Pilot shortage-give your report
 

Just wondering what other regionals are seeing. We have all heard tons of news discussing not enough pilots. So at this point, please list the airline you work for and its trend. It would be interesting to hear from guys who are at majors and low cost as well.

SkyWest has added about 100 in the last 9 months.

Is that a NET gain of pilots at SkyWest???

Yes, net gain. I am really interested in the fact regionals are or are not able to maintain their numbers in the last 6 months or year hence a real pilot shortage or not. I personally don't buy the pilot shortage thing, so I am asking.

PDT hired 108 and retained 95 since last January.

This constitutes the lower 25% of our seniority.

Republic is experiencing a net loss, they are cancelling daily flights as a result.

Nothing against Republic or shuttle but ya'lls performance is **** poor. i guess thats because the flights are getting cancelled?

Well I would think so. Instead of pointing that out, what is Jet Blue doing? Gain, shrink?

Because the pilots have ANY control over performance.

Don't think he's at jet blue. But they are growing.

is there every going to be a shortage? or is that just some myth that always resurfaces?

It is no myth, but in fact, current reality. And things be gettin mo' real every day. My major airline is sucking up regional pilots by the boatload. Military too. Our average new hire flt hrs over the last year? 8500hrs+. I suspect we hire 1000 pilots this year (again) and possibly push to 1200. The other majors are hiring big numbers too.

Somebody is going to feel a big pinch when it comes to regional pilot manning. Today's challenges are just a dress rehearsal.

Plenty of ATP qualified pilots around. No shortage. But there's a shortage of pilots willing to work for these wages. At some airlines. Pool is drying up. Regionals are now taking just about anyone with an ATP or mins to qualify for one. The noise is being made because the regionals can't pick and choose who they get anymore. Still plenty of aviation school grads for the next couple years, and mil guys, but I don't think we will be in a situation where we don't have enough qualified Americans who have ATPs and could get Medicals if pay was commensurate with experience (enough to become an airline pilot should be enough to justify livable wages).

Certain regionals are shrinking while others are growing. For instance, Envoy is shrinking and unable to attract anyone as a result. Does that mean their is a pilot shortage? No, just means that people are going to places like PSA, Mesa and TransStates. Are any of those having problems staffing? No?

No pilot shortage.

cancelled flights are usually staffing related these days. there's only one play the company has left before it gets ugly. The regionals that survive are going to pillage the bottom of the other's list. RAH is losing this battle right now. Only way to fix it is a solid contract that speeds up upgrade.

though upgrade time is about to drop from 7 years to 4 years pretty much over night. Almost through the 2008 hires now. No one was hired until 2010 and just a handful remain.

Agreed, one man's pleasure is another man's nightmare!

A Couple quick thoughts/points:

1) RAH has stalled contract negotiations for OVER 8 YEARS,..... and counting. If RAH REALLY wanted to stem pilot attrition and attract new hires, they'd get serious about reaching a new collective bargaining agreement. Clearly, they're not serious about it so we can reasonably assume that they don't WANT to fix it. Why??? See 2)

2) I believe Rev. Bedford's angle is to literally create a pilot shortage, cause cancellations, and reduce or eliminate airline service to smaller communities so that pressure will mount on congress to do away with the new 121 pilot hiring minimums, (including 117 rest/duty rules). From there, the good Rev. will once again be able to hire CHEAP, starry-eyed, newly minted, 250 hour, wonder pilots with fresh commercial pilot licenses. And

3) IF that strategy doesn't work, I believe RAH will simply evolve into an aircraft leasing company, (much like GE Capital, et al), and will simply take delivery of their firm-ordered CS Series 100 seat jets, (and perhaps other airframes) which they will then lease to Delta, United, AAG, or other (foreign) airlines. Eliminate the pilots, mechanics, operations, administration payroll (and their unions),....... and just sit back and watch the monthly lease payments roll in. The lord giveth,.... huh Reverend?

I believe that's what SkyWest and TSA plan on doing with their larger aircraft orders. Not necessarily shrinking their pilot group, but definitely leasing them out.

The lord give it and the lord takes it away, amen!

[QUOTE=Slick111;1862348]A Couple quick thoughts/points:

1) RAH has stalled contract negotiations for OVER 8 YEARS,..... and counting. If RAH REALLY wanted to stem pilot attrition and attract new hires, they'd get serious about reaching a new collective bargaining agreement. Clearly, they're not serious about it so we can reasonably assume that they don't WANT to fix it.


The company flat out told the negotiating committee that they want to have a TA for the pilot group to vote on by April 30th. They went from meeting every other week with the NC to meeting every day of the work week and TA'd four articles in the last week alone. Something has lit a fire under them, whether it be the unexpected extension of our delta 145 flying or something else entirely remains to be seen. Big things are happening behind the scenes at RAH right now.

8 1/2 years of stalling and stone walling,...... and now they want to rush a deal through?!?!?! I think you're right - there's something big going on behind the scenes,...... and they don't want you to know what it is.

Do not trust people who demonstrate to you that they should not be trusted.

