Reduction in cost of training ???

[ickle black box]

Are there any government schemes still available, which reduce the cost of completing any part of the ATPL??

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If God had meant man to fly, He would have given him more money.

[sd]

In a word....NO!

Its a bloody disgrace.

If you want to study something really useful like fine art or sculpture then you are fine! However, become a pilot..then, in the eyes of the Government, you are no use to man nor beast!

Oh, ..learning to drive a bus is OK too!

If you are modular, your course is not in 'terms' as in University or college. as a result you don’t fit the definition of a student in the eyes of the Dept of health, and won’t even get student status for dental or eye care (not that you should need the later!).

Even individual learning accounts specifically exclude commercial flight training.

Good eh?

[Sagey]

It is absolutely disgraceful!!!!!

I don't want to sound a bore about all of this etc etc.

This is an industry which costs 50 thousand pounds for someone to get into (unless they one of the few who get a CEP).

Airlines dare I say it, know that people will self sponsor, and therefore you can't really blame them for only a few doing cadet schemes. However, the chance of an aviation career should be open to anyone that wishes to follow it and who has the sufficient ability to do it. I wonder if people writing to MP's would help????

Even if the government took off VAT on flight trainning it would help. 17.5% of 35 thousand is a lot of money!!!!! Money IMO that would be better in the pocket of ATPL students etc, so that they can have at least some sort of standard of living whilst trainning.

Sagey

[little red train]

The problem with the industry is there is mega-big bucks envolved, even when flight traning the currecy is Thousand&hundreds rather than the pounds&pence of reality.

airlines have a duty to maximise profits, and if there is a long line of gimps willing to pitch up at the door with a ticket and with such debts they can basically become enslaved to the company. All the Better!! Why should an airline risk a single pound when there is a supply of pilots available, for a lower outlay and risk? Then more gimps see those before them getting a job and the cycle continues. However, the government speak to the airlines, not the little people, so the problems of the self-funder is not brought to the fore,

A government transport white paper raised the question of VAT on flying, and was quickly dismissed with the statement that “most airline pilots are sponsored by the airlines and therefore VAT is reclaimed by the airline” well, all I can say to that is Boll*ks! The vast majority of PILOTS (No just BA Airline Pilot) have scraped there way through.

With the addition of JAA (They actually stated a primary purpose was to simplify and reduce the cost of training!) Costs and Problems, with their total isolation from reality, costs have soared again. Airlines now are beginning to feel the pinch, mainly in the higher ranks, what do they do? Offer more training and try and rectify the system so there is a workable system to get the standard of pilot required? Hell no! £30, 000 golden hallos are creeping in, salaries breaking the £100,000 on a regular basis, PILE MORE CASH IN!!! Then more gimps see all this without the less tempting side of the industry only evident after paying the cash as the FTO. The Cycle turns into a spiral of constantly soaring cost and administrative mess.

The result is the Goverment are talking to the wrong people, I susspect to continue milking the cashcow, the airlines have the cash, and all the students have is determination.

Sorry A bit of the point, Basically No, the goverment do sweet FA for student pilots, many of who will be well in the 40% TAX bracket in a job, proping up smelly art students.

[emu]

"Bring out the Gimp"

"The Gimp's sleeping"

"Well I guess you better wake him up then, won't you!"