WHYEYEMAN said
'Doctors pay for a medical degree...
Lawyers pay for a law degree... '
I agree:
Doctors pay for their medical degree; Lawyers pay for their law degree, why shouldn't pilots pay for their flying licence? Why are some professions expected to pay for their own qualifications? I would assume it is because their ultimate remuneration is much higher. If anyone is going to have their training paid for surely it should be doctors who benefit the community to a greater degree.
Doctors and lawyers need to have far higher educational qualifications to get into their profession and their training is much longer; 7 years for a doctor as opposed to maximum 2 years for a pilot.
Once qualifiied and employed a junior doctor earns mid 20K whereas a SO earns 40K+.
Yes airline pilots hours can be unsociable and tiring but so are doctors.
So why should pilots be any different?
I think the TR should be paid for by the airline but as for the basic qualification paying for yourself is one way into the profession. If you can get an airline to sponsor you great, if not and you can pay, go for it. The rewards if you really want to fly far outweigh the difficulties.
Many of the newbies are attracted to airline flying for the glamour but has that not always been the case?
In flying, medicine and law most benefits come later in ones career. The difference in the professions is that medicine and law have a much more hierarchical structure whereas in most airlines it is much flatter.
Can a doctor or lawyer expect to earn in excess of 120K within 5 years of qualifiying?
The world is changing and so is the profession. If you want to be an airline pilot this is the way it's going to be from now on and none of us can change it whether we are experienced long time trainers or wannabees; there is no point blaming anyone. The ones I feel sorry for are those trying to work their way up the business through instruction, air taxi and the regionals who now find themselves excluded from the opportunities to progress.