Originally Posted by
mikewil
It seems as if the program heavily favours females as well.
Take a look at the previous class that was a run a few years ago:
http://www.flyfta.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC_0682A.jpg
You can see from the photo that out of 8 cadets, 5 were women. You can't seriously tell me that 60% of the applicants were women. Last time I looked at the statistics, less than 10% of commercial pilots licences in Australia are issued to women. I would think applicant numbers in this program would be similar. You would therefore have a far higher chance of getting through just by not being a bloke.
This is the problem with companies trying to use quotas to rectify perceived injustices. There are less female pilots simply because less women want to fly, just like there are less male nurses and teachers because less men want to go down those career paths.
Shame on Virgin.
Incorrect... 7 cadets. 4 women. One female in that photo is a cadet mentor and current 737 FO.
Whilst the correction doesn't exactly disprove your point, it may indication your assumptions may not be all as they seem. I would be more inclined to believe what someone else here has said, in that the company cannot afford to run a recruiting quota.