Evolution of the First Officer
 

Has anyone else noticed a trend in the First Officers at their regional? It seems like FO's used to be all 20 year olds fresh from flight training. Now it seems they are more seasoned shall we say?

Most FOs I run into are in their mid 20s

Strangely enough, yes. Some of that may have to do with the recession bubble, some folks did CFI/135 for like six years. 1500 hour rule may be helping too. I imagine some kids who would have done puppy mill zero-to-hero programs have been scared off...in that sense the rule is working exactly as intended :D

Awww, I thought this was going to be a hair-gel, ear bud, and back pack wearing FO bashing thread.

Yea because there are no more pilots training. All these guys you see are doing the regional shuffle to position themselves for movement. You really think a 30 or 40 yearold with even a pet at home can live on regional FO pay?

Lets just say last week a captain I had not seen in awhile said "Looking a little grey in the hair buddy" FML I was in my mid 20's when I started. Now still a FO in my mid 30's........ not by choice

It's because of the freaking 65 rule!!!

The recession and 65 hit everybody.

If you pick the right regional, you can live on the pay. I have a wife and pet at home too. No kids though, we are not into that scene.

I would say almost half of each new hire class is close to 40+. Some of the reasons:
- 65 Rule and Recession held people back and now they're repositioning to get PIC and move on
- 65 Rule and Recession forced many to leave aviation bc they couldn't afford to be stuck at the regional level for years and now with opportunity on the horizon, they are able to come back
- Young kids can't afford the training/degree unless someone is going to give them financial help (banks aren't loaning to Pilots bc historically they can't repay the loan)
- Second career guys that made a good living in another field can now afford to do the training and be a pilot like they always wanted to be
- Spouse is now making a good living and says - go do what you've always wanted to do
This all leads to - although some new pilots are entering/re-entering the field, they won't be here for the full span of the career. Within the next 20 years when the empty pilot slots are skyrocketing, many of these new guys will also be on the way out.
Airlines created this mess by destroying this profession. It will be interesting to watch them try to dig themselves out of this hole.

I'm sure they will come up with something. As pilots, it's hard for us to see beyond a year or two with this career because of how tumultous it is for us. As airline managers, it's their job to look out 10 to 20 years. They already have a plan. We saw how fast drone legislation got pushed through when in reality that was supposed to take several years. Watch how fast single-pilot gets pushed on us when Americans start whining to their congressmen about no flights between Podunk, USA and Washington DC. People will say that the technology isn't there yet. But it is. And it's getting cheaper and cheaper to operate. In 20 years, a lot of the low-time pilot jobs likely won't exist. Aerial survey, traffic watch, and possibly freight jobs to some extent. Don't believe me? A former employer of mine is already looking into the technology and costs of making it happen and they have a 5 year implementation plan.

And for the record, I'm not a "doom and gloomer". I do believe the next 5 years will be the best time in over a decade to become a pilot and fly for an airline. I just think the underlying problem of attracting people into the pilot career field isn't being answered yet.

Great points! I vote to allow the airlines to either dig themselves out or dig their graves but no help is coming from the taxpayer. Period!

You mean p-p-p-p-pay livable wages?!?!!?!?!?

SAY WHAT?!

I've been involved with the UAS community (Administration, Policy and Operations) and with the FAA (and ICAP, and GSA, etc.) directly on this issue for YEARS! The rules are just now out for comment...not even set yet and still highly restrictive of commercial ops.

Your info on UAS is at odds with my direct experience.