Yeah this topic definitly gets people's blood pressures rising!
If this hurts the industry so bad, then shouldn't the industry police itself? Obviously it can't, and according to the other thread, other countries and airlines use this method almost exclusively, so if you're flying over the Pacific there's a good chance you're relief crew barely has 1000 hours between them yet they forked over 100K or whatever to get on with the airline.
People who want to instruct are awesome- don't get me wrong! I have the highest respect for them and obviously none of us would have any flying expereince w/o them.
It all comes down to people wanting what they want...some want to take an "easier" way but it's not easier at all - putting yourself into an airline environment w/checkrides and so forth is tough on anyone.
The most important thing HAS to be: Be the best pilot you can be, professional and competent at all times, and everything else will fall into place. If you're not competent, you're not going to make it either route.
If you're flying for Delta 15 years from now, Doug won't throw you out of the cockpit just because you didn't do it like him, unless you start an approach to the wrong airport or something but that's not going to happen either!
If an interviewer asked you if you bought your time, you would obviously explain NO, you bought your training and then were hired as a paid crew member by xyz company . If they're anti-FPT, then I don't want to work for them anyhow. And people DO get hired and not blackballed after PFT programs, so it's not a waste. AND...even if not *every* company hires you, someone will...stay on w/them and get a couple thousand hours and you'll be getting hired somewhere else if you're looking.
In 15 years we'll see if these FPT guys are still going strong or working at McDonald's...and we'll see if the industry is thriving or if people are taking trains instead.
And all these people here so sore about this will still have gotten a job and we'll all have what we want.
