There isn't a shortage, but there is an insufficient infrastructure/pipeline for future needs. Like you said, there is more than the potential manpower for today's needs though.

Funny thing is, in their lame B-school attempt to throw a lifeline to cheap labor, they are really laying the groundwork for incredibly high costs they will have to shoulder. 6 figure flight training (on top of 6 figure degrees) just to shave a few month's of time building off the carriculum and 5 figure retention bonuses, etc. are going to cost them way, way more than just fixing the pay to begin with.

Conferences though. LOL. Write offs for everyone! Weeeeeeee!

 

Stupid people always come up with stupid solutions. Hit the idiot over the head and tell them look at the fine mess you got us into once again.

 

Of course he wouldn't pull his apps. He would attrit at probably the same time. The goal isn't to get everyone to become regional lifers. The real issue is getting people in at the bottom so that when he moves on there is someone to replace him. Getting people to financially commit to flight training again. When they see the current regional pay/QOL as it exists now, far fewer people are willing to get into it.

We need quality, affordable experienced based flight training, another stronger GA Revitalization Act with industry specific tort reform and some financial reforms at the college level (or abandon it altogether if they can't figure out how to more affordably give you a reading list of free material and then test you on it) and higher pay/QOL at the regional level. If they did even some of that (as long as pay went up enough) people would start getting back into it.

 

I just sent an email to the erau address listed in the article asking if anyone brought up the fact that there are easily 50,000 pilots with ATP's not flying because pay is too low?

See if I get a reply.

 

Then you guys must have some really unlucky awesome beautiful pilots........ The new hires I have been flying with at Delta that have come up through the regional ranks have all proved outstanding. None I have flown with have any daddy connections and pretty really wouldn't describe their looks.

 

I would agree with that.

I think it will take much higher wages and a career path to get people in the game. It will just take 2-5 years if they start today.

 

The real problem is that regional guys want to turn an entry level job (regional pilot) into a career job (mainline pilot). The thing is that most regional pilots don't have the necessary experience to fly at the mainline and many regional pilots don't have the talent and/or the proper background to fly at the mainline.

The minor league/major league baseball analogy is a good one to use. If regional pilots are as good as most claim to be, how come they aren't at the majors?

 

You seem to be under the mistaken impression that today's airline executives give a rats behind about tomorrow's problems. THEY DON'T!!!

To them, it's all about THIS fiscal quarter and THIS bonus period! They couldn't care less about their airline's ability to staff cockpits five years from now, because chances are that in five years, these MBA-toting geniuses will have padded their résumés (and their stock portfolio) and will have moved on to another job, tightening the screws on yet another business entity,..... all in the effort to further burnish their résumés and reputations as today's brilliant industrial titans. They'd rather see their airline cease to exist in 5 years, as opposed to losing of a few bucks from their bonus check(s) because they had to give regional pilots an extra dollar per hour.

By the way, (and to be fair), this mindset is not unique to the airline industry. It's rampant throughout corporate America.

 

Anyone have a contact number at Riddle or the person in charge of hosting this down there?

This conference absolutely needs Regional Pilots. Don't just have Regional management. No way.

I say we flood the hell out of their e-mail and phone lines demanding a seat at this thing. If not its a complete farce.

I'm not kidding. Anyone with contact info please share.

Thanks

 

I realize that. Its ironic. Its funny. Its sad.