The same story: an interesting thread turns into bulls......g due to the well known reason. Anyway, I agree. Here's the situation in Italy: no sponsorship at all. Alitalia runs its own flight school, an ab initio course is about 90.000$, while the price if you already have the cpl is 50.000$, and they don't guarantee the job. An integrated CPL goes for 30.000$, then you've to add MCC/CRM and frozen Atpl, and many companies hire you only if you pay your own type rating. It's better to be rich and a captain's son, or to have the right connection if you want to pursue the dream here, otherwise, well, be ready to eat a lot of s..t, as I'm going to do.....