Getting to a Regional

[NTXPilot]

Keep in mind that the airlines will lose about 65% of active pilots in the next 5 years due to mandatory retirement at age 60.

I knew the baby boomers will all start reaching that age soon, and not only the airlines but most professions will need people to fill the gap once all these people start retiring...But as far as the airlines are concerned, is it really that much? Anyone know where to find any stats. on this?


Keepin it real down here in Tx,
LT

 

[Bruin-Flyer]

Keep in mind that the airlines will lose about 65% of active pilots in the next 5 years due to mandatory retirement at age 60.



NTX:

I thought that was a little high when I first read it.....but hey.....maybe it is just wishful thinking!

 

[lymanm]

...

"Keep in mind that the airlines will lose about 65% of active pilots in the next 5 years due to mandatory retirement at age 60."

While thematically true, this is a slight exaggeration. It will be closer to 40-50% over the next 12-15 years or so. The majority of baby boomers were born from 1945-1960; the 1960 babies still have a few years left in them in the workforce. I was looking through the Census reports not long ago on an unrelated matter.

 

[bobbysamd]

Multi time; how much is needed and the most-accepted ways to build it

Does multi time get almost irrelevant after accumulating so much?

Multi time is never, ever irrelevant.

In that I mean, does it make a huge difference if somone has 300 multi compared with 900 multi?

It does make a difference. The pilot recruiters (say they) look at the whole person, but someone with 900 multi will look far stronger at the outset than someone with 300 of multi.

I must throw in this important point. Multi PIC time is the name of the game.

s going to ATP in hopes of landing an instructor position with them really that more beneficial assuming I could get roughly 300 hours multi via a regular FBO?

Does it look bad to simply pay for multi time once I have my multi rating and the finances to do so?

It always looks better to exhibit multi time earned through legitimate employment than through rental. Anyone can buy a block of time. MEI time is just fine and is an accepted, traditional way of building multi PIC time. Once again, it is time earned via employment.

[H]ow many total hours do you think is practical to build per year simply instructing on weekends and some evenings?

Let's say each weekday evening you have one student for a 1.5 hour dual. You schedule four flights each weekend day, at 1.5 hours. Do the math. It works out to about 10-15 hours a week, or about 700 hours a year - if all your flights go, which they will not, guaranteed. It's probably more reasonable to expect 300-500 hours per year under the scheme you propose.

You must expect cancellations and maintenanced flights. You must expect wx to cancel flights. Also, you might spend all of one day with a student on such things as cross-countries. And all this assumes you have enough students to keep you busy.

One poster mentioned that mins will drop over the next couple of years - assuming hiring picks up precipitously. I would not make that assumption. Competition will still be fierce and you need to load for bear - meaning 500 hours of multi minimum to be competitive. But that does not mean that you should delay applying until you reach that figure.

Hope this helps some more. Once again, best of luck with your efforts.

 

[labbats]

Are you eligible for VA benefits? If so, that should be your focus.

Also, if it suits you, and your only true desire is to build hours, ask for a transfer to a base with an Aero Club. I am amazed at the low cost for quality planes and instruction. Add in VA paying for 2/3 of the cost and it's unbeatable. You already have you Private, so all training from here out would be covered.

 

[KingAirKiddo]

I agree with Bobby...definitely start now and do not work on the assumption that mins will drop in a few years. With the industry so stagnant these days, there will be a lot of qualified applicants already working in the industry who will be moving up the ladder as opportunities present themselves.

Best of luck...

 

[de727ups]

flying club

I used to work for the FAA at LAX. When they moved the TRACON to Miramar, that took a lot of controllers away but you still have quite a few living around LAX. Also, the FAA R.O. is in Hawthorne. What I'm trying to say is...you'd have a nice base of folks with a good income to recruit students from in your immediate area. All the military flying clubs I've seen would allow FAA employees to join. It would be cool if you could get a military flying club started in your around LAX.

 

[JJJ]

Keep in mind that the airlines will lose about 65% of active pilots in the next 5 years due to mandatory retirement at age 60

I don't know if I would believe this. It sounds like something Kit Darby would say.

I'm not sure where they got those numbers, but I would like to see them.

Take a major airline with 10,000 pilots. 65% over the next 5 years would be 6500 pilots, or 1300 pilots per year.

 

[Pilot Doc]

Keep in mind that the airlines will lose about 65% of active pilots in the next 5 years due to mandatory retirement at age 60

If that is true, then 50% of pilots are presumably age 57-59 (roughly.) Assuming the soon-to-retire pilots were not disproportionartely hired late in life, they are all quite senior, and are all captains. Therefore, the other 50% of pilots under age 57ish are all still FO's - conceivably with 20+ years of seniority.


Seems pretty unlikely.

 

[bobbysamd]

Pilot age

Keep in mind that the airlines will lose about 65% of active pilots in the next 5 years due to mandatory retirement at age 60.

If that is true, then 50% of pilots are presumably age 57-59 (roughly.) Assuming the soon-to-retire pilots were not disproportionartely hired late in life, they are all quite senior, and are all captains. Therefore, the other 50% of pilots under age 57ish are all still FO's - conceivably with 20+ years of seniority.

Seems pretty unlikely.

It is not likely at all. The 65% pilot retirement figure together with pilot shortage predictions is classic Kit Darby.

Let's assume that the prediction is accurate. There are plenty of well-qualified pilots waiting in the wings poised to glomb onto those jobs - if they're filled at all. No one has considered that a pilot job shortage could outstrip the pilot shortage.