I am afraid that despite some evidence of the gentle clicking of back peddling that I was detecting in some of your recent posts, it hasn't quite reversed through your basic dogma.
I am not sure (other than by way of lazy retort) where you think my logic is tortured. From this tall tree on the other side of the raging river there is a very good view. Pointing out how to cross the bridge is fairly straightforward. If people cant afford the toll, or decide to risk their way across that raging river, that is a matter for them. Of course I fully appreciate and understand that for many people there simply isn't a choice. Those stepping stones are small, infrequent and very slippery. They are also very crowded. If they are lucky they will meet you on one of those
stepping stones, because (and pointing out the obvious) you haven't journeyed to the green and pleasant fields on the other side of the riverbank either.
You will have paid all that extra cash for nothing. Well actually less than nothing because a lot of us won't touch integrated with a stick in the scrappy end of the market which doesn't fly anything shiny.
Well I am not sure who the "lot of us" are, but it is wonderful that you are so altruistic. It is excellent news for those aspiring wannabes that rely on traversing their passage via this route. For the lucky few who can gain a foothold on these stepping stones, they might look forward to (and excuse the fact that PPJN is my particular
window on the world to this information,) circa £21K a year basic, eventually rising to the giddy heights of circa £35K, and as a top tier Captain maybe £48K! For the lucky few who succeed as a cadet entry pilot those figure are circa £40K at entry, rising to £81K, and eventually £121K as a top tier Captain. All of these figures exclude duty pay, flying pay, and additional emoluments, which are also likely to be three times higher.
I am genuinely pleased that you "
won't touch integrated with a stick " because God knows there are fields and fields full of hopefuls relying on those
stepping stones to reach their eventual goal, and they certainly need all the help they can get. Of course, as these forums bear witness, most of them soon discover that the route is thin and precarious. It may be cheaper, but that doesn't really help if you fall into the raging torrent. Progress across the stones is often glacial, and getting a foothold on the first one impeded by the thousands of others queuing to cross. Once on the other side, those lucky ones often discover (read the T&E forum,) that their progress to the riches that await, is further hampered by the cadets that crossed the bridge ahead of them. That, or a leprechaun demanding a £30K
joining tax tells them they might to have sit it out until the climate improves.
It is a tough life, and whichever route you embark on there are simply never going to be any guarantees. I understand your animosity and I understand those stepping stones are cold, windy and bleak (but very character building!) I understand why you chant your mantra and encourage the crowds to throw stones at the bridge, and warn those thinking of paying the toll of the perils of crossing. I am just not sure that your precarious perch in the middle of the river is really the place to be doing it from.
But, if it keeps you warm.......