MERGED: Jetstar Pilot Cadet Program

[tmpffisch]

Lets get a few facts of GA straight:

I spent 13 months to get my CPL from 0 hours. Spent $71,000.
I spent about 6 months in GA earning the award of $36k, after that haven't earnt less than $60k.
I spent less than 4 years in GA before an interview at Jetstar came along.

Considering you would spend $135,000 in a cadetship to get a CPL versus roughly $228,000 you could earn in GA over those 4 years before heading to an airline, it's arguably better to go via GA where training costs less and leaves you in a better financial position over the same time period it takes to get into an airline.

CADETSHIP
2 years flight training
3 years as an FO $70k for 2 years, $110 for 1 year
Total earnt $250,000 (2 years x $70k, 1 year $110k)
Total costs $135,000 plus endorsement
Outcome $115,000

GA
1 year flight training
4 years in GA
Total earnt $228,000 (3.5 years x $60k, 0.5 years x $36k)
Total costs $71,000 plus endorsement
Outcome $157,000

You earn more via GA....can spend that $42k on a jetski and strippers.