Long range flyer .... I don't usually post and just read but I think you should be a little wary.
There are many of us in similar positions looking for the hours but I am finding it very difficult to pay for hours from money that i have worked hard to make. For someone to take this money and charge me over the odds for hours is not only wrong but a huge insult. Do not get me wrong I am very enthusiastic and want to get a job but I am not willing to let someone take me for a ride and scam me.
The atrans scheme you mention i was speaking to someone about it via email and they quoted me 56,000 euros. I did ask why euros and not US dollars and the reply was the euro is a more stable currency .... think not....
I was then told by a friend who is A320 rated also but did his via the person you mention in your post and he was getting charged 62,000 euros. When i saw the presentation he was given it was clear this person has added 6,000 euros for taking a cv and forwarding it on to atrans. The presentations were identical apart from the price.
I honestly wish that someone would just say P2F is illegal and all the CAA's around the world outlawed it. I have seen numerous scams and offers SAS offered me a role in Asia for $120,000 that was for type rating on 320 / 500 hrs and a 5 yrs contract as i had a rating this reduced to $90,000. I was sent a pay scale of what i would expect monthly and I calculated over 5 yrs I would make back the $90,000 but over that I would make maybe $5,000 taking into account no taxes. Ask yourself would you work in the UK which is assume you are from for 5 years and only make £1000 a year?
Please do not get me wrong if the right offer for P2F and conditions with employment came up there is a remote chance I would do it but not for anything over 25,000 euros and that would be pushing my comfort factor after paying close to 150,000 for license and ratings and keeping all my ratings current for the last 5 yrs. In the mean time I will continue plugging away maintaining SEP MEP A320 Ratings MEP IR and all the other things and look at keeping myself sharp, whilst banging on all the doors possible to hopefully get in and avoid this P2F. Before anyone says the bank of mom and dad does not pay for this lucky for me i have a career outside of aviation which helps me fund my flying and if anything this makes me more reluctant to pay for hours as I as many know how hard it is to make the amount of money we need to fund this.
I know there is a lot of negative and positive comments, constructive and not constructive but in the end the decision lies with yourself and what you find acceptable.
Just remember for every 10 people that pay you are making someone a millionaire over night and putting additional financial burden on yourself.
All these people say they want to help us so why charge 60,000 euros for something that costs 10,000 euros if that.
I wish I could name all the scoundrels on this forum but some are unscrupulous pilots trying to squeeze money from those at the bottom of the ladder. Some write PDF documents saying my tips to getting a job but they charge for the information. Is this really in the good nature of helping all of us get jobs, I think not its just taking advantage of people who are "DESPERATE" to get the first foot on the ladder.
What these guys are doing is fraudulent and it is in the best interests of all pilots that care to report them to the authorities so we can be rid of this once and for all. This is organised crime of a high magnitude with high amounts of money involved.