Airlines Brace for Shortage of Pilots

[Matt Molnar]

Washington Times:

Airlines brace for shortage of pilots

By Bryce Baschuk
August 20, 2007

Airlines are preparing for a major shortage of pilots and are trying to hire more of them to meet the demands of the next decade.

The airline industry is looking to hire 65,000 pilots by 2012 — including 12,000 this year — but is fighting a slew of retirements, a dearth of new recruits and competition from overseas carriers and the U.S. military.

Commercial air travel has grown 8 percent in the past five years, from 683 million passengers per year in 2001 to 740 million in 2006, and the Federal Aviation Administration expects that number to jump to 1.2 billion passengers by 2020.

The industry is concerned that there will be a void left when the current group of pilots is forced into mandatory retirement at age 60. More...

[pgengler]

I was recently speaking with someone about flight training, and she said that even now the airlines are 'hiring anyone' (to paraphrase), and so as a result there are a lot of people building hours as a CFI who don't really care about the instruction, just the hours.

From what I've heard, the airlines could probably attract a lot more interest if they'd offer livable salaries for new hires.

[AirtrafficController]

So there is a some sort of high demand for airtraffic controllers and pilots. Which is better choice for me? :D

[stuart schechter]

I was talking to the NW pilot on my recent flight back from BZN and he said people are being hired into the industry with 300 hours.

[cancidas]

I was talking to the NW pilot on my recent flight back from BZN and he said people are being hired into the industry with 300 hours.

they are, but mostly just to regional carriers. nobody with 300 hours is getting near anything bigger then a CR7. kinds of sad, i have more time than some of the FOs that fly in and out of my station.

[SengaB]

I remember just before 9-11 pilots were gettinh hired to the commuters with 150-200 TT
No one even with a couple thousand hours is getting close to anthing bigger than a CRJ700
It was like this Pre 9-11.
Most of the Commuters are hiring betwen 300-500 hours. Some commuters are even accepting CAX/Multi.
Hey if you get through the training after they hire you then you can do what you need to do to get the job done in the air and safely.
Its a good time for pilots to get out there.
If you don't mind flying T-props its even better because most pilots heading to the commuters prefer the jets now. Because of that the commuters with T-props have lower hours requirements.
Senga

[PHL Approach]

I was recently speaking with someone about flight training, and she said that even now the airlines are 'hiring anyone' (to paraphrase), and so as a result there are a lot of people building hours as a CFI who don't really care about the instruction, just the hours.

Been like that for as long as I can remember... That's like the whole point of people getting their CFI. So they can build the hours, you think they care to instruct?

[pgengler]

I was recently speaking with someone about flight training, and she said that even now the airlines are 'hiring anyone' (to paraphrase), and so as a result there are a lot of people building hours as a CFI who don't really care about the instruction, just the hours.

Been like that for as long as I can remember... That's like the whole point of people getting their CFI. So they can build the hours, you think they care to instruct?

I think the difference now is that they're actually getting hired, unlike a few years ago when airliners were furloughing pilots left and right.