What the Future Looks Like . . .
 

A few very interesting speeches from a few very qualified professionals. Whaddya think?

ANN Special Feature: The Pilot Shortage - 09.30.08 | Odeo: Search, Discover and Share Digital Media from Millions of Audio and Video Clips

I listened to it. Agree with some. Disagree with some. The UAA guy is trying to sell aviation degrees and the MPL. The UAA is hardly impartial, their job is to promote and make money for the aviation schools in their organization. So, I think it's obvious he's pushing an agenda.

Both the ALPA guy and the UAA guy think there is, or will be, a pilot shortage and both seem to think the regionals are hiring 400 hour pilots left and right. I don't think either is true, and I hope we never get back to such low experience levels in the right seat, but it would be great is this "pilot shortage" really happens.

Personally, I've been hearing "there will be a pilot shortage" for 20 years. All I've really seen happen is and up and down cycle in entry level experience requirements for the various catagories of pilots. It's all about supply and demand.

It says at the link this story was published Sept 30th. It's hard to believe some of these guys remarks considering the current state of the industry. It makes a lot more sense if this came out a year ago.

I gotta agree with de727ups. I, too, picked up on the fact that he represents an organization that is in the business of making money. Nothing wrong with that...it's just the way it's earned.

The UAA rep mentioned the fact that the "end users must share in the cost of training". I think this is where the idea of putting a CRJ course in the cirriculum of some flight schools came into being. It certainly seems that would support the idea. Also, what was termed as the disparity between what the airlines need in a flight crewmember as oppose to what the FBO's, aviation universities and flight schools are producing in a potential flight crewmember would support the idea as well.

Paul Rice mentioned that the shortage lies in the FO position @ regionals. I believe there are two reasons why; first there is the issue of pay. The second is exactly what de727ups said, "supply & demand". If people stop or there is a significant drop in the load factor of a particular route, then that route or service to that city is drastically reduced or eliminated.





atp

The first guy who was talking sort of freaked me out with his "airlines want all your ratings plus aviation related experience that you only find in a university with an avaition program" type talk. Maybe I misunderstood, but is he implying that going to ERAU/FIT/UND/etc... and studying Avaition Business while getting your ratings for $120-$180 grand is more attractive to airlines? Personally, i made the financially wiser decision to get my raitings at a flight school i can afford to go to while attending UCF's business school where my scholarships should pay for almost 100% of my tuition.

So my guess with this shortage is that it will magically return once the economy improves and the 65 year old retirees start leaving the industry? I certainly hope this is so. I was very interested in the points made about CFIs needing better pay and benefits as well as reforming the way flying is taught to us students.

Now that you mention it, yeah...he didn't seem to imply that. I guess that's why some of the regionals are initiating these bridge programs with the uniersity types.

As far as the shortage; I believe there is one with FO's at the regional level. It's being masked by all the other disinformation activities that are coming to the forefront as our ecomony slowly unravels. Notice that the price of oil is now closing in the $80-$90/barrel range and going lower...the government wipes the slate clean for banks, mortgage companies and financial lending institutions....????!!!!! :eek:;)

IMHO, I believe that once the mask was snatched off the monster in terms of our fledgling economy, those in these high minded "Think Tanks" crunched the numbers and said in lay terms...."we just need to start over".



atp

...."we just need to start over".

I like this!

Now the seeds of the MPL are bearing fruit:

Kingfisher Airlines cuts 90% salaries of trainee pilots- Airlines / Aviation-Transportation-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times