Originally Posted by
block30
Yeah, I don't work at a flight school anymore, but in the past two years the number of people I have met who are interested, starting, or finishing flight training has gone way up.
Granted I am just one person, and the FAA's 2013 data shows a decrease in student, private, and commercial original issuances...better update my signature line. I bet the numbers bounce back in the 2014 data. Nonetheless, I think the pilot shortage media blitz has caught a lot of attention.
From the RAA's perspective, a PR/media blitz about a pilot shortage that inspires noobs to shell out 80K for flight training costs wayyyyyyyyy less than paying for those noobs' training.
The more NEW people with no prior 121 experience you can entice into an RJ class, the less pressure you have to increase wages/contract terms/etc..
In the end, hyped-up pilot shortages make money for flight schools, airlines, and people like Kit Darby--the only people pilot shortages don't benefit in the aviation system is, well, PILOTS!