Pilot Shortage

[bubba]

Re: Experience Shortage

Air Inc provides an excellent forum, about 1/3 of our pilots come from the Air Inc. system because we get to see the guys and talk to them before we bring them in for the interview. .................................................................................... Pilots who avoid using thier services are missing some great opportunities to sell themselves and find out what is going on in the market. Kit Darby does a great job. It is $200 well spent for the latest from the mouth intelligence out there. We will be there in July and hiring.

You seem to be refering to the AirInc, Job Fairs. After reading some of your archived posts's, I assume that you are actually involved in hiring at your company. Considering that, I will accept your assertion that the AirInc job fairs are worthwhile.

However, I must call you on the overall tone of the post. You defend Kit Darby because of his job fairs in a string that was discussing the propoganda that he spreads that some consider detrimental to the profession. You're mixing apples and oranges. If you can defend his continuous propoganda, I welcome it. Defending other areas is just a red herring.

aka bubba

 

[trigeek]

I have to agree with most on this board, NO Pilot Shortage in the 14 years I've been flying. I also agree it all goes in cycles. There may be times where it is difficult for some regionals to find highly qualified prospects but there will always be more aplicants than positions.

As far as the current industry crisis, it will pass. The Captain I was flying with the weekend after Sept 11 put it this way. "Every decade there is a major crisis that adversly effects our industry. In the 70's it was the oil embargo, the 80's it was the Patco stike and deregulation, the 90's had the Gulf War and ensuing recession, now we have 9-11. It is all cyclical and will pass."

I'm not making light of the situation or of those on furlough (many are very good friends). I'm just offering a perspective given me by a Captain that had been around a very long time.

Regards.

 

[Simon Says]

I will have to disagree with everybody out there about the pilot shortage. Every airline out there has a pilot shortage. It is true. In fact there is a shortage at every single flight school, cargo outfit, and airline out there.

With me standing at 6'1" I am not part of the pilot shortage, but I know that they exist. In fact walking through MEM I saw a really short Northwest pilot. He was walking tall (figure of speech) and proud. We all must stop denying the short pilot existance. They are people too. They can do the job of a tall guy, like myself, and some times even do a better job. I think that it takes courage to move your seat to the full forward position and to take lip from the flight attendant on "who let the kid upfront to fly the airplane".

For all of you short pilots out there. I am with your you. I do not deny your existance and I will be here until we win this fight.

 

[Snakum]

"Short people got ... no reason ...
... short people got ... no reason ...
... short people got ... no reason to live!"

 

[Simon Says]

HUH........I dont get it.

 

[Timebuilder]

An American singer/songwriter named Randy Newman had a pop hit in the '70's called "Short People". The post by Sankum is a reference to the lyrics.

 

[Av8trxx]

I think that it takes courage to move your seat to the full forward position and to take lip from the flight attendant on "who let the kid upfront to fly the airplane".

For all of you short pilots out there. I am with your you. I do not deny your existance and I will be here until we win this fight.

Thanks!

.... from all 5'2" of me! LOL

 

[bobbysamd]

Short Pilots v. Pilot "Shortage"

I'm not exactly Shaquille O'Neal myself, so I appreciate these comments.

All the pilot apps I ever saw said that applicants had to have height "sufficient to operate all controls." I guess that was the airlines' way of weaseling around the ADA, etc. That's a subjective judgment. It is totally bogus and discriminatory.

I knew a young lady who was washed out of UPT. AFA grad. Very sharp person who could fly. Very formidable person and personality as well. She said the AF booted her because her legs could not reach the rudder pedals of a T-38. While I didn't doubt her, I have a feeling that other factors might have entered into her washing-out.

I knew a young man who was an AF officer. Also an AFA grad. This fellow could really fly the airplane. He wasn't accepted into UPT because he was too short. He probably was. But, it had no impact on his ability to pilot an airplane.

Go figure. One theory I heard is the public doesn't want to see short pilots, but tall, erect specimens.

 

[kilomike]

Short pilots

I have flown for many years with a man who owns a single engine plane. He has been a corporate pilot, and has flown many different aircraft types. He is only about 5' tall, but his skill, knowledge, and talent for flying rises far taller than his actual height. I enjoy flying with him the most out of anyone with whom I have flown.

It's a shame that the USAF had to lose out on some fine pilots and officers over their heights. It's not THAT hard to get a plane adjusted to accomodate shorter height! My friend's Cardinal's seats are modified by being able to go a bit more forward.

