lineup, an interesting point that you raise. Most blokes I've spoken to have had their parennts tack it on to the house loan and/or have had their parents guarantee the loan repayment to the bank by putting up the house as security.
It is a lot of money and probably about 1/3 again on what the average person going through a 'normal' flying school will pay. The plus side is the fact that you qualify for all the standard grants from the governement (living away from home, studying, rental assistance, etc, etc) which does ease a little of the pain while you are down there.
As to your last point, QF have no interest in putting the money up for you. In some respects you could argue that you are 'paying' for a job but everyone has to pay for their CPL/IR/ etc so it isn't like they are making you pay for your endorsement in that regard. At the end of the day, I reckon the 1/3 premium you pay is pretty good considering that there is a very good chance that less than six months after finishing the cadet course that you will be on about anywhere between five and ten times what the vast majority of first year GA drivers earn. All this assumes that you get through the course and haven't made anyone agro along the way so that you come straight in to QF.
Anyway, the course isn't for everyone but if you can get it, there is a much better chance (high 90% I reckon) that you'll be flying for QF in under 18 months. Compare this to spending 2/3s of the money for no guarantee at all.
