Furb; "By paying its college......don't he " ! Er yes, excellent articulation ! Troll alert, Troll alert ! But I must counter. Yes, I was sponsored, although I did repay 1/3rd of training costs through reduced salary over five years. The other 2/3rd was by the sponsoring airline and the Uk CAA (Ministry of Aviation as it was then called ). Selection was a five day affair.' Pay to flyers' are convinced by the providers that the former are worthy of a place at the school because they need to put bums on otherwise empty seats. The' pay to flyers' are so easily taken in that they then, according to Smithy, (ooooh no, did I patronise my mate by calling him Smithy ?...............Ooooh no, just called him "Mate " ! Oh dear !); yes, according to Smithy, get unsecured loans. Good grief. Look, Furb, Air Transport flying is a top class profession and it has been dumbed down by the pay to flyers. I never suggested that I was top class (even though I clearly am) but that the profession itself is indeed top class and should admit only those who pass extremely rigorous selection criteria rather than the size of their wallets. Those who wish to extend beyond age 60-65-67 to unrestricted (age) let them slide the cream on top of the cake and continue, for most of them, to enjoy a profession they clearly love. Oh and finally, a school chum was SELECTED for Guys Hospital 5 year Doctor Training and it cost him nothing, back in the early 70's. Get back to sponsored professional training for ANY profession and we will educate back up to impeccable standards.