The Generals and Admirals are not at this point intellectually equipped to solve the pilot manning problem. The problem will be solved the same way the last 3 pilot shortages were, and that is when the airlines stop hiring.

Strait from FAA bud. The Chief was asked if he could allow the faa to have access to your full med records to help med screen guys. In 2004 the FAA was allowed to audit list of those who were receiving disibility from VA. This did not allow them to look at med records but what you were receiving benefits for. This request is a can of worms. Dont put it past chief to trade for what he needs. If this happens many guys will be having there post air force civil flying job at risk.

And who are going to operate those drones ? Reread your post to see how idiotic it sounds. We can't even replace 69 year old BUFFS and 43 year old hercs. We are at least a century away from drones replacing manned pilots.

"Not intellectually equipped" so, so true. Unfortunately for the AF and Navy, the US civilian airline pilot mandatory retirements the next decade are unprecedented in US aviation history. Not to mention the Asian carriers that are offering big $ for pilots (their growth is just beginning). The hiring boom is just getting started.

The Dum-dums that run the AF and Navy better do something ASAP.

How would lowering the hours required for 121 make less pilots leave the Air Force? No offense meant to anyone but if an airline has a choice between hiring someone with 250hrs of hiring a military pilot with over 1,500 hours which one do you think they are going to choose? The only way to stop pilots from leaving the military for the airlines is to improve the pay and QOL in the military.
Out of touch...

The military pilot would not directly complete alongside the 250 pilot. They would again fill the regional ranks from the bottom, swelling the pool of regional captains. Those 3-5000+ hour RJ captains are the ones who would (theoretically at least) increase pressure on the post military demographic.
Personally I'm not sure that Fingers' hypothesis could pan out in the long run, but is certain to further erode trust in leadership by line pilots. Whomever this staff officer with limitless potential is that suggested this course of action needs a 365--SDE soonest!

The A3 staff at the Pentagon has suggested several programs to help correct the pilot shortage. Unfortunately A1 staff shot down nearly every suggested program. This is out of the hands of the CSAF.

Yet, in my specialized unit, we are losing four O-5s and two O-4s this summer due to retirements (most reaching mandatory separation dates). These are all very experienced subject matter experts in their career fields and the stupid USAF is kicking them out, during a severe manpower shortage, because they didn't make rank. Worse, nobody seems to be willing to fill their spots.

It will not effect military hiring at the major level one bit. It would flood the market with RJ pilots and make it harder for RJ pilots to get jobs with the majors. The majors have their demographic to follow. Usually about 30-35% military hiring. That's not going to change.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I agree 100%. As an Army '60 pilot my "additional" duty is to fly. Most of us are loaded down with other duties and, occasionally, we get to fly.

Give us more hours, many times we barely get minimums - 8 hours a month for us.

Yep, keep us in one area for more than 3 years.

Increase flight pay to keep me around and not leave.

And get rid of toxic leadership! Just one or two people can drag the whole company down.

How can somebody this clueless be running the Air Force? Your first clue that that whoever wrote this article hadn't done a lick of actual research was the line that Private Pilots have to have 1500 hours to fly for an airline. LOL. Last time I checked you had to have a Commercial License to apply for the ATP. But who cares about facts. This Goldfiend or whoever doesn't even understand who he is competing against. The only airlines hiring 1500 hour pilots are regional airlines, and unless a USAF fixed wing pilot is out of currency, hasn't flown in years, or has some other issue he is not even looking at a regional. The only military guys seriously looking at regionals are helicopter pilots and even some of those guys are getting on at mainline carriers.

Geez with guys like this in charge its no wonder the military is in such a mess right now.