They have been around for a long time. RAA is the business association of regional airlines. The ATA is the major airline equivalent and has been around even longer.

Every industry and professional sector has such a coalition....

AMA: Doctors
ABA: Lawyers
GAMA: General aviation manufacturers
BAA: Business Aviation Ass.
Etc, Etc

They do many things, such as setting standards for their industry (which may be voluntary or mandatory) and lobbying lawmakers for their collective interests.

Great post Sniper! Thanks for sharing. As a guy with only 1200TT, I can agree that perhaps meeting ATP mins to be an FO is probably a good thing...as long as the pay reflects the level of experience.

Wait One Doggone Minute
 

I have over a 1000 rotorywing time 500 hours in NVG's. But due to reg's I have less than ATP mins. Hours don't make pilots safer period. CRM and decision making ability only do. Push the auto pilot on and answering the radio every now and then dont give you decision making abilities. anyone remember the indoc video's of Cali, Value Jet, over and over again these pilots had over 10,000 hours. I'm less than ATP mins, when I get recalled if i get recalled are these mins going to affect me? In the next 10 years the pilot shortage will be huge. This is a knee jerk reaction and will only hurt pilots as a whole. :confused:

No, not now anyway. There is a three year grace period built into the legislation I believe.

God I hope so. And it will only HELP the profession. Fewer candidates means you need to attract people to the profession and make it worth their while to stick out CFI'ing, banner towing, freight dawgin, etc. So pay should (theoretically) go up as should QOL. Now, this industry is Bass Ackwards so one never knows but it can only help to raise mins.

Hours do make a pilot safer, period. The more experience one has the better equipped to deal with the problem at hand.

Value Jet crashed due to improper loading of hazmat not pilot error.....

Sorry but there will be no pilot shortage in 10 years. This rumor hs been around for at least the last 25 years that I have been flying.

I really do hope the pay reflects this new "experience level". I am so surprised that the pay has drilled down as far as it has. I feel for the Mesa pilots with a $19/hr rate... The regionals need to step it up and create a better work environment for their pilots. They want us to be professionals but refuse to pay us at a professional pay rate. It is disgusting. I am also curious on how the exemption from the ATP requirement for Part 121 will work it out. I understand their might be a three year grace period, but will the airlines have to fund these changes themselves? Doesn't the ATP require the pilot to perform the check ride from the left seat? :confused: