Ain't that the truth. Personally I was hoping he would blame Hobby getting a customs/immigration for swa again.

 

Well said.

 

Aren't there 25 weight restricted ER's on the XJT side my guess those are the 25 145's being parked. Knowing this management they will keep the 50 seaters that can't carry 50 people.

 

+1

I easily was hired with above the current minimums, and it didn't take long to get the experience, just dedication. Back in the 80's/90's, you needed at least several thousand hours just to get strapped into a Saab or Shorts. The system was different, less frequency but higher capacity aircraft (ie major) doing most of the flying.

Which brings me to Jeff's letter. What's interesting to note is that a 60% reduction in total flying out of CLE only reduces ASM by 36%. This is a key point.

Anyway, the CLE death knell has been ringing for a while now, anyone who has been around for 10+ years has been watching the sunset in real time. This should therefor be of little surprise, but most of the pain will unfortunately be felt by ground ops and regional crews living in CLE who expected the day would not come. See MEM and CVG and PIT and STL and DAY and... etc.

 

Yes, back when we got hired in the 90s, you needed 1200/200 to work at places like Great Lakes. Or you could go somewhere like ASA and pay to play. Also back then Airnet was flying checks and you could get on with any crackpot night freight operation (checks) in a broken down T210 to "build time". Or you could CFI.

Now, checks are no longer flown, and CFI jobs have disappeared since no one wants to spend the money training for a career what won't pay off their loans. Night freight isn't what it used to be, and most of those jobs still require more than 1500 hours if its in a jet. So what's a young pilot to do in order to get from 300 to 1500?

 

Suck it up and do circles in a C152 for three years....Times have changed.

 

CFI at a local FBO or a place that caters to foreign students. Survey work. Banners. Whatever-- pound the pavement knock on doors and find 91 flying. It's out there, but one is probably going to have to leaving Mommy's and displace. Then, go to a part 91K place like Alpha/Planesense or Wheels Up. Fly some more in a crew environment and build the experience. Then, go apply at a 121 place. One can even skip the 91K part if one wants. It shouldn't take more than a few years to build the time, and the experience, networking, and memories will be well worth the exercise. Flying for a living isn't for the softies.

Many of us got all our pre-121 time at small FBO's scattered across the country teaching people to fly who just wanted to learn to fly for fun, not profit. We lived in tiny apartments or rented room, dilapidated vans, and couch surfed. Either an aspiring pilot wants to work for it, or doesn't.

 

Instructing jobs have not disappeared. A large amount of international students are training in the US currently. Many large flight schools have a waiting list of students. With a new CFI, one can easily find a job, obtain 1500 hours in twelve months or less and move onto the airlines.

 

That's a lot of debt and sacrifice to "earn" a job paying $22,000 a year with a 8 year upgrade. Get my drift? It ain't what it used to be.

 

Yeah, freight dawgin' ain't as prevalent as before, but that job still exists for many things besides bank mail. If regional flying were taken back by mainline, how busy would the flight schools be? I'd wager A LOT more busy. There's also no law saying airlines can't buy a 150 with an autogas STC to help students fly off X number of hours.

I DID applaud Eagle for offering CFI sponsorship, but they ruined their credibility with double concessions and threats. And really, is it regional upper management or mainline upper management pulling the strings?

As an FAA jumpseater said about two years ago, "If the pilot shortage comes to pass, the airlines have no one to blame but themselves!"