Originally Posted by
727_Driver
You cannot compare the Brittish Airways, Air Lingus, etc Abitio programs to the US ones. They are apples and oranges.
As a BA pilot explained to me, their Ab Initio pilots are tested, already have college degrees and are hired by BA. BA pays them a stipend, pays for their training and housing. The learn the GA flying here in the states and if they get anything less than an A in their classes they are washed out of the program. After getting their commercial here they go back to their respective carrier for additional training and then become an IRO and fly as an IRO for a long time.
The biggest myth out there is there is a pilot shortage. There isn't one. There is a pay shortage. Fix the pay and you will have ample amount of qualified pilots knocking down the door.
The pilot shortage is being bantered about by the RAA and others to try and get the 1500 rule changed so they can go back to lower pay rates.
I am sorry no amount of book work can replace good ole experience. You cannot teach judgment, decision making, hand eye coordination, etc in class room. I cannot even begin to tell you how valuable my CFII days, traffic watch, single pilot IFR piston twins, and other work was before the airlines.
The math is quite simple. Take the number of new commercial pilots/ATPs yearly, and subtract the number of airline retirees yearly. That giant sucking sound is the shortage in a few short years. Delta may not ever feel the most severe pain, but all airlines will change how they recruit as a result of it. JetBlue will have to adapt, no question. And as an employee of that company, I applaud any efforts to think outside the box to address a real threat to the bottom line. I like my company to be viable, long term.
The propaganda you are spouting sounded good 3-4 years ago. Let's see how it sounds 6 years from now.