Airlines Face Acute Shortage of Pilots

wsj ^ | November 11, 2012 | SUSAN CAREY, JACK NICAS and ANDY PASZTOR

[george76]

U.S. airlines are facing what threatens to be their most serious pilot shortage since the 1960s, with higher experience requirements for new hires about to take hold just as the industry braces for a wave of retirements.

Federal mandates taking effect next summer will require all newly hired pilots to have at least 1,500 hours of prior flight experience—six times the current minimum—raising the cost and time to train new fliers in an era when pay cuts and more-demanding schedules already have made the profession less attractive. Meanwhile, thousands of senior pilots at major airlines soon will start hitting the mandatory retirement age of 65.

Another federal safety rule, to take effect in early 2014, also will squeeze the supply, by giving pilots more daily rest time. This change is expected to force passenger airlines to increase their pilot ranks by at least 5%. Adding to the problem is a small but steady stream of U.S. pilots moving to overseas carriers, many of which already face an acute shortage of aviators and pay handsomely to land well-trained U.S. captains.

...

all U.S. airlines, including cargo, charter and regional carriers, together employ nearly 96,000 pilots, and will need to find more than 65,000 over the next eight years.

In the past eight years, not quite 36,000 pilots have passed the Federal Aviation Administration's highest test, the Air Transport Pilot exam, which all pilots would have to pass under the congressionally imposed rules.

For passengers, the biggest impact is expected to be at smaller, regional carriers.

[heartwood]

Nurse shortage.

Construction worker shortage.

Programmer shortage.

Pilot shortage.

Americans who won’t do skilled jobs at ten dollars an hour shortage.

[Truth29]

Is experience with takeoffs and landings required or only level flight? sarc/

[SoFloFreeper]

Wait until we all face a shortage of DOCTORS. Because that day IS coming.

[proxy_user]

Hmmmmm....how about higher pay?

[RightOnline]

"Federal mandates taking effect next summer will require all newly hired pilots to have at least 1,500 hours of prior flight experience—six times the current minimum—"

I must be missing something here. I left the AF (pilot) in '84. Back then, you had to have an Air Transport Pilot (ATP) rating to even apply to the airlines....and the minimum hours required to get an ATP was 1800 hrs.

Their numbers make no sense to me.

[taildragger]

Gen-Av is one of the feeder stocks, it is dying. The alphabet soup aviation organizations haven't figured out hoe to kids away from the video games or vets into the cockpit at pilot in command. with old 172's w/ instructor running @ $140 hr plus and fuel through the moon, how in G-d's name does someone do it today, unless they do the college route and got their private during their high school years, through really hard work.

Not going to get better in this Obama-Economy...

[Vince Ferrer]

Federal mandates taking effect

Yup, I see the problem.

[jpsb]

I would start by raising the mandatory retirement age from 55 or 60? to 65.

[DUMBGRUNT]

A big city bus driver will earn more then a young pilot.

And not so young with smaller lines.

[jpsb]

Opps,

Dec 14, 2007 – President Bush on Dec. 13 signed into law a new mandatory retirement age for pilots. Now commercial pilots can stay on the job until they're 65

[Dianna]

The article states that the mandatory retirement age is 65.

[Erik Latranyi]

Shortage of tax payers vs recipients.

RIP USA

[listenhillary]

Government will solve this. $700 tax per flight. Keeps the peasants off the flights, less carbon pumped in the air and no more shortage of pilots.

(/sarcastic arse mode off)

[DManA]

They’ve cut pilot’s wages continuously for 10 years and there’s STILL a shortage. Who can figure?

[Gay State Conservative]

I would start by raising the mandatory retirement age from 55 or 60? to 65.

I'm not so sure about that.My understanding is that piloting commercial aircraft is a stressful job.Stress + time zone changes (not an issue for *all* pilots,certainly) + age = potential heart attacks.

[stubernx98]

“Gen-Av is one of the feeder stocks, it is dying. The alphabet soup aviation organizations haven’t figured out hoe to kids away from the video games or vets into the cockpit at pilot in command. with old 172’s w/ instructor running @ $140 hr plus and fuel through the moon, how in G-d’s name does someone do it today, unless they do the college route and got their private during their high school years, through really hard work.”

You got that right. I live on a private airport, and there are 2/3 planes based here than 10 years ago. Fuel is $6.00/gal. Cost to get a commercial License, $20,000 - $30,000, then you have to build time flying business at minimum wage for 10 years to quailify for the Airlines.

But hey, It won’t be long before the gamers’ are flyin our airline’rs from ground stations like the drones.

[BluH2o]

South African Airways recruits promising pilot candidates and sponsors their schooling at a training academy. Upon successful completion the newly minted pilots begin on regional feeder routes and as they gain experience and seniority move on to larger aircraft. This seems to work, or it has until recently when discrimination charges were leveled ... seems white recruits were being denied slots, they were going to blacks candidates with much lower qualifications.

[eyeamok]

I was getting some new charts the other day and Rentals for a 172 start at $140 per, instructor another 30-40. It is cheaper to buy your own plane and learn in it. I never would of got my instrument rating If I had to rent. Buying my 1979 172 180 Penn yan Superhawk 10 years ago was by far the smartest move in this regard. But hey since there will be no pilots we won’t have to worry about the lack of Controllers, who are leaving just as fast due to mandatory retirement age.

[Chuckster]

Yes. They are making it harder and more expensive for general aviation pilots to fly. I can’t afford it any more. How are civilians pilots supposed to get the experience to become commercial pilots. It was tough enough before. Now it is getting nearly impossible.

I think the whole idea is to make it difficult or impossible for ordinary Americans to travel: cost of fuel, toll roads, inconvenience and expense of air travel and more.