As for the Delta 145 flying,...... (1) Delta CEO, Anderson has publically, (and often) stated his disdain for 50 seat jets, and (2) if RAH were able to maintain 145 flying, they wouldn't have pulled the United 145 flying like they did.

Likely scenarios. This shortage is completely trumped up by airline management. Hate to say it...if there really was a shortage, the pay would be higher.

IF a pilot shortage were to happen you could color me surprised if any airline management actually anticipated and planned ahead for it. That's just not the nature of the business.

Even in the mythical event of a shortage, there won't be any dramatic pay increases at the regionals unless there are some pretty big changes to the current business model. They all "say" that they already operate on razor thin margins and can't afford to pay us much more. The regional industry will crash and burn before we see any significant gains...either that or mainline will buy up the regionals and makes us all W.O.s that they shovel money into to self subsidize their own regional feed.

That's a ridiculous argument. Regionals operate on razor thin margins. They might be able to raise pay slightly but their entire business model is based on a cheap labor force with low overhead. This big shift in pilot pay will occur only if service is greatly impacted and the regional carriers say they can't staff at those rates. At that point, though, it would be cheaper to take on the flying themselves. This big sudden shift of massive increases wouldn't happen if a single pilot wasn't ever created again.

ummmm....yeah we do? like cause we fly the plane either fast....or slow...or ya know taxi and schtuff....if i want our flights performance to be horrible ill slow down my checklist, maybe i have to get lunch before we leave, oh and don't close the door just yet i need to get something from the crew room....but yeah no control on how early or late our flight leaves.......:confused:

Naaaha,
No signing bonuses or retention bonuses on the horizon is there?
Pilots are amazing, they complain no one is hiring, when the majors are hiring 1000 per year each, its those unqualified minorities and women taking up all the slots. Give a pilot a big bag of gold and he will complain about how heavy it is. Airline execs have crapped the bed, and the panic is becoming palpable.

AWAC, for the first time I've ever seen, is having on the spot interviews at the end of the month. To say the pool is drying up is an understatement.

Also the Vacancy notice today shows 24 CA slots open. Without doubt the biggest I have ever seen in my 2 years here.

And how much did they raise the pay to help solve this situation? I interviewed with them in 2014, did fine in the Redbird sim, probably did ok on the tech exam and face to face chat, but was told no thanks and no longer received replies to any of my emails.

There ARE tonnes of pilots with their ATP, both flying now and in training...they are flying for Lufthansa, Chinese airlines, and other Asian airlines. The numbers the FAA puts out include all foreign pilots.

Atlas hired quite a few last year, and their net gain was less than five. They tried to expand, but could not.

Salaries? I'd call going from $12K/month to $25K/month a big pay increase...it is happening in various parts of Asia, starting with China. They aren't paying more because of a surplus of pilots.

Guys leaving UAL during class, turning down class dates at the majors....that is a sign of the pilot shortage.

How do you know what the percentage is? And why would 140,000 ATPs currently listed in the FAA directory as being active pilots with FAA medicals, bother to keep an FAA medical if they work in China?

The counter argument would be, why would you keep your medical active if you weren't already employed?

Imagine the fact that some people still fly airplanes for fun and just might have enough time to hold an ATP license and chose to get one, without flying for a career.

I'm failing to understand what your getting at. AWAC, historically, has had zero issues attracting candidates. This is because our pay and contract is very good. I'm 2nd year and make more than nearly every other regional FO will max out at. I don't say that to brag at all, but rather we've never had issues in the past because of decent wages so I am very surprised by this move. Things are a lot tougher than they are leading us to believe here that is for sure.

I am sorry to hear the interview didn't work out. I know they don't have a sim portion anymore. If you would like I can try and talk with people I know and see if I can help. PM if you would like. I've been around this forum enough to get an idea of the type of person you most likely are. You seem like one of the few level headed guys on here that is well spoken.

Interviews are a pain. It's so subjective. Maybe you were nervous (who isn't) and maybe the team were having a bad day and they decide your not what they are looking for? It's dumb.

That database is based on getting a first class medical. Why get a first when a 2nd or 3rd will more than do the trick?

We all know better than most that you can trust the government not to lie to us. Those statistics MUST be correct.

For instance, we know that there chemtrails are 100% false - *wink* wink* - and the government always tells the truth. If they say that there are 140,000 ATP's, it must be true.

By the way, what was the proper discharge pressure for the mind control spray? Was it 18psi?

Mods: this poster is sharing Uber Secret material on a public board. I recommend public shaming as an appropriate punishment.

:D

filler

Currently in ATW for class, I was told for the next few monthes they cut down to one class per month, I guess within the last few weeks they had enough candidates where they added a last minute class that starts on Monday, just heard about it a few days ago but supposedly it has like 15 guys in it. i know they are still doing weekly hiring sessions in PHL and at job fairs as well.

Don't jump to conclusions. The only ridiculous argument is the current FO starting pay. People just can't afford to work for such low wages. Major airlines could stand to fork over a little more to keep the system running. They are able to supplement quite a bit from their expansive international system...as an example.

Where did you get your information that these guys are flying for Lufthansa? LH usually only hires people with German unrestricted work visas. EU passport and German ratings. German fluent.