WSJ article - Airlines Fact Acute Shortage of Pilots (yes Kit Darby is in it)

[livin'thesim]

Training a non-aviator from a technologically advanced society is enough of a challenge.

Training some farmer from an agrarian third-world environment is dangerous. Even the ability to drive a car and operate a smart phone has some transferable skills to aviation.

Some mule jockey who lives in a hut and farms with a hoe is likely to be overwhelmed.

 

[ableone]

There was a follow up article in today's (11-13-12) WSJ.

The Regional Airline Association is now lobbying for tax credits and or subsidies to cover this "pilot shortage."

When asked about raising wages an RAA spokesclown said that "Their margins are too thin for higher wages."

As usual the "invisible hand of the free market" should only be allowed to operate when it works in corporations favor. When wages are too low to attract qualified applicants corporations naturally turn to the taxpayer to sustain their business model.


First it was engineers. When corporations realized kids weren't going to spend six years in college to get an MS in engineering for a job that topped out at $40,000 they started screaming for more H1B visas, and they have not stopped screaming yet.

 

[tomgoodman]

Training some farmer from an agrarian third-world environment is dangerous.

Yes, but the Air Force hired me anyway.

 

[N1atEcon]

Screw the college degree. Always felt that it is useless. A college degree doesnt make one a better pilot.

No one ever said it did. It is used by employers to show that an individual is capable of starting something and finishing it. It is used to show that a individual can study and pass a subject. It is used to get a individual that isn't just a pilot but could also do calculus, engineering or be able to write a ledgible ASAP report or maintenance write up.
P.S. Doesn't has an apostrophe between the n and the t.

 

[pilotyip]

Screw the college degree. Always felt that it is useless. A college degree doesnt make one a better pilot.

Who said that?, posting such realities as that has no place in a forum like FI,

 

[spudskier]

pure "Get out of my seat"

No... GTFO of my seat. I know there are those who have 3 houses, 4 ex-wives, 12 kids they are sending child support to. There are also those who are having trouble choosing between the Corvette, the Charger, or the Mustang (as heard on a recent jumpseat - he also had a cabin in the Swiss Alps... congrats). I know many have lost their pensions and are forced to work longer... for some of you, there was writing clear as day on the walls and you decided to stay. Not my problem.

I'm rambling but I've put in my time, paid my dues, lived through the age 65 rule, recession, bankruptcies, etc... It's my turn. If I have a chance to fight the age 65 being moved or done away with all together, I will fight it with every bit of strength I have. I want to be able to provide a decent life for my family, and the only way that's possible right now is with my wife and I both working two jobs. I knew what I signed up for in terms of pay at a regional, but when I signed up, it was a fairly short-term proposition.

To those of you negative nellies, screw you, rain on someone else's parade. I'll be in the right seat of your jet soon enough and enjoy watching you squirm as every single FO you have to fly with is a new-hire in the coming hiring boom. Enjoy your six-figure salaries and 18 days off, don't crap on my face because your earlier life was rough.

(P.S. this rant wasn't directed at anyone in particular)

 

[Lear70]

I knew what I signed up for in terms of pay at a regional, but when I signed up, it was a fairly short-term proposition.

That's what everyone thinks... SURPRISE!

To those of you negative nellies, screw you, rain on someone else's parade. I'll be in the right seat of your jet soon enough and enjoy watching you squirm as every single FO you have to fly with is a new-hire in the coming hiring boom. Enjoy your six-figure salaries and 18 days off, don't crap on my face because your earlier life was rough.

(P.S. this rant wasn't directed at anyone in particular)

LOL - fair enough, and I'll buy you a beer... assuming I ever fly with you. I'm not slated to upgrade until I'm 54, 13 years from now, a total of 21 years as a Major F/O. Welcome to the club!

 

[spudskier]

LOL - fair enough, and I'll buy you a beer... assuming I ever fly with you. I'm not slated to upgrade until I'm 54, 13 years from now, a total of 21 years as a Major F/O. Welcome to the club!

I'd take 13 years as an FO for a major over 2 more at a regional...

 

[labbats]

No... GTFO of my seat. I know there are those who have 3 houses, 4 ex-wives, 12 kids they are sending child support to. There are also those who are having trouble choosing between the Corvette, the Charger, or the Mustang (as heard on a recent jumpseat - he also had a cabin in the Swiss Alps... congrats). I know many have lost their pensions and are forced to work longer... for some of you, there was writing clear as day on the walls and you decided to stay. Not my problem.

I'm rambling but I've put in my time, paid my dues, lived through the age 65 rule, recession, bankruptcies, etc... It's my turn. If I have a chance to fight the age 65 being moved or done away with all together, I will fight it with every bit of strength I have. I want to be able to provide a decent life for my family, and the only way that's possible right now is with my wife and I both working two jobs. I knew what I signed up for in terms of pay at a regional, but when I signed up, it was a fairly short-term proposition.

To those of you negative nellies, screw you, rain on someone else's parade. I'll be in the right seat of your jet soon enough and enjoy watching you squirm as every single FO you have to fly with is a new-hire in the coming hiring boom. Enjoy your six-figure salaries and 18 days off, don't crap on my face because your earlier life was rough.

(P.S. this rant wasn't directed at anyone in particular)

I agree completely.

 

[livin'thesim]

No one ever said it did. It is used by employers to show that an individual is capable of starting something and finishing it. It is used to show that a individual can study and pass a subject. It is used to get a individual that isn't just a pilot but could also do calculus, engineering or be able to write a ledgible ASAP report or maintenance write up.
P.S. Doesn't has an apostrophe between the n and the t.

It may also show that they decided to sleepwalk through a four-year degree in "communications", or some other meaningless major.

The completion standards for most colleges is now so low, that your "proof of accomplishment" argument no longer holds, whereas it once did.

I have a college degree, and I even got good grades in calc. But it proves nothing about my abilities as a pilot, really.

Besides, some people cannot afford college and flight school, and to hold their lack of a degree as some sort of proof that they are not capable of accomplishment is short-sighted, ignorant, and small-minded.