Has pilot hiring ever been worse?

[BigFlyr]

Hiring is not really that bad, which doesn't explain why I'm still unemployed but it has become extremely competative in that it is nearly imposible to get an interview anywhere without a letter of recommendation (prefferably three) from someone on the inside (prefferably someone you've flown with). I'm not sure how it is at the commuter level since they tend to have higher rates of attrition and therefore have to hire more heavily.

 

[bobbysamd]

Re: If I remember correctly.

I think 1904 was a pretty bad year overall.

Well, for that matter, except for a brief period in the '60s, there was never a pilot shortage. In 1903, the Wright Flyer needed only one pilot and there were two available!

 

[pilotyip]

Much worse

How about 1973-74, there were no airline jobs, Delta pilots took jobs as baggage smashers, Eastern pilots got contract jobs in the Iranian Air Force, lots of guys went back on active duty. Back in the old days airlines were mostly ex-military. There was nothing going on back then, except maybe this small overnight mail company out of Little Rock, Federal something, But nobody would want to work there, pay DA-20 F/O about $400 per month and then sometimes they did not even get a check. Who would want to work there?