I have been saying this for some time now, that I believe there is no pilot shortage. It is thus far only a myth, and a very expensive one at that. There is possibly a mild pilot shortage made up of too few pilots willing to work for the same old terrible regional airline pay. I am not totally sure "that" shortage actually exists, except there is some circumstantial evidence that it may be true such as a few sign on bonuses here and there, plus some anecdotal reports.
Things may change though. I truly believe the ATP rule changes have yet to be felt in the supply chain and the industry may decide that wage increases are a better idea than letting the supply of new pilots reach lower levels.
tool68
02-19-2014 08:50 AM
Interesting, thanks for the post.
seafeye
02-19-2014 10:06 AM
I liked this response:
I encourage any person looking for a career in aviation to look into helicopter flying. After the typical 2 to 3 years of flight instructing, instead of a $23,000 a year job, companies that provide offshore oil and gas transportation have starting salaries in the $50,000 a year range with 2 week on/2 week off schedules. While it may not sound glamorous airline flying is as glamorous as waiting for a Holliday Inn shuttle van and eating at Panda Express in the terminal.
November27U
02-26-2014 01:45 PM
Hmm, not very uplifting for an aspiring professional pilot. Although the reply about helicopters is certainly interesting
atpcliff
02-26-2014 03:05 PM
There are a large number of airlines that are: raising pay, increasing the varieties of commuting schedules, allowing commuting where there was none before, opening pilot bases in foreign countries to try and lure pilots in, parking aircraft and cancelling those aircraft flying schedules, etc., etc.
But, if you don't believe there is a pilot shortage, then you are correct.
Cubdriver
02-26-2014 03:18 PM
Originally Posted by atpcliff
(Post 1590657)
There are a large number of airlines that are: raising pay...
As in, a domestic regional airline? Which ones?
...increasing the varieties of commuting schedules, allowing commuting where there was none before...
Since when did any airline not allow commuting to work? Or bidding lines based on seniority? Can you please be more specific, especially in regard to domestic regional airlines.
...opening pilot bases in foreign countries to try and lure pilots in...
As in, domestic regional airlines doing that now? Wow! :)
...parking aircraft and cancelling those aircraft flying schedules, etc., etc.
Some domestic regionals have apparently done this in the last year or so here, but not because there is a genuine or truly pressing pilot shortage, no, it is because they cannot staff these aircraft while paying short-order-cook wages any more. It is a minor shortage, not a genuine or substantial one.
...But, if you don't believe there is a pilot shortage, then you are correct.
There is no domestic pilot shortage at the regional level, Cliff. Like I said on the other thread that you never bothered to reply to, foreign airlines are another story and are in fact poaching American mainline pilots with better pay structure and less competition for jobs than in the US. The US is awash in cheap pilot labor and always has been for the last several decades. I wish you would either stop saying there is a pilot shortage in the US, or at least back your opinion with some genuine facts.
atpcliff
02-26-2014 06:57 PM
Pilots are a global commodity, and pilot jobs are all over the globe. We are lucky to be allowed to fly for many countries that need us.Many other Americans are not allowed to work in their career fields overseas..if there are no us jobs, they are screwed. We get the benefit of us pilots going overseas which lowers the number available to work in the US.
