Twinkletoes, in your profile you state that you have an atpl, and list your current type as 'ppl'.
Bow 5, your profile states your occupation as 'confused'.
It is not surprising that you have both used this thread to grind your own axes about the cost of flight training, without attempting to answer the question posed.
I take it that Autofly is still 'having a think'.
What I am trying to ascertain, is if there are other non-aviation careers for which you, or others, would be be prepared to sacrifice a great deal of time and money in the pursuit of. Surely there must be other dream careers, for others if not for you, apart from being a pilot.
www answered the question with his example of his friend, the demolition man. I wonder what used up most of his financial outlay. Training? Equipment? Back-handers to property developers?
Even if you were doing a course funded mainly by the government, (as in the Scottish Medical School example) you would still be very much out of pocket, if you gave up a well paid job in order to commence your studies.
I for one was advised against training to be a commercial pilot by a Canadian military pilot. He was amazed that I was preparing to spend all of my hard earned cash on flying training. He said that if he had that kind of money available, he would open a laundrette! He might have had a point.
[ 10 December 2001: Message edited by: Joe Bolt ]