Well I am now out of touch by 6 months from my ex-employer BUT I would be suprised if the self sponsored guys suffer at the hands of the airline guys. There was always a very strong sentiment that this should NOT happen when I was there amongst both the instructors the flight managers and the management.
All I can relate is how I was NOT ONCE put under pressure to give any advantage to an airline sponsored student.
I might go further - now - to say that I for one (and not alone) would often 'nip' 5 minutes here and there during a days worth of flying and 'tag' it onto some hard up self sponsored students sortie out of sympathy.
My attitude was usually that the airline guys were being paid to be there and as such warranted no slack whereas the poor hassled self funded student merited a 'leg up' whenever practicable.
Perhaps that was just me but I *know* the CFI acts in a similar fashion out of sense of fair play.
My previous advice that just because an airline chooses a school you should not be impressed still stands. Search for the relevant threads...
That said it is gratifying to see some ex-comrade students now getting jobs after very brief searches (good luck Rob with 757 at Manch!
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Perhaps if they are getting desperate for staff they could get me back... £45k and an Extra 300 to play with at least once a week would do it Derek!
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