Public image should not be a sufficient reason to not hire a pilot just because he or she is short



Kilomike

 

[Timebuilder]

Didn't I read somewhere that shorter people are less prone to G-Lock? Less leg area for the blood to go and hide in, I think.

>>Go figure. One theory I heard is the public doesn't want to see short pilots, but tall, erect specimens.

Careful, Bobby! They'll start filtering out the message board on the Cyber Sitter software!

 

[Austpilot]

Well, at the risk of being different and to give you some hope - depending on how far you are prepared to travel, you may indeed find a pilot shortage. I know that here in the Asia Pacific they are predicting an upturn where between now and 2012 there will be a requirement for 28,000 short to mid haul airline pilots,look at the Boeing ans Airbus orders for the Asian carriers. They cannot train that many as the cost of private flying is increasing - over $100 US now for a C152 in the region and also The Asians see merchant banking and IT as a more lucrative job.

You guys need to think out of the square a bit more and not scoff at a simple question - and yes, airlines like Cathay and SIA hire Americans if you are in the right place at the right time, with the right quals.

Sure, they may be an oversupply in the USA - but thats the USA - there is another big wide aviation world out there.

 

[bobbysamd]

It's not that easy, though . . . .

That may be true, but usually these airlines give first preference to their own nationals. What's different about many foreign airlines is they screen and hire people with potential and then train them at their cost and pay them. Sort of a reverse P-F-T. They set up their own schools and/or send their students here for training. For example, Asiana had a big contract program with FlightSafety. They sent students to FSI with zero time and seven months later the students were getting time in Citations.

Also, U.S. pilots have to jump through many hoops to get foreign licenses. Moreover, Cathay, JAL and the others will hire foreign pilots who have high time, high turbine and good time in type. It isn't simple.

Captain Mac, at www.fcilax.com , usually lists foreign airlines who are looking for pilots in his monthly newsletter.

 

[Pilotadjuster]

"The airlines have resumed hiring!"

Quote from TAB Express ad in Flying this month. Also on the ad--"no CFI requited, No college required". "American Eagle, A Tab Express Bridge partner". Gee, I didn't know Eagle had started hiring again. Guess I'll have to tell a friend of mine who was furloughed before ground school....

Seems as if every "major" flight school has a huge ad in this month's Flying; I have a sneeking suspicion the only shortage is of STUDENTS...but call me a cynic....

 

[bobbysamd]

TAB Express

We have a few threads going on that place. In a nutshell, don't believe everything you read. There is no pilot shortage. Schools, and places such as TAB, are always soliciting customers.

Your cynicism is well founded.

 

[Austpilot]

Bobbysamd I can see where you are coming from, but just to quote some figures I have heard lately, Cathay want up to 250 S/O's over the next 2 years, SIA are going to have a huge shortage by 2005, Qantas hiring 150-200 S/O's over the next three years, Emirates looking for up to 200 pilots in the next 18 months,Dragon air recruiting, sure, some of these airlines will take as a preference type endorsed guys, but when I did second round in Hong Kong for Cathay there were three young Americans there, 6 Aussies and a handfull of Kiwis. I guess there is a misnomer in all of this - that is that there will never be a shortage of applicants to the airlines - BUT there will always be a shortage of qualified guys with the "right stuff" for the airlines. And yes, I don't know what the situation is in the USA, I really do feel for all the guys there that have been furloughed etc - I hope you guys have some idea as to the state of care and respect we have for you guys in the USA after 9/11, but things will pick up, it has to, every 10 years there is some huge thing that happens and the industry as we know it slides into a "recession" but it does pick up.

I stand by my claim that there is a shortage of pilots, and there will always be a shortage of pilots - ones that have what it takes - and that will always be the case. And I have no idea what that exact quality is, thats for the psychs and the consultants to figure out - although, I reckon they get it wrong some time!! Judging by some of the wallies that fly around!!

Systems and energy management is what being an airline pilot is all about these days - at least thats what I reckon!

I take my hat off to all you guys in the USA that are doing it tough - I know I've digressed a bit on this one, but I hope and pray we can all get back to normality soon, we all deserve it for the work, sacrifices and commitment we have shown, and I tell you what - no psychotic middle eastern freak is going to ruin my dream, or foist his pathetic views on whatever I want to achieve in life.

For those that are on furlough still - keep positive and be patient.

Safe flying.