When it looks like a duck, talks like a duck and walks like a duck....
ACP et al
It is a simple case of supply and demand. We are prostitutes! If it looks like a whore, talks like a whore and acts like a whore then what is it?
We pay them for an opportunity to make them money in the hope that they will deliver us our dreams. This is mostly true unless they decide on the way that they can't be bothered, you get sick or are invovled in a traffic accident with the wrong person.
No one cares about the quality of the pilots that we hire, no one cares about their trainability, or background as long as you will be loose and fast with the rules when it suits the company (munitions of war anybody) but adhere to regulations whether they exist or are made up on the spot to suit.
The company sets limits as targets because pilots are disposable and replaceable (for now) so unfortunately until that changes you need to pay for an opportunity to join the circus.
If you wonder why pilots feel under enough pressure to commit suicide you should come and work here for a few years.
There is and always and will be great rewards to come out of working here financially. But rather like a ponzi scheme it matters when you get in and when you get out.
For anyone out there doubting that we are indeed prostitutes then look up the definition. We do do it for money and we do take it both ways from the firm even when we know its illegal (lithium batteries anyone) but we continue to do it as it pays well and the longer we do it the easier it is to justifiy it and the more we enjoy the trappings the more difficult it is to leave.
Just look at FZ business model. Think things like fuel hedging, aircraft leasing versus sales (do we own our own aircraft or do we just sell them on and lease them back as soon as we take delivery?) Those of you out here the next time you walk around when you enter from L1 look at the plate in the door frame. Who actually owns the plane you are about to fly? Profit share, sadly we spent the real profit on capital expenditure so we could manipulate the reported profit to be low enough to not have to do profit share but high enough to make the result seem good to the world.
Then look at this statement :
complex business model and unethical practices required that the company use accounting limitations to misrepresent earnings and modify the balance sheet to indicate favorable performance.
Then google the text in italics. Then work out the future of this scheme, compared to how THAT now infamous company fared! I am not saying don't join (even now in the summer of our discontent, even now having just been informed of the derisory pay rise!) I am saying join with your eyes open if you need to advance your career, get on the jet, gain some hours yes do it but do it knowing that this firm is now clearly joined in the race to the bottom that Ryanair started and in reality I would not think that it will survive the next round of world aviation austerity.
So join the ponzi scheme but do so with a plan B preferably including an offshore bank account to get you out of dodge when required. Keep schtum about everything transgressions wise whilst you are out here and save evidence of where the bodies are buried, you will likely need it!
Good luck in your application, the one saving grace is that 90% of the guys you fly with here are nice, professional pilots and are swimming in the same ****e that you are so will help you through the day to day. Please though please have a plan B.