With an election coming up, this is my knid of post. Come on Mr. Brown, get it sorted! We pay through the nose when you help us out so come on and give us all a chance. Lets face it, he can't be making millions out of this tax can he!


AF

Hear......Hear......

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...Gear down.... Three green .....

Togaroo,

Thanks for these sage comments. I would, however, add my opinion that, although there may be an over supply of newly qualified pilots, there certainly is a shortage of experienced pilots. The blokes who are qualifying now are the ones who will be in demand in a year or two.

Another thing, how many Art, History, Psychology, etc., etc., graduates go on to pursue the same career as they have been funded through University for by the State? Very few, I would say, from discussions with friends who have been on these courses. Many of the ones I know are now “filling in”, working in restaurants, shops and bars, because their courses have not been vocational. How many drop out of their University and College courses because of “it wasn’t right for me” attitude.

Compare this attitude with the average ATPL student, who works his butt off. This could be partially due to the fact that there is a vast amount if money at stake- but why should our successive governments of all colours steal a very large proportion of that amount in tax- because they see students as an easy target, with no real means of protesting.

THEY ARE TAXING US TO LEARN- surely, amongst other things, VAT on the cost of learning is against our Human Rights?



[This message has been edited by Tosh McCaber (edited 03 April 2001).]

VAT Should be passed on to the end user. Not the Pilot the Pax, and It is on the ticket price/Rental Rate.

Claims the System would be to complicated are unfounded if incoperated into the training records so stringently required for Licence Issue.

I read a goverment white paper on this and their take was that All pilots were airline sponsored and therfore the VAT was recliamed by the Company. If they didn't charge VAT in the first place, there would only be a cut in paperwork! and the totally ignored self-funders would be helped.

Today I finaly checked my Proper Mail address and found a goverment type worker offering to help write a letter, If your listening, sorry it took so long to reply, and your services could be invaluable in this instance.

What about an offical PPRUNE partition? Does BALPA care? (VAT not effecting BA in any way)

backed up by a mailbomb from everyone to there respective MPs.

PS, Yes I'm against VAT :)

Count me in 100%
Aztec

count me in this too.
Going back to the charities thing for a flight school, to reclaim vat. I looked into the reams and reams of jar-fcl's to see if this is legal. Guess what the b@stards thought of that too. An FTO must be a business with a proper business plan, and a suitable source of income etc etc. to get the holy FTO status

Europe 1 Pilots 0

Count me in, I'm fed up of paying VAT for training. We all know its not a fair world, but if it doesn't work in our favour, when these people in Parliment want to go on holiday, I'll go on strike, and I hope eveyone else would follow!

Message that should be displayed in the Houses of Parilment 'If Ar$eholes could fly, this place would be an airport'!

Homer ;)

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Duff, Duff, that Wonderful stuff. Ummmmm Doughnuts

Yeh, definately count me in! I hate paying V.A.T on anything!!!

put me down mate
the government are already rolling in money and then they have the cheek to build the millenium dome even when the people they are representing say THEY DONT WANT IT and now its being torn down!!!!!!!!!

Count me in.
The govenment should either bring back NVQ, or eliminate the VAT on ATPL courses.

yes, put me down mate ! well pissed off about this

and me too.....
this topic will run and run and run....

Count me in - most of us pay or will be paying substantial amounts of income tax, it's about time we had the same tax breaks that are extended to other professions.

If you want to be a doctor, barrister or even artist you can get grants or at very least loans in excess of £20,000.00 with no interest to pay until course completion, but not trainee commercial pilots.

Is this fair? We all know the answer.

Quicksilver

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Blue Skies

Count me in!!!!!!!!!!!

:)

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I'm soooo in.

Why should I have to pay VAT on training for a professional qualification ??

Count me in

I couldn't agree more. Sign me up!

Does BALPA have a position on this?

Good move... put my name down on the petition.

Tosh
I'm not sure if this is possible, but perhaps it possible for capt PPrune to set up a petition on this site similar say to a visitors book or someone prepared to host a site (I cant at present). Then details such as name and address or a valid email address could be used as a part of the signature collection progress.

What do you think?



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Its life Jim, but not as we know it!!

I understand the the Continentals France, Germany and benelux countries do not charge VAT on fuel for flight training....not sure if this is a fact or just hearsay (or heresey). Im with you guys. I am fimly against VAT on all flight training related to the issue of a commercial flying licence.

Tailwinds