FAA Proposes to Raise Airline Pilot Qualification Standards

[Lear70]

Oh I don't know, I'm not so sure about that. The worst recession in recent memory, a massive oil spike, and the stroke of a pen(age 65). Just because Air inc couldn't quite hang in there through this period of time doesn't necessarily mean anything other than simply that, they couldn't quiet hang...

I think CRAWDADDY and others were thinking that the phrase "However, the current status of the airline industry and the economy has made our business unsustainable, and we are closing" was referring to the aviation industry, when in fact, Kit was referring to Air, Inc specifically, not the industry as a whole.

The sad fact is that a regional career has become just that... a career, except for about 10-20% of the pilots who have very good timing. I wouldn't look for shortages of pilots for at least 10-12 years, and even then it will only be at the Regional level. People who get into this career either do it because they love it, or because they don't have anyone to tell them the stark reality of what their career is likely to be. The new proposed rules will only exacerbate the situation, as college counselors want people in the door and now they'll have a good argument for convincing high school graduates to "get in now with the new regulations coming, you'll be set"

And you might as well give up on us putting a gatekeeper on aviation like the AMA. We're more like attorneys in that respect: lots of hurdles to cross, then 60-70% barely eek out a living doing it, with more attorneys in law school each year than there are practicing, successful attorneys.

 

[CRAWDADDY]

I think CRAWDADDY and others were thinking that the phrase "However, the current status of the airline industry and the economy has made our business unsustainable, and we are closing" was referring to the aviation industry, when in fact, Kit was referring to Air, Inc specifically, not the industry as a whole.

The sad fact is that a regional career has become just that... a career, except for about 10-20% of the pilots who have very good timing. I wouldn't look for shortages of pilots for at least 10-12 years, and even then it will only be at the Regional level. People who get into this career either do it because they love it, or because they don't have anyone to tell them the stark reality of what their career is likely to be. The new proposed rules will only exacerbate the situation, as college counselors want people in the door and now they'll have a good argument for convincing high school graduates to "get in now with the new regulations coming, you'll be set"

And you might as well give up on us putting a gatekeeper on aviation like the AMA. We're more like attorneys in that respect: lots of hurdles to cross, then 60-70% barely eek out a living doing it, with more attorneys in law school each year than there are practicing, successful attorneys.

Yes, Lear. That's what I meant. Elsewhere on that link there were some other noteworthy quotes about the state of the industry:


Quote:
...but it also explains the sacrifices of time and money which people are willing to incur to become an airline pilot; it also explains how the airlines can use this infatuation to drive down wages.
That's why SQ just love to take on young suckers suffering
from the delusional Shiny Jet syndrome. Same goes with
$hitstar.

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Jobs at the majors are too few and increasingly too unattractive to entice pilots to work for food stamp wages at the regionals which now make up the backbone of the domestic airline system. Nobody but a fool would invest the time and money necessary to become an airline pilot with these limited prospects. Some will continue to fly and slowly pay down debt or because, while Burger King may pay better, leaving aviation even temporarily could make all their efforts for naught.

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[dirkdigler]

too bad it doesn't mandate a psychological exam for guys who drop $120k on an aviation degree in hopes of getting started out in a sub $20k/yr job.

lmfao!!!