There is no pilot shortage. Pilots go to those airlines becasue there are more pilots than jobs and besides how are pilots suppose to build time to make it to the better airlines? Instruct? yea thats brilliant lets flood the industry with more low timers so they get more desperate and accept lower wages and QOL. The only solution is to encourage flight schools and instructors to be honest to their students about the industry instead of serving a load of crap about there being a pilot shortage. I hate to hear instructors telling young pilots that there is shortage, the CFIs just want to build there time so they can move onto a better jobs but in doing so they are hurting everyone in the long run. I will probably invited flamers on myself but maybe some out there can take the blinders off. I see guys thrashing SKYHIGH but there is much truth to what he is talking about, but hell nobody wants to hear the truth anymore.

 

So your saying that guys like me who ARE going to instruct and NOT jump on the band wagon are wrong for doing so? It's wrong to want to instruct and gain the knowledge I want to gain? You got a better way to build hours for future employment I'm all ears.

 

Instructing is ok- if the flight schools and CFIs are honest with the perspective students about the career. That is all I am saying. I would give another look to safety pilot time building and possible getting a job within the airline (such as throwing bags, crew scheduling, dispath or fueler) to get a foot in the door with an airline and then splitting time as a safety pilot to get more experience. CFIs that are honest with thier students are ok with me. I am just stating that there is already an over abundance of low time pilots so look at all your options other than continue the traditional flight instructing job that throws more low time pilots into the industry. I also did flight instruction over 10 years ago before I relaized there are other options.

 

How would throwing bags help you get a job as a pilot, why would they care about that?

 

Because many airlines prefer to hire internal employees and while you are at the airport throwing bags you are making contacts wiht either that airline or possible others. If you look at many of the other forums you will notice that many majors or regionals wont hire you without a letter of recomendation from an employee. That is very very true when speaking about majors. Hence that is why I also argue with anyone when they say there is a pilot shortage- nope- majors and good regionals can hand pick the very best from a huge stack of resumes. If they see a resume or internal job appplication you better believe it will get noticed.

 

So far I have seen some good responses but none in support of my original question... How are you making this industry better? Please, chime in. Here's another. If all it takes to become an airline pilot is 250 hours, then you can go fly 900's for Pinnacle, why should we make more? No College, No real investment except the money for the ratings? I hope you guys are happy maxing out at $60,000 for a "Super RJ" captain cause that's the way things are going. If you don't have the foresight to see what you are doing by taking a job at Mesa or TSA, or Gojets you don't deserve to be in this industry. I have got to give some credit to the Pinnacle guys for toughing it out for the new contract.

Some of you guys make it sound like to get some experience and really learn how to fly an airplane you should do it with 90 people sitting behind you. After that you can then move on to a quality regional, meanwhile that "quality regional" was competing with your poverty wages. It's really not that hard to pass a sim ride these days, I have read a lot of posts saying if you can pass the ride it must mean that you're competent... I would disagree.

How we try and solve this problem... as someone mentioned, captains at these regionals need to step up and do something about it. I'm just happy that when I do upgrade at Skywest after a year and a half I won't have some fresh out of high school kid that can't have a beer sitting next to me with 250 hours.

I hope you guys that have made the decision to go to these airlines at 250 really do leave after the SJS wears off and go somewhere else mentioned in the first post.

 

How have you made this industry better?

 

Went to a carrier that pays a little bit better, better work rules, try to talk people out of it on this web site, and if it doesn't get better I will do something else. That is always an option. I also stay in touch with my students and mentor them. They will not end up going to Mesa, Pinnacle, or TSA.
People need to approach their job at a regional as a career instead of a hobby. Mesa and TSA aren't career airlines for most unless you have a little drinking problem. Just Kidding

 

Window seat...How are YOU making this industry better? You are placing a lot of blame on the low-time newbies. What's your background? You're obviously an FO that's looking forward to "upgrade in a year and a half"...how long have you been at SKW? What sets you apart...you had to wait til you had 1000 hours to get hired? This is how the industry is! Mesa required an ATP to get hired at one point. Now...not so much. Republic is offering cash with previous experience. United (mainline) used to hire people who answered a newspaper article with little to no experience. Things change and this is where the industry is...deep, I know.

More education needs to get out to aspiring pilot, I'll give you that. I knew nothing when I got into flight training, and slightly more when I was hired with AMW. Maybe some sort of a program offered by the unions about the state of the industry and the true day-to-day life of an airline pilot. How about you become a mentor at the local FBO? What have you done? Stop blaming the low time new hires that are advancing their careers.

 

What are you going to do?