Whybeflier
An interesting post that on the face of it seems to advise the course of action that will result in training company's that take upwards of £110k from a person for a training course with the prospect of a job at the end of the course. then when the trainee has successfully compleated the course draws then into a contract that they know full well will not provide enough money to service the debt. However a second read of the post gives a more balanced view but is supportive of the integrated system despite its dangers.
It is hardly a moral and sustainable way of doing business and fortunately the banks have pulled the unsecured loans as a result of unfortunates who have been forced into personal bankruptcy.
It is the airlines that have seen the right hand seat as a revenue stream that are pushing this integrated training thing because it makes them money, it has nothing to do with the quality of the pilot ( generally those who have done the modular route are slightly better pilots in my experience ). It is all about how to extract the most money from those wishing to join the industry.
The policy to choose to employ those who have been on a company approved integrated course has to be seen in the light of the deal they are offering at the end of the course, a company that is offering real full time employment that gives the new FO a secure future ( as it is in the airline business!) with a realistic chance of servicing the training debt is acting in a reasonable way given the state of the industry, those however who offer a contract that binds you to the airline on a pay only when you fly are only interested in making money from you and are likely to drive you into debt as they sit the next young hopefull in the seat you have just vacated.
To advise people to get off these forums and not come back until they have a flying job is foolish, these forums present an unvarnished view of the industry as apposed to the glossy publicity pushed out by the training industry and are a much needed reality check for those who are about to invest large amounts of cash in their future.
The integrated way might well have been sucsesfull for Whybeflier but before embarking on the integrated course and the debts that go with it you have to be realistic about the way you are going to repay those debts, take a very good look at any contract and be sure that you have a real job at the end of the course, NOT some contract that ties you to an agency that may or may not offer you enough work ensure that you can meet your debts.
Last edited by A and C; 11th Mar 2013 at 16:13.