, training towards airline flying (flying to strict SOPs with in a tight FDM envelope), you may be a little over confident and need that retrained out of you (Contrary to popular belief many of us are described as having good attitudes and a healthy appetite for the job). You may quickly become a little ungrateful. In all of that take 'you' as impersonal. You aren't the 'plug in and play' opportunity you think you are. Here's the final bit of bad news for you - no one gives a
about your problems in the civilian world. In the military there is plenty of team spirit, unity, clear direction, help and guidance towards the career and doffing of the cap. Out here, particularly in this industry, no one cares. Everyone is out for themselves. They all have their own families, own debts, own problems, own divorces, own hang ups and own motives. There is no rank or respect.
Please take what I've said with the greatest of respect. I respect your military training and I know that not just anyone can pass it. This is life - you only have one - live it.