Looming Pilot Shortage

[tomgoodman]

Stagnation

-- how will changes in Part 121 retirement rules (and in retirement ages in general) affect the LOOMING shortage? I foresee most of today's middle-aged and younger pilots working past 60.

I think that's correct. If the 121 max retirement age is raised, thousands of pilots will work past 60 to recoup the wages and pensions they are now losing. That would have to impact hiring and career progression for everyone, adding to the surplus of young pilots unable to find good jobs.

 

[GogglesPisano]

Aviation industry groups (and the gov't bureacrats they bribe) DO NOT want to see a pilot shortage (due to the rising salaries that will follow) and will do everything and anything they can to throw bodies into flight schools to keep wages depressed.

Until regionals pay $50K to start and CA's make $125 -- there is no evidence of a pilot shortage.

 

[cynic]

Do you realize starting salaries could double!!!!!

Think, instead of starting at 18K a year youd could make <say this slow with an EMPHASIS on the thousand)

thirty six THOUSAND dollars a year

Do you realize with that kind of money you could own your own car and live in an apartment by yourself. With no roomates. How awesome is that!!!!

 

[CaptainMark]

enrollments are down at most big flight schools..pilots are steering their children away from this career...with high gas prices and $hitty pilot contracts it will still be years before there is any pilot shortage..there are still thousands out there who will work for pennies...

 

[800Dog]

This is still a great careeer and now is the time to start to if you are interested, a 4-yr degree is not required to get one of those 64,000 potential open jobs. The job will provide a handsome salary and a persistence student can do well fairly quickly.


There are thousands who would disagree with you about flying being a great career. The four year degree is a must and having a backup plan is essential. Don't mislead young people considering a flying career.

 

[frog_flyer]

i thought it was funny that they mentioned regionals will need more pilots because the military plots have started to dry up?

what military pilot is going to go to a regional? (other than one who doesn't have 1000 pic, but thats rare, no?)

 

[CaptainMark]

This is still a great careeer and now is the time to start to if you are interested, a 4-yr degree is not required to get one of those 64,000 potential open jobs. The job will provide a handsome salary and a persistence student can do well fairly quickly.


There are thousands who would disagree with you about flying being a great career. The four year degree is a must and having a backup plan is essential. Don't mislead young people considering a flying career.

he misleads everyone on that issue...he wants all pilots to be stupid so he can pay them peanuts and tell them what a great job they have...

 

[Goose Egg]

Do you realize with that kind of money you could own your own car and live in an apartment by yourself. With no roomates. How awesome is that!!!!

Oooh, pick me! Pick me!

-Goose

 

[Publishers]

The questions here revolve more around the definitions and who they consider to be part of a US airline industry. Over 10 years, this is not a huge number. Look at it this way, Southwest hires 300 pilots -- well they come from somewhere so there will be 300 pilots hired to replace the 300 that went to SWA. They came from somewhere so this is how numbers get generated.
The fact is that most people think in too narrow of focus when talking about flying jobs. They tend to eliminate the ones they have no interest in. If all you think about is the hiring at the so called legacy carriers, you have trouble seeing the numbers at regionals, freight companies, etc. When you add all the 135, 125, corporate jet, special carriers, US Marshalls, etc etc...well things change. Now add all those in other countries. Have you ever seen a US pilot flying in a foreigh carrier, foreigh corporate jet, etc,, etc.
The simple fact is that this is not a bad job and pays a reasonable wage when compared with the worlds average income. While some bitch about the travel and QOL issues, again the fact is that if you do not like that type of life, you probably should not be in this occupation. When I was selling and leasing commercial airliners, it was not like hey you do not have to go anywhere. It was expected that you spend months gone. When I got to hating getting on the next flight, I stopped and did something else, less lucrative, less excitiing, home most of the time. 6000 jobs a year is not a great number for this industry.

 

[corpcap]

We've been 5 years from a pilot shortage for the last 30 years of my career. Apparently, the firm beginning date will be announced by Santa Clause jointly with the Easter Bunny. What a load.