I can see the government getting involved when this shortage happens. They'll relax the ATP rule I bet...a good analogy was the recent ATC sequester thing....as soon as it impacts the economy like a crisis there will be a late night congress session to bandage the issue...

 

There will be no shortage, there are no figures that support it. This age 67 thing will indeed happen, and it's only because the chosen generation of opportunity gets to make it's own rules and keep selling everyone under 40 down the river. Go ahead, take your massive retirement and get out of the industry, guys, so that I might be able to begin making 15-30K a year for the next 30 years.

 

It would be nice to see the statistics for people that wait until 65 to retire. Where is this talk of 67 coming from? Even if something like this did happen who is going to work until 67? I certainly don't plan on working to even 65. I doubt raising the age to 67 would have much impact on a possible shortage.

 

Actually, what's being discussed in Europe and Australia, low level so far, is no age limit or maybe 67. The issue is pilots are healthier than ever, they don't want to quit an occupation they enjoy. In the US, age 67 would allow collecting full Social Security. Outside of airlines, lots of guys with retirement hacked are staying on.

The percentage staying on past 60 is higher than expected. It's a pretty high percentage. The last Number One at DL was 65.

We have a guy, almost 68, collecting 2 retirements and SS, still flying. He has great health, likes the flying and doesn't have a need in the world for the money. My FAA doc is 84 and tells his patients, many pilots, keep working, it'll prolong your life.

GF

 

I gotta say I hope all the intelligent professionals and interested future pilots keep alert for regulation changes that could radically benefit airlines at the even worse expense to pilots. After reading up on how shady the pilot training process is in, say, UK, for an airline like EasyJet (pay >100k for your training from an exclusive provider that fleeces you, pay >35k for your type rating, take a loan out for all of it that may be due if you leave the low wage atmosphere of the company before it's paid off, work as an intern with no guarantee, then maybe get hired from there) it seems like a smart lobbyist group could easily sell a structured program like that in the US here, to "ease" the upcoming pilot shortage. Airlines get more crews, low cost, training companies that charge tons more than 61 providers make out also, etc...
Does anyone have any thoughts on that scenario? I've worked in media relations and government lobbying so say it's totally plausible with some $ to grease the legislative skids.

 

All the Feds would have to do is order the Dept of Ed to authorize Fed student loans for accelerated flight training programs like AllATPs--if anyone with any credit/no credit and a pulse could get Fed loans up to the cost of education (including housing/books/etc.), more people would go shell out whatever they need for that $19/hour job.

Honestly, it would make more sense for the Feds to loan money to student pilots than journalism and philosophy majors at every University in the entire nation, and/or not loan money to any University/training program unless it was a job-shortage/skills-shortage area....but I'm just a guy.

UVSC used to run the same scenario through a loophole, albeit with now non-existent SLM loans (and they don't do it anymore after the financial crises dried up that cheap pool of loan money).

 

I say leave the rule as is with the stipulation of not using taxpayers money to relieve the problems created by the aviation/airline industry with the assistance of congress. Anybody stupid enough to dig a hole and not create a way out for themselves deserve to be stuck in that hole. Nothing else for the public to do except fill the hole with their arses in it!