Peter wrote:
Just asked somebody. Reply:
Depends on availability of sims.FAA initial on a CJ is around $13k.
You can get a 737-400 type rating for around €6k (because there are loads of SIMS)
Gulfstream type can be $40k USD.
You only qualify for those prices, if your exempt from base training. i.e. you can do it all in the sim. For your first type rating you typically have do some of it a real aircraft.
The sort of training Ryanair are offering would actually cost around that price in the FAA system, if you didn’t have prior experience.
I used to know a pilot who was the personal pilot to a well known Greek shipping and aviation magnate. He used to tell wonderful stories about how he used to fly from Cyprus to New York to pick up a necklace for the lady in the Greek magnates life. I can still hear him now telling of how he used to upload tonnes of fuel in New York and pay with his gold or platinum credit card. The thought still makes me smile now.
How much he earned, he never said but he did live well. About the same as the Butler.
I think Private pilot or boat skipper to the very rich and butlers, all need many of the same skills and all earn around the same. But they don’t need to declare it all to the taxman.
172driver wrote:
The barrier to entry in the US is the 1500 hour requirement.
Indeed. It wouldn’t be workable in Europe unfortunately, because of the (relative) total lack of non-airline commercial aviation.
One should be able to spend however much money they want on education. Do you want to pay for your own type rating? Sure go ahead and do it.
However, this is not the case. Here, an employer asks for money from a prospective employee so that the employee maybe can start working with the employer, or end up in huge debt if the employer decides the employee doesn’t perform adequately.
An employee should never have to pay for anything during and/or after an employment process.
Pay-to-work schemes should be illegal. Period.
Dimme wrote:
Pay-to-work schemes should be illegal. Period.
Then what about tuition fees for most of the universities around the world? Isn’t it quite close studying a career and making a licence? Nobody would be concerned if the type rating was made in a flight school.
In no way do I want to defend practices where rather “defenseless” emplyees are confronted with a mighty employer. But sentences ending with “Period” scream for negotiation 
Dimme wrote:
Pay-to-work schemes should be illegal.
There is not a single pilot in the world (well, perhaps some billionaire kid) that pays for work.
Pilots pay for license, for type rating, for training, for flight hours, …
UdoR wrote:
Then what about tuition fees for most of the universities around the world? Isn’t it quite close studying a career and making a licence? Nobody would be concerned if the type rating was made in a flight school.
In universities the students are paying for a service (tutition). In a pay-to-fly scheme, you are providing the service but still have to pay.
Malibuflyer wrote:
There is not a single pilot in the world (well, perhaps some billionaire kid) that pays for work.
Being F/O in CAT isn’t work?
Malibuflyer wrote:
There is not a single pilot in the world (well, perhaps some billionaire kid) that pays for work.
I guess BDSM (flying airliners and paying for your hours) doesn’t classify as work since a requirement for work is that you make money.
So you’re technically correct.
Airborne_Again wrote:
Being F/O in CAT isn’t work?
Depends on why the F/O is doing it:
The motivation of these F/O is not that they want to work, it is that they want to accumulate time on type, multi engine jet hours, etc.
In this situation, they could charter an Airbus and fly around Europe for fun – if they can afford it. Or: They can accept the offer from an airline to build these hours at a fraction of the cost. And why should it be unfair that the airline does want to have at least some compensation to carry the majority of cost (like e.g. that the hour building pilot takes some passengers with him while building hours.
I’m not saying I particularly like this model – but it’s not as obviously unfair as some believe it is.
