A and C I have to agree with you. Unfortunately so long as there is an ever unending supply of people who are prepared to mortgage themselves to the hilt just to get a basic licence and then carry on to pay for type ratings and take any job for sometimes hardly any salary then one can only expect salaries and conditions to go just one way only. When you add in those who have the cash up front then that merely makes the situation worse.
From what I can see it is pretty foolish to go ahead on one's own these days as certain training organisations have a vested interest in convincing future Employers that only those who go through their so called rigorous application procedures and tests are going to any good for the job,whereas those of us who have been around a few years know full well that is not necessarily the case.
Anyone out there thinking of going it alone think long and hard as you could well regret it.
Homers Simpsons I cannot believe you are a Pilot.
THe Media always hit on the salary of the highest paid pilot in a company and bandy that around as the 'Norm' which makes the Public think we are all highly paid.
Likewise Log book hours are always quoted which again as any Pilot knows bares no resemblance to actual hours on duty at the behest of our Employers. They divide say 900 hours by say 46 weeks and get 19.5 hours per week and all think we are underworked!! Unfortunately it would seem the accountants in Airlines these days have the same misguided ideas.