Originally Posted by
FlyingKat
All that worked well until the new ATP rules came out. Now to get hired under the new ATP rules, you MUST have an Professional Pilot Degree or be a graduate of a military flying program. It is a completely new world under this rule. The days of going to your FBO, building time and getting hired are over, unfortunately. There are going to be two ways to get hired in the future. Go through a military program or a college program. And the cheapest Professional Pilot Degrees in FAA approved programs are $150K.
Personally I spent $30K to get into this profession. If I were looking at this now there is no way I would spend 150K for it. The return just doesn't justify the investment.
Excellent! Now your skills are more valuable. You are worth more than others who do not have your skill set.
But from what I understand (admittedly little since I have had an ATP since 2000) is that if one meets the hour requirements, a company (if they choose) can provide the sim time and written test to finish up the ATP. Again, I may be wrong. But the great thing is those of us who have an ATP are more valuable than those who do not.
The entitlement folks will cry fowl. But too bad. There was a time when a Comm was enough to fly an airliner. The rules are the rules: learn them, live by them, find the cracks, and move on.
And don't for a minute think that schools won't figure out a way for a guy who has 2000 hours and 135 time to get an ATP (or at least get everything that the regionals won't provide).
Regionals will shrink. How much depends on the passengers. If Armpit, Arkansas citizens are willing to pay $1.50 an hour more (on a 50 pax plane) the crew will split about $60/hour (40 pax * 1.50). Otherwise, Armpit won't have air service. If they aren't willing to pay, they will cry, and service goes away. Too bad, so sad, tough *******, next case.
The companies that WILL suffer are the 135 operators that require an ATP (those that have an endorsement eg. CAMTS or the like) to fly a plane that does not require a type rating. Attracting an ATP will get more expensive. Unintended consequence: In the case of CAMTS (air ambulance) companies, unless insurance, medicare, medicade, payments go up, either patients will pay more, or they won't fly.