Originally Posted by PerpetualFlyer

You work at Silver, and have no room to talk big.

Originally Posted by jumpseat2024

Believe me, it won't take much..just a couple airline lobbyists-- "Mr. Senator/Congressman, we will never be able to keep up with staffing or training costs..we will go out of business and crash the entire economy..here's a few million for your 'campaign'"

Originally Posted by afterburn81

You do realize that there was a special element in play at this time that was creating such a demand for pilots. An element that I haven't seen in a while and I'm pretty sure you don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand why it will probably never again exist at the regional level.


Find me growth at a regional airline. That peak has come and gone. Unless they start building airports in the middle of the ocean while the gubment subsidizes it. You can catch a commercial flight into just about any airport in the world. So I wouldn't count on any future expansion.

And no, Gojetzzzzz doesn't count as a growing airline. They fly nothing but other airlines lost flying. How many regional carriers needed to shed flying for these guys to build an airline is sad. I think a lot of the flying lost is gone forever.

I don't think the key to a better profession with respect to pay, QOL and flat out respect lies in the supply and demand of pilots. The real key is in the demand for lift. Less seats in the air makes it easier for the airlines to charge more. Charging more generates more revenue for lesser overhead. In theory it would make it harder for the corporations to come up with excuses to pay you less.

I'm sure there are many views to that concept. Doesn't matter how short they are on pilots. You will never get paid more if they keep giving tickets away. I wouldn't bank on a shortage to help you out in the future.

Originally Posted by Thedude

I saw something similar in the computer industry when I graduated college. Many friends of mine were getting 50k-60k jobs fresh out of college in the early 90s. Microsoft and others complained to congress and they got the J-1 Visas relaxed by crying for need. Of course with the flood of "qualified" foreigners coming form the sub-continent, those nice starting salaries went away. Meanwhile those companies stock did very nicely.

Originally Posted by Counselor

Well, the fact of the matter is that there is no way an MCL regulation will be up and running anytime soon.

Originally Posted by Counselor

The regionals are going to be hurting very soon. A year before the new rules kick in, the regionals are already limiting new hires to those at or near 1200-1500. When these guys run out, doubt there will be many more entering the pipeline. This is no mystery - these airlines must have plans to handle this, especially with all these new aircraft orders. There sure doesn't seem to be any panic, though.......

Originally Posted by NWA320pilot

The current trend is reduction in capacity both at the majors and regional level..... Based on current economic data the economy is limping along with no real shot in the arm in sight to get it really rolling. Even if things do turn around economically in the next 18-24 months I expect the majors to hold capacity discipline in check. There would be some increase in flying but a lot of that could be absorbed from the fat most are carrying.

The wild card is retirements..... We are coming up on the 5 year change from 60 to 65 so we will start seeing retirements come into check. Delta has a large number of retirements coming by the big numbers don't hit for a while. AA has a senior pilot group but they may be swallowed by other fish and thus their pilots would add to the excess already being carried.

The pilot game is a cycle of boom and bust but the airlines are trying to level out this cycle as much as they can. I have heard for 30 years how there is a pilot shortage coming but alas one never transpires.

Originally Posted by coryk

I do? News to me.

I turned that job down. Yep, low-time (500/110), fresh out of the military, and I turned a flying job down! Why? I wouldn't have made enough to pay my bills. And I didn't want to live in West Virginia.

Sorry boss, you can go bark up another tree.