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American Airlines training next generation of pilots as shortage looms | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth

DALLAS — In Scott Shankland's house, the family business is up in the air.
Shankland is a commercial airline captain with more than two decades of experience. It came as little surprise that his 18-year-old son wanted to be a pilot, too.

"He's got a lot of pilots in his family — his stepmom, his stepdad and, of course, myself," Shankland said. Fort Worth-based American Airlines said it hopes to hire 1,500 new pilots in the next five years.

Industry-wide, piloting a jet is a job in demand. Big carriers are pulling from smaller ones, and that's creating a void in the cockpit.
Boeing predicts the number of pilots needed worldwide will almost double in the next 20 years — from 250,000 to 445,000.

To make things worse: more veteran pilots are retiring; fewer are coming from the military; and the number of flight hours required for an Air Transport License has increased substantially. So American is doing something few others are by raising its own next generation of pilots.
American has partnerships with 20 universities across the country.

If students graduate in four years and maintain a certain grade point average, they're guaranteed an interview with American Eagle.
If the airline hires them, they get a $10,000 signing bonus to help offset education expenses. "It's nice going through college where there's light at the end of the road," said Scott Shankland Jr.

He is studying for a Bachelor of Science in Aviation at the University of Oklahoma. One benefit to the FAA-approved program is that he can graduate and go to work with less experience than others.
"I've always known I wanted to fly all my life,” the teenage Shankland said. “With the pipeline program, if it was offered at another university and OU didn't offer it, I probably wouldn't have gone."

The OU program reportedly has a wait list. But it's just the kind of interest American wants as it tries to avoid the looming pilot shortage.
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Cbusbased

"...and the number of flight hours required for an Airline Transport license have increased substantially."

Gotta love reporting.

Their point is confusing to me. Is it American or Eagle that's creating a pipeline? I wouldn't think a major would need to do this. I can see regionals doing anything to get people. Even the EU method of hiring like recruiting and signing kids fresh out of high school.

7576FO

First, I would like to thank Scott Shankland for his service to APA.

Now this is what is wrong with APA. Scott has barely flown for AA.

His flt time at AA is unbelievable low.

There are many in APA that routinely are on committees that determine policy and rules. Some of these guys never fly under these policies and rules and if they do, it's 1 trip a month for Paid union displacement. They are never on reserve day after day.

Mellerski, Rivera and Shankland are career APA'ers.

Right now at APA they are designing a Governance project that would take all decisions out of the memberships hands and allow the BOD to make all decisions.

Mrs Shankland, Scotts wife is also a pilot for AA and is/has been on numerous committees.

I have volunteered many times for committees. I also was one of the mentoring people for recallees. I did a little bit of work for SPC until they went automated.

My point here is that APA is to inbred.

Shankland is a grad of the AFA. My understanding is he has never worked for another airline.

The AA/APA contract has always been inferior to UAL/DAL. And the old management team could drive a truck through all the loopholes.

Laker24

7576FO,

Do you have any info on APA trying to get longevity pay for the returning furloughed pilots?

7576FO

I know they are trying. I know trying is not the answer you,they, all deserve.

I listened to the MIA town hall meeting last week and was BITTERLY disappointed in MIA Chair Ivan Riveras comment as well as Mark Stephens response to the LOS question.

Their response was here and at every airline there was a different reason and situations why LOS was awarded.

I support LOS.

meyers9163

LOS? Sorry to many acronyms.

7576FO

Length of service. Getting credit for yearly pay rates for time on furlough.

Capt Hindsight

LOS=Length of Service. Generally defined as time you are actively employed.

I'm confused then,7576, about your support for "LOS." Pretty sure I know what you mean, though.

Capt H

Mink

I've followed the LOS issue (longevity pay) a little bit. Hardly an expert. But in a nutshell apparently APA agreed to some sort of "cost neutral" deal with the company, so anything APA is gets means something else has to be given up (my question, then, is W T F is a union for but to bargain for MORE from the company?). But anyway, the basic question is, should APA battle for LOS for the returning furloughed guys, or go after other things like overall pay rates, retirement, medical, the ridiculously hosed up reserve system, 1st class seats for deadheads, crew meals, etc. that are more near and dear to those further up the seniority list?

My answer is "all of the above", but there are plenty of voices out there telling furloughed guys it's not possible.

Lots of issues to address, no doubt about that. But getting LOS on the radar, beyond supportive comments, appears to be going nowhere.

7576FO

I am in contact with several people at APA. No more no less than your average guy. Each time I mention how important LOS is to those returning.
I was involved with mentoring recallees. I spoke on the phone with many and through emails. They all let me know how important it (LOS) is.

Dec through Jan I had one divert and 3 other problems at work. I had to file 3 ASAP's and 1 P2. I spoke with the MIA chief twice and communicated with John Hale through email twice.
I did mention how important LOS is and how much of their careers many of these pilots lost.

I volunteer. I write. I report things to the proper people. I recently volunteered twice for the reserve study focus group.

I received LOS. I am a former Reno Air pilot. There were a lot of reasons we got LOS. But they were different and each case for LOS has different reasons for receiving LOS.

I was at 4th year FO at Reno Air. Putting me on probation pay at AA would have been a pay cut. <Do not read attitude or ingrattitude into that statement>
We ALL went to the bottom of the seniority list on Feb 19, 1999. No Reno Air pilot has been a captain since or now. tomorrow is 15 years later. I'm a lucky guy and happy. I fly a 777. Would I like to be a captain? Yes!


I support LOS for all furloughees some of whom have been furloughed 10 years.


My guess is APA has too much on it's plate right now with the merge. Somewhere along the line I think 1986 when I was flying for a commuter ALL airlines fell into the trap that you have to give something up to get something.
I have never bought into that. But the senior sure have.