DYNASTY HVY

Been waiting on the so called shortage myself for about 20 years

jet320

I have been in the business for 15 years. I started very young and I was fortunate enough to jump on the 737 as FO at 21. I have seen how pilots react to different changes. We are not a patient group… but who is? We want things now; Aviation for me is like a marathon. You don't spring the first few miles, you take it slow, follow a rhythm in order to be able to finish the race.



It took me 11 years to be Captain……and it was worth it! Every year! I was more mature, I was more patient and more sure about my career. And it certainly came in handy during bad weather, etc…



Life is like a boxing match. For those of us who like sports, we all have a plan until we receive the first punch!



Well, 9/11, oil barrels reaching 100+ and some lunatics ( Chavez) were the first punch for me and my avition career!! Patience… is the name of the game. I know it is hard with family and obligations. But the rebound will happen. Shortages of pilots are occurring right now. At least in the rest of World. The USA will not be left out. Why?



I was offered a job at AirTran, I am going to take it in the future, because I know a rebound of the US economy will happen. And all those factors above (9/11, fuel,economic instability) will make more future pilots stay away from our career. Well is their choice.......but they are missing the best part of the journey...( if you got to ask, you will never know)

Just keeping the positive attitude. Best to all jet320

SkyHigh

What is the next best thing to a UAV?

How can we reduce the costs of flight crews?

Just make two half's of a pilot and pair them together!

Multi-Crew License. Two people in the flight deck who together make one pilot.

SkyHigh

texaspilot76

I don't see a shortage currently. The majors are beginning to cease their hiring. The regionals hiring is slowing. Age 65 keeps pilots in the seats. Plus, with ATA, Champion, and others going under, there will be pilots on the street looking for jobs. You might see a change in 5 - 10 years, but until then, we are kind of stuck with slow movement.

577nitro

I'll agree to this statement. I just received and email from American Eagle that they just lowered the minimums for FO's.

And to think, I spent $21000.00 getting that 200 hours multi time when I could have just waited a little.

JS-

577nitro

I thought thats what ALPA gets paid to do?

full reverse

For those who don't believe a shortage is imminant, I have a few points to make:

First a previous post stated that they have been hearing about a shortage since the 70s, there would have been, except starting in the 80s the 3 man crew became a 2 man crew. In essence the airlines reduced their demand for pilots by going to a 2 crew airplane by 1/3rd.

Now lets look at supply, in the 70s 80s and early 90s pilots were being trained by the thousands in the military. So you had a constant supply of well trained pilots from the mil side, as well as the regional side. Then the cuts started coming, and in the mid 90s bases by the dozen were closed, and the military budgets and equipment were slashed. Come up to today, and poll a new hire class at a major and the vast majority are regional pilots, because the the few that come from the mil background are a trickle at best.

Age 65: for pilots today this is the bane of our existance, because this delayed upgrade, it delayed eqiupment jumps, and it has resulted in all the majors not hiring for the near future. Many airlines (CAL and UA to be specific) haven't had a retirement since age 65 passed. For management this has delayed the innevitable, while they try to merge airlines and therefore reduce their demand again for pilots.

Eventually, managements bag of tricks to staff airlines without hiring will run out, then the pain will begin.

The economy is in a slump, but it wont be for 5 years, which means 2012, will be a banner year in demand. But where will supply be? I hate making predictions but if there isn't a true shortage in 10 years I will be suprised... unless management gets the FAA to approve single pilot aircraft.

daytonaflyer

I think that we'll be looking at an airline shortage long before we're looking at a pilot shortage. Half the current airlines may go out of business before the oil crisis is solved.

papacharlie

I agree with you jet320,I've been in that marathon since 1995 when I took my first flight. After that, I flew 250 and got all my licenses and luckily I got my first pilot job...After 1 year a lost it because the economy in my country went south in 2001 but I got 320 hours out of that.
Since then I was waiting for my US residency, but I got it 4 months ago and now I'm back in the marathon (even tough Im 38 years old)! I'm never going to quit my dream of becoming an airline pilot.
But if I had to do it all over again from 0 hour I dont know if I would do it.
As I said in my previous post,after 2 weeks and 6.5 hours of dual instruction my bank account was $1400 short.
Airlines need to raise salaries and customers need to pay more for flying,
in my opinion.

The Juice

Having a job flying a TProp is a warm feeling with the price of oil what it is. I would much rather fly an "old" TProp then a new 50 seat RJ right now.