Regional Staffing With Upcoming Retirements And Work Rules

[ex j-41]

Those that say this is an easy industry obiously had Mom and Pop pay their way. Take some kid off the street. Give him/her a min wage job and tell him that in 5 years they have to be a commercial pilot at a regional airline. What do you think the success rate will be? So if say1% get through can you still call it easy? Fact is that if you desire to work at this job chances are you can. You don't have to be a rocket scientist. But you do need the drive and desire. These are in short supply right now. Expecially those that want to do this job.

 

[FORESTGUMP]

I don't think our unions would find that acceptable at all. That amounts to the company offering newhires a substantial asset/benefit (their flight training) that isn't available to the rest of the pilot group.

Perhaps our JCBA should reflect the potential for this and include language to mitigate it.

Its already happened....all one had to do to get free school, training, a GUARANTEED job at ASA and a GUARANTEED interview with big D......be black (and female was a plus)....and nobody (especially ALPA) said a word against it.....in fact, it was praised as a wonderful achievement for equality.....

just sayin'

 

[Inconceivable]

I don't think our unions would find that acceptable at all. That amounts to the company offering newhires a substantial asset/benefit (their flight training) that isn't available to the rest of the pilot group.

Perhaps our JCBA should reflect the potential for this and include language to mitigate it.

Not really relevant. They aren't employees yet so they are not covered by the CBA. Unless the contract has a section specifically barring the practice, sourcing employees (and whatever happens before they are employees) falls squarely under management rights.

 

[Trcb777]

I was flying with a guy who was saying this job is so easy a monkey can do it...blah blah blah. During the trip he started studying for his pc, which was about 2 months away. He said the day to day ops are easy. I'm sure a family doctors normal routine is pretty easy too, until a patient needs more then a free sample of the latest antibiotic. Most doctors have above average Intelligence and have hard time flying a bonanza.(bad joke).

I have a friend who is a orthopedic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and loves flying and is taking lessons. He finds it very challenging and is working on his instrument rating. Hope he stays away from the v-tail...

Doctors do a great job controlling supply and demand of entering the field by controlling admission into medical school and keeping very high standards. Maybe if a pilot gets to the airlines via the zero to hero route in 9 months, he might feel like it didn't take much. If you had to instruct at different fbo's for years with old, beat up aircraft or was a freight dog flying at night, solo, skirting thunderstorms for a few years you might look at it differently. Don't sell yourself short.

 

[jmreii]

I was flying with a guy who was saying this job is so easy a monkey can do it...blah blah blah. During the trip he started studying for his pc, which was about 2 months away. He said the day to day ops are easy. I'm sure a family doctors normal routine is pretty easy too, until a patient needs more then a free sample of the latest antibiotic. Most doctors have above average Intelligence and have hard time flying a bonanza.(bad joke).

I have a friend who is a orthopedic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and loves flying and is taking lessons. He finds it very challenging and is working on his instrument rating. Hope he stays away from the v-tail...

Doctors do a great job controlling supply and demand of entering the field by controlling admission into medical school and keeping very high standards. Maybe if a pilot gets to the airlines via the zero to hero route in 9 months, he might feel like it didn't take much. If you had to instruct at different fbo's for years with old, beat up aircraft or was a freight dog flying at night, solo, skirting thunderstorms for a few years you might look at it differently. Don't sell yourself short.

The experience you describe has taught me to never work for a company or industry in which values equipment more than employees as an asset.

 

[timeless]

http://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/2010/

These charts are very informative and suggest that a pilot shortage is possible. These are a few details that stood out to me.

New commercial pilot certificates issued:
2002 - 12,299
2010 - 8,056

There are 24,487 pilots with commercial or ATP certificates aged 30-34
There are 35,949 pilots with commercial or ATP certificates aged 50-54

 

[nwa747]

http://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/2010/

These charts are very informative and suggest that a pilot shortage is possible. These are a few details that stood out to me.

New commercial pilot certificates issued:
2002 - 12,299
2010 - 8,056

There are 24,487 pilots with commercial or ATP certificates aged 30-34
There are 35,949 pilots with commercial or ATP certificates aged 50-54

What that statistic isn't showing is a large percentage of certificates were issued to foreigners training here in the USA. I bet in 2002 less then 10% were issued to foreigners. In 2010 my guess is 40% of those certificates were issued to foreigners. Call around no Americans are training at the large 141's anyone more, and I mean NO ONE.

Another interesting stat is only 4326 CFI's age 20-25. This tells me the well is running dry.

 

[pilotyip]

Pay is poor and schedules brutal. Who wants to fly for a regional.

I have a 41 year old career changing student who is hoping to get that job. I think he is going to fly because he likes to.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I have a 41 year old career changing student who is hoping to get that job. I think he is going to fly because he likes to.

Loves and likes dont pay bills. Its a noble sentiment, though.

Lets hope your friend has ample wealth or no wife and kids to support. Those first few yrs of regional pay are absolutely disgraceful and hardly livable for many without some severe sarcrfices and cutbacks in lifestyle.

 

[SLUF4]

I was flying with a guy who was saying this job is so easy a monkey can do it...blah blah blah. During the trip he started studying for his pc, which was about 2 months away. He said the day to day ops are easy. I'm sure a family doctors normal routine is pretty easy too, until a patient needs more then a free sample of the latest antibiotic. Most doctors have above average Intelligence and have hard time flying a bonanza.(bad joke).

I have a friend who is a orthopedic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and loves flying and is taking lessons. He finds it very challenging and is working on his instrument rating. Hope he stays away from the v-tail...

Doctors do a great job controlling supply and demand of entering the field by controlling admission into medical school and keeping very high standards. Maybe if a pilot gets to the airlines via the zero to hero route in 9 months, he might feel like it didn't take much. If you had to instruct at different fbo's for years with old, beat up aircraft or was a freight dog flying at night, solo, skirting thunderstorms for a few years you might look at it differently. Don't sell yourself short.

I agree completely and the pilots that tell everyone "this job is sooo easy" only hurt their chances of getting more pay and respect.