They have, and it still isn't solving the problem. It's not about the money at the regionals, it's about the ability to actually get there.

No, it’s definitely the money and fatiguing schedules. Ask anyone that’s at a regional

You have no idea what you’re talking about.

Hard pass.

Didn't work out well for GLA.

Not everyone is making it to that $300,000 paycheck. The industry isn’t worth the risk for a lot of folks because unless you’re sitting on the throne it’s a never ending grind.

It's 100% about the money and QOL. There are plenty of pilots who don't pursue regionals or flying professionally because they can't afford a net $1,300 pay check and 11 days at home or less with commuting. Especially after the investment getting there.

Please tell me which regionals where FOs are currently only bringing home $31,200 a year?

Now trying to get to 1500 hour, yes, indeed, that is very likely. But not at the regionals anymore.

Roll back the 1500 rule and see the salaries drop like a rock

I’ll take “things that are definitely not gonna happen” for $2000, Alex

If you’re interested in a technically correct answer, the Mesa page lists $36/hr first year, with a monthly guarantee of 76. A single paycheck of that is less than $1400 gross. I imagine there are a couple others that would look around $1300 to $1500 after deductions.

Pay rates like that are just straight robbing a pilot.

I said net per check. So after insurance for a family of 4 (easily couple hundred $ per check), taxes, social security etc. Unless you're single or have a significant other earning an income it's difficult to make it on regional FO pay with a family. If you can live on that more power to you but even though pay has gone up it doesn't equate to the job that is performed. Add inflation and current rent prices to the mix too.

“In addition, this programme will support aspiring aviators from underserved communities and diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in aviation.”

Nice, they have to throw some virtue signaling in there to increase their chances!

“Collecting those hours is expensive and time consuming, creating a bottleneck in availability of new pilots that is not easily solved, say critics.”

Who in the hell pays to buy hours after you have a commercial? Other than maybe paying for a multi, you CFI or find another job.

My W-2 was ~36k at mesa last year. Close enough. Won’t be here past this year I can guarantee that.

So is a medical residency.

You sir, are about as out of touch with reality as airline management teams are! Good on you!

You have zero experience in 121 operations which is a different world than military.

And you just aren't competitive for a major airline with that little time. Go to a regional with a good bonus structure. Pay your dues. Get your full ATP and you'll be at United in a year.

If UND does a “deep dive” RPA does a “DEEP DEEP DIVE” and so deserves this!

It really is impressive how out of touch he is.

As always, Mesa is the exception, not the rule.

I fly for a Part 135 ERJ-145 operator and was hired at 775. I do just fine. We even hire at 500. 1,500 hours in a single engine Cessna won’t prepare you for a transport category aircraft any more than 500 will.

I need whatever hobbies he has! I would love to be that far away from airline reality

Is it? Skywest is around 46$ an hour x 75 / 2 = 1725 gross. Take out the deductions and tell me how far off my number was.

Sonic Flyer has always struggled with math

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I was talking to someone at a local university flight school and they have a full roster with something like 150 on the waiting list. I've also looked at BIZJETJOBS and just for instance they're showing a bunch of single engine turboprop jobs (like the PC-12) wanting 2000 PIC which if that's indicative of the industry as a whole some could be in for a rude awakening.

Yeah I’ve checked out those job boards before and from my experience they just put that number there and then hire lower or most even just end up hiring internally or through word of mouth. Conversely, we were discussing the 121 environment and quite frankly 1500 isn’t that hard to get to. Sure, you may not be hired to time build in a jet or turboprop unless you know someone or are in the military, but most build their hours until 500 TT instructing since that’s the minimum most insurance companies require elsewhere.

I’d say in today’s environment, lots of Part 91 and 135 operators will be hiring at lower time minimums due to the decrease in the pool of available pilots who are heading for the regionals if not there already. The amount of call backs I received from places I applied to early last year and summer prior to the regionals was shocking

So I wonder if that Republic program is going to give the students a year of training like I got in US Air Force UPT? I remember we had about a month of academics then were flying jets for the next 11 months (1981-1982). And prior to UPT you got some time in a military Cessna 172 or similar (depending on how you got your commission) unless you already had a PPL.
They're asking for the same reduction to 750 hours so they should get training just as good as we had.

The fact that Republic (or any airline) could think that their training is equivalent or even somewhat close to US military flight training is utterly, incredibly laughable.

Practically no one is making only that there... Also it goes from $47/hr to $52/hr after the first year. In addition there are bonuses and profit sharing...

From APC:
"Pilot Profit Share Payout Program for all pilots, paid bi-annually. Additional Operational Performance Bonuses for pilots after 1 year at SkyWest and Financial Performance Bonuses for pilots after 2 years at SkyWest, paid quarterly."

Except Operational Performance Bonuses have been in the $50-$75 range per quarter lately while the Financial Performance Bonuses are effectively over since Skywest is no longer making a profit and is not forecast to do so for the near future.
Pilot Profit Share payout is only guaranteed through this year, and was on the negotiating block to be terminated the last package for FO's. Only left in place after overwhelming rejection of the first attempt by management to cut real pay, while appearing to increase pay.

Not sure if you listened to the last earnings call but skywest was profitable first quarter of 2022. They have the money to pay us, this next pay raise better be substantial.

Correction, if you’re waiting for IOE you are most certainly stuck on that minimum monthly guarantee. Don’t ask me how I know..

Taught both part 61 and part 141. Part 61 churns out better pilots. Tailored training for each students needs versus a canned approach that is never truly perfect for anyone.

Don’t forget that for many Part 91 corporate operations, experience requirements may be based on insurance requirements.

I disagree. I also have experience with both.

Part 141 is also tailored to the individual. Yes, you need to make sure you do every part of the lesson and do the lessons in order. Once that is taken care of however, you keep repeating the necessary items until the student gets it.

Man, I'll jump in here. Taught both. Flown with guys from both. This is a bit of over generalization because there's a lot of other things going on too besides where you learned to fly by the time you show up at a regional. I think Part 61 turns out better stick and rudder guys that can also think through and reason through stuff on their own. But 141 turns out pilots better suited for the procedural approach of sitting right seat in a regional airline and learning how to think through and reason through problems in the way their airline wants them to. Both are fine in the long run but from the left seat, I find it much easier to PF with a part 141 types and easier to PM with a part 61 types. The more time they have with the airline, the more time their prior experience doesn't matter.

I gave up on sitting around and waiting for nothing to happen. Got a second job to supplement that income

Flight 3407 Families are already pushing back on Republic's request:

https://youtu.be/AhS68t3Rk4A

Then here comes age 67 or 68.

Factor in all the early COVID retirements, all the people who run into medical issues in their 60s and all the others who don’t want to work past 65…. And you aren’t left with too many people.

Also, it wouldn’t fix the problem. Most pilots that old are at Majors or Legacy airlines.

The shortage is regional captains and LCA.

The only thing that would possibly put a dent in the problem is if you created a “Restricted 1st Class” medical allowing people older then 65 to still fly part 121 in aircraft with less than 80 seats (or something like that).