And an FAA license isn't worth the paper its not printed on in the EU which is where we all want to work. Not that we have the right to work in the US of course. Slight snag there.
Also in the US ones first job is going to be on cheque running at night in a Bandit and after ten years you make it to a jet airline and a big comfy union agreement. In the UK you *can* walk straight into that jet job. Big difference in investment/reward my friend and that often negates the higher license cost under JAA...
If you've got a ton of cash and some aptitude then I guess OATS new scheme is for you - it'll give you an element of queue jumping at the very least.
However, to take a recent graduate of Jerez as an example (Hi Rob) who was one of the stronger graduates in his class. The school gives him a nice recommendation as such and after a month or two he gets Britannia 757/767 at Manchester. All for the sum of £45k plus beer money and sun tan lotion.
CABAIR and SFT can issue recommendation that might get you ahead in the queue for an interview. The £20k+ shortfall would more than cover some extra sim time if that what you wanted prior to a sim assessment with an airline. Plus an FI rating.
But if you have the money then why not?
I don't see anything wrong with OATS move. BAE are also moving to having ALL applicants to the college pass an aptitude assessment to get in. Its the way the world is moving.
Flying trainig is actually getting cheaper as well. BAe charged £13k more in 1991 than they do now for an ATPL course...
Good luck one and all,
WWW