Future pilot shortage...

[Fly-By-Cable]

And a bigger airplane is harder to fly? I disagree, compared to GA aircraft the automation and warning systems that the modern crew fly today is leap years ahead of GA pilots who have to try and find that little speck in the sky that's traffic coming towards them. Ever have a back fire or panel outage while at nite in a single engine aircraft? After the blood returns to your brain from your toes u first try to remember if you are paid up on your life insurance and then work the problem!!! I've flown with a c cell flashlight held between my ear and shoulder once or twice(eventually bought a headlamp) for 2 hrs flying back home from a nite flight?

Those war stories wont impress anyone here. I've flown GA aircraft across the country and back, lost my only engine on an ILS in actual, lost comm in actual in unfamiliar airspace, and certainly I've had an instrument panel lighting problem almost every night flight. Now until YOU shoot an LDA into DCA during thunderstorms and moderate turbulance hand flying all the way down with the autopilot unable to maintain course with a 25G40kt crosswind, oh and not at 85kts either, then don't pretend you know what you're talking about. In fact I can't stand passenagers like that. "I have a private pilots licence and an instrument rating, and there's never a wheels up time when I fly ifr between Ewn and Fay. Why is there a delay to clt?"

 

[waka]

Those war stories wont impress anyone here. I've flown GA aircraft across the country and back, lost my only engine on an ILS in actual, lost comm in actual in unfamiliar airspace, and certainly I've had an instrument panel lighting problem almost every night flight. Now until YOU shoot an LDA into DCA during thunderstorms and moderate turbulance hand flying all the way down with the autopilot unable to maintain course with a 25G40kt crosswind, oh and not at 85kts either, then don't pretend you know what you're talking about. In fact I can't stand passenagers like that. "I have a private pilots licence and an instrument rating, and there's never a wheels up time when I fly ifr between Ewn and Fay. Why is there a delay to clt?"

Who's trying to impress by telling war stories now? Remember, GA aircraft includes 135 and I've done both 121 (hand flown in bad wx) and 135. Single pilot 135 was definitely more challenging.

 

[Fly-By-Cable]

Who's trying to impress by telling war stories now? Remember, GA aircraft includes 135 and I've done both 121 (hand flown in bad wx) and 135. Single pilot 135 was definitely more challenging.

I'm not trying to impress anyone, my post was meant to show the poster that his experience with issues in a cockpit is shared and exceeded by almost all professional pilots. Thus making it irrelevant to this discussion.

 

[Fly-By-Cable]

First off.... single pilot IFR in a twin piston turbo with no autopilot is WAY more difficult than flying around in an RJ or a citation. you guys are nuts!

Yes. It does take some coordination. So I'll amend my assertion and say '*almost* any bar tard with a credit card can get a commercial pilot's license and a job at a regional airline'

The free market has set my salary at close to 100K a year with 10 weeks of leave. That's because what I do is REALLY hard and not many people can do it.

Flying is more difficult than say... attending to a parking lot. But it is insufficiently hard to require decent pay in the free market.

Just is what it is....

The difference between you and someone who knows what theyre talking about is experience. You have clearley not yet been in a situation that made you be thankful to be alive, and angry when you get your paycheck. Stick around long enough and it'll happen. Due to advance tools now available to pilots and dependable engines, it may take 20 years, but non the less it'll happen.

 

[pilotyip]

The difference between you and someone who knows what theyre talking about is experience. You have clearley not yet been in a situation that made you be thankful to be alive, and angry when you get your paycheck. Stick around long enough and it'll happen. Due to advance tools now available to pilots and dependable engines, it may take 20 years, but non the less it'll happen.

Been doin this for 40+ years, I haven't gotten there yet either

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Sad but true!

When it was old steam gauges and you had to be careful not to nuke an engine on a regular basis while hand flying, you really had skill.

I wonder how Fate is the Hunter would read today if Gann was a RJ new hire from a bridge program.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Oh yeah... lots of d!ck swinging going around here. LULZ.

 

[cynic]

The difference between you and someone who knows what theyre talking about is experience. You have clearley not yet been in a situation that made you be thankful to be alive, and angry when you get your paycheck. Stick around long enough and it'll happen. Due to advance tools now available to pilots and dependable engines, it may take 20 years, but non the less it'll happen.

No, I'm a pretty good pilot so I've not inadvertently flown into a really bad situation and as I get older and acquire more experience; that is less likely to happen, not more.

I'm also paid really well, I have a pension and I'll actually retire when I'm 55. That is because the work I do is exceedingly complex and difficult. So much so that few people can do it. Unlike flying, which is more fun but doesn't pay well because it is easy and as I keep saying...

almost any bard tard with a credit card can do.

 

[bri5150]

No. I agree with Cynic. I think that you're giving pilots too much credit. Sure, much of your list is true, but just not even close to the extent that you're suggesting. Only 50%? of 20 to 40 year olds can pass a checkride? It's way more than that. In my instructing days, I signed off many commercial candidates and didn't have one failure.....and it was under pt 61 at a mom and pop FBO.

Given the way our "knowledge" tests are designed, study is based more on passing the test versus actual application of knowledge. Heck, just look at all of the so-called study guides....just questions, answers and brief explanations of answers.

As for flight training, people can train to proficiency as long as they have money......lather, rinse, repeat and most will eventually learn to fly well enough to pass a checkride. As for the oral, instructors tend to design their prepping of the student for the oral part of the checkride to the specific examiner.

Upon obtaining a Private, Commercial, CFI, etc., a pilot doesn't know diddly squat. That's why these certificates are considered to be "licenses to learn."

It just isn't that difficult to obtain one's certificates.

Again, I don't think that pilots are god gift to man and only the select few can possibly do what we do. I am going to make some numbers up, but I think they are probably pretty close. 10% of the demographic we are talking about are mentally or physically handicapped to the point they can't even try or can't get a medical. 10% are so afraid of airplanes they won't even set foot in a single engine GA aircraft (might even be higher). Another 8% don't speak English, which will disqualify them immediately. So, we are up to 28% that can't even get in the aircraft to try. Now add in those that can't understand the physics or don't have the hand eye coordination. 50% might not be the right number, but it is no where near "any tard can get a commercial".

 

[Fly-By-Cable]

No, I'm a pretty good pilot so I've not inadvertently flown into a really bad situation and as I get older and acquire more experience; that is less likely to happen, not more.

I'm also paid really well, I have a pension and I'll actually retire when I'm 55. That is because the work I do is exceedingly complex and difficult. So much so that few people can do it. Unlike flying, which is more fun but doesn't pay well because it is easy and as I keep saying...

almost any bard tard with a credit card can do.

Like I said