Ok heres something to throw into the works.
Super aviator you say
The FAA is tried and tested and respected the world over, once you have the official licence in your hand you can work anywhere in the world.
Agreed. But what if you have no desire to work all over the world then surely going to the states with the cost of accomdation and course fees is a hell of a lot more money than the home study course at Glagow, irrespective of it's critics on this forum.
Maybe one day JAA will look at standardising the sytem over Europe and writing their own syllabus based on ICAO with which you will need a licence for. If it's going to happen it wont be for a while.
I've been working in the industry for about ten years now. I would like to think I have a broad knowledge of most of these subjects discussed but would have to admit to still having a lot I can learn. Whilst I would love to take a course like this I can't justify spending £1000's of pounds on something I dont need, no matter how beneficial I would find it personally. Working for a small company means work sponsership is out of the question.
I learned what I know by having it passed down to me. When I was an Ops asissistant the Ops controllers imparted knoweldge to me in quiet moments. When I was an Ops Controller the Supervisors passed down knowledge to me and so on and so on!
I would like to learn those things I have not had the chance to have proper training on, if only to pass on correct and useful knoweldge to those coming through behind me.
It's a shame because unless the industry does standardise its training requirements we are going to be left with a two teir system.
I wonder if when someday a licence is required there will be some sort of Grandfather rights for those who have benn around since the day dot. Will they have to take a full course from scratch or would there be a basic syllabus and exam to prove the knowledge is already there?