There is a good article in the latest edition of Air Transport World magazine. It's titled "Where have all the pilots gone". It's about the shortage of pilots at the regional level and has several interesting quotes from people in the flight training and regional airline industry. Kent Lovelace, the chairman and professor of aviation at UND says that regional airlines need to improve their pay to create a larger pool of applicants. He also points to another phenomenon- a new generation of pilots who are different from their predecessors. He says that a study done by the Wilson Center for Public Research on behalf of ALPA noted that younger pilots had "higher expectations, short timelines and an intrinsic sense of entitlement."

The reports says that regional airlines are quick to point out that low base pay can rise quickly because of growth and the very real prospect of upward mobility. Pinnacle VP Phil Reed says that a pilot there can make $90,000 within a few years.

ALPA VP Paul Rice suggests a flow though that would enable regional pilots to move up to their mainline partners, while others are counting on the Mulit-Crew Pilot License to help with the lack of new regional pilots applicants. Embry Riddle reports that it's enrollment in it's aviation program has increase 25% in the past two years.

What are your thoughts on how to improve not only the supply, but the quality of regional newhires?