"Pilot Shortage" - well ?
 

Well not much talk lately of the supposedly looming pilot shortage. Any more developments on this topic ? Any signs ?

I say "no"

Look at the major airline retirement schedule 4-5 years from now and then for 20+ years. Maybe not a "shortage", but game on for anyone in the business looking to land a sweet gig.

Just my opinion.

A guy from my airline hired at DAL/AA/UAL...so 2 of them are getting a no show phone call. Another guy left UAL groundschool after INDOC to go to DAL.

Two chinese airlines in the past few months are now hiring Expat FOs. China has NEVER hired any expat FOs before. Emirates does a Road Show for new pilots in Singapore...no one shows up. New airlines starting in China. New mainline routes in China. New regional routes in China. New airports in China. LCC in Asia (outside of China/ME) have 1000 aircraft on order.

DAL capt told me DAL hiring is bringing in more guys than they need...they are trying to get guys now that would have gone to UAL/AA. DAL's plan is to have those guys now, and keep them, which will hurt UAL/AA down the road when the shortage gets even worse.
Etc., etc., etc.

shortage will only ever be at the regional level. I think it's only a matter of time before the majors start specifically targeting the pilots of each other's regional's to hurt the competition's feed

[QUOTE

Two chinese airlines in the past few months are now hiring Expat FOs. China has NEVER hired any expat FOs before.[/QUOTE]

Which airlines?

Heck, Delta went and BOUGHT a regional, just to get those pilots into the Delta pipeline! :rolleyes: (Pindeveavor)

At peanut pay rates of course, but... if you are willing to fly for peanuts until you get some time, you'll get a "Guaranteed Interview" at Delta!

Whoo Hoo!

Chinese hiring ? Who ? what about the reputed difficult Chinese medical ?

Look back at the last big hiring spree, it was not the Majors who were hurting, but the RJ's and the FBO Puppy Mills, who were losing every 250+hr. IP they had to the RJ's, who were losing every 2000hr. Captain they had to the Majors.

So, now that there is a new FAR, where RJ F/O's have to have 1500hrs., where are they going to find F/O's?

The chinese medical is difficult. The airlines are working with the CAA to make it easier. Every chinese airline is hiring..mostly DECs...base pay ranges from $15-22K/month. A guy at my airline said his buddy went there as DEC and asked for and got $30K/month. Don't know the 2 CHinese FO airlines...it was an recruiting email sent to me. *************.com has some good threads on China. They also need bizjet guys in CHina. I was offered a Falcon 7x DEC slot...but I don't think I could pass the medical...hearing loss and over age 50.