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The bottom line is the dollar. The regional airlines hit their peak a few years back, and since then momentum is trending downwards. As much as people want to complain about meager wages, it's somewhat of a self-correcting problem. There are signs that this problem is going to be catching up with the regionals -- their business model is going to have to drastically change at best.
The "pilot shortage" is a shortage of qualified pilots -- not at the top tiers, however. There is a shortage of pilots willing to work entry level jobs because of barely livable wages (especially for those with families to support) and no guarantee of significant upward career mobility. I am a dual-rated guy and currently fly helicopters for Uncle Sam, but even in the rotary-wing side of the aviation house, there has also been a looming "pilot shortage" for years. All the Vietnam-era pilots are allegedly 'on their way to retirement,' yet what we're seeing is a surplus of qualified military helicopter pilots from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force (and USCG) getting forced out of the military and taking jobs that low timers and civilian-trained guys are fighting to get. Needless to say, there was never a true shortage because there was a very qualified person ready to step in once there was a vacancy. I digressed slightly, but my point is that if anyone thinks there is going to be a shortage at the major airlines, joe pilot with his ATP-R is not going to walk into a job. It's going to be competitive at the highest echelons (as it is in any industry). The shortage is going to be at the very bottom. The good news is that it will force the industry to make changes that may make working an entry level job at a 121 carrier more desirable; however, it may take some time... how much times, who knows, but I wouldn't count on it any time soon. It's a slow, slow bleed... |
Professional pilots are glorified bus drivers, all right...and the planes do mostly fly themselves...
...but I'd guess the interweb know-nothings fully expect a Sully Sullenberger in every cockpit, you know, for the times stuff goes wrong and the planes don't fly themselves. I'm also guessing none of those fools would volunteer to be the first paying passengers on a RPA... |
Originally Posted by pitch mode
(Post 1579507)
What was the intention of this article?
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The ignorant public is dollar driven.. while there might be some patriotic rage, the public will soon acclimate to Chinese pilots flying them around in SWA paint...
What? Airline Pilots buy Made in China just as much as anyone else.... |
I still can't figure out why there will not be a Pilot shortage system wide in this country. The 15000hr rule is an obstacle to aspiring Pilot's, the new rest rules are an obstacle to management, the continued rising costs to obtain your certs/ratings is an Pilot obstacle not to mention if you have to self finance part of the 1500hrs and the continued low starting wages at Regional airlines is a Pilot obstacle. When the guy's/gal's at the 1500hr level and above are gone, who will be left to fill the gap? Add in the foreign airlines expansion and their lack of Pilot's and what do you come up with? Simple, no Pilot's.
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Originally Posted by Snarge
(Post 1579552)
The ignorant public is dollar driven.. while there might be some patriotic rage, the public will soon acclimate to Chinese pilots flying them around in SWA paint...
What? Airline Pilots buy Made in China just as much as anyone else.... |
Originally Posted by brianb
(Post 1579557)
I still can't figure out why there will not be a Pilot shortage system wide in this country. The 15000hr rule is an obstacle to aspiring Pilot's, the new rest rules are an obstacle to management, the continued rising costs to obtain your certs/ratings is an Pilot obstacle not to mention if you have to self finance part of the 1500hrs and the continued low starting wages at Regional airlines is a Pilot obstacle. When the guy's/gal's at the 1500hr level and above are gone, who will be left to fill the gap? Add in the foreign airlines expansion and their lack of Pilot's and what do you come up with? Simple, no Pilot's.
Right now, its not even close for new pilots. When Delta struggles to fill classes, there will truly be a scarcity of pilots. When a regional struggles to fill classes, it simply shows a shortage of pilots willing to accept that level of compensation. Raise the compensation and the shortage goes away - Econ 101 market equilibrium curves. My crystal ball says fewer, larger airplanes with reduced frequency to most markets... |
Management are hooked on cheap labor. They will do anything to get their fix. Since 2001 they have been able to get away with murder. Like a drug user they will need to work really hard to get clean. They will lie to the FAA, the public, their employees. Everyone so they can protect their cheap labor.
Everything has a period of existence. I just hope this is the beginning of the end of regional airlines. |
Originally Posted by seafeye
(Post 1579577)
Management are hooked on cheap labor. They will do anything to get their fix. Since 2001 they have been able to get away with murder. Like a drug user they will need to work really hard to get clean. They will lie to the FAA, the public, their employees. Everyone so they can protect their cheap labor.
Everything has a period of existence. I just hope this is the beginning of the end of regional airlines. |
Originally Posted by dmncnpilot
(Post 1579484)
You can't go by what some ignorant people post on these articles. Not everybody is going to empathize with our cause. I guarantee that if those same ignorant posters lose air service to their communities their posts would read differently. You have to give them credit though, some of those posts are funny but very true. We are glorified bus drivers, let's face it! The problem that I have is that a regular city bus driver or a greyhound bus driver has better pay, benefits and most likely better retirement than a regional airline pilot. Who's fault is that? Yours, mine, and every regional airline pilot that has accepted the low pay. That's just the reality of things. Something has to give! I hope this rule stands it's ground and regionals have a harder time getting pilots. It doesn't really matter what the general public thinks anyway, it's all about money. If it hurts the airlines pocket we'll start seeing change.
And I actually saw way more empathy than negativity towards our profession in the comments. |
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