GAO report on "Great Pilot Shortage"
#11
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: Musical Chairs
Posts: 74
Many 300hr pilots will fly for free or take miserable wages just to get to the airlines due to SJS. Not many 1500hr pilots will fly for pennies. The 1500hr rule may be the best treatment for SJS. More work and experience requires more money. Airline management folks just don't get it.
#12
Glad to hear the GAO gets it, and is not going to recommend opening the floodgates for H1B visas. I doubt that would do any good anyway, most foreign pilots have far better prospects at home or elsewhere abroad than a US regional.
#14
As a guy in his mid 30s with a family, I don't fly for the regionals because of pay.
I've started getting cold called.
I'll keep with the King Air flying until either a Major calls, or the regionals get real with first year pay.
As horrible as first year wages are for the RiddleKids with SJS and loans to pay living with Mom & Dad or 8 to a 2 bedroom apartment, it's downright impossible to live in a $1200/mo apartment (not unrealistic for needing a 2-3 br), feed my family and pay my student loans (still paying.. And no, it's not an aviation degree) nevermind eat or have a car on regional pay.
Even with drilling in the reserves on every day off, it's still not enough to live on. 1st year Regional FO needs to go at least to the high 30s/low 40s with 2nd year being a substantial raise like it is at most majors to have a realistic chance of getting a lot of ex mil guys, unless they are either retired and have that cash flow, or DINK.
I've started getting cold called.
I'll keep with the King Air flying until either a Major calls, or the regionals get real with first year pay.
As horrible as first year wages are for the RiddleKids with SJS and loans to pay living with Mom & Dad or 8 to a 2 bedroom apartment, it's downright impossible to live in a $1200/mo apartment (not unrealistic for needing a 2-3 br), feed my family and pay my student loans (still paying.. And no, it's not an aviation degree) nevermind eat or have a car on regional pay.
Even with drilling in the reserves on every day off, it's still not enough to live on. 1st year Regional FO needs to go at least to the high 30s/low 40s with 2nd year being a substantial raise like it is at most majors to have a realistic chance of getting a lot of ex mil guys, unless they are either retired and have that cash flow, or DINK.
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2012
Position: Done with that
Posts: 191
These problems have been going for as long as pilots have been flying. I stopped back in the 1970s. While Viet Nam was winding down we got hit with the Oil Embargo. Pilot's were willing to work at anything. One friend was a former F4 Recon pilot and a Convair pilot for Texas International. Laid off went a long time working at Payless Shoes. He finally got a job flying a wheat farmer around in a Cherokee Six for three dollars an hour. After my third airline went broke I gave it up, not willing to work like that. Law has been much more stable and lucrative. I did miss the flying but thats life.
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Posts: 261
Just adding something to this but if you earned 30K a year as a single guy in a western euro country what automatically will increase is QOL. I mean yeah 30k a year sux much more the starting 22K when you have to drive to work instead of hopping on the tram or pay for your healthcare or pay for your kids to go to a decent school etc.
#17
Just adding something to this but if you earned 30K a year as a single guy in a western euro country what automatically will increase is QOL. I mean yeah 30k a year sux much more the starting 22K when you have to drive to work instead of hopping on the tram or pay for your healthcare or pay for your kids to go to a decent school etc.
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Posts: 261
#19
Banned
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Posts: 8,350
Many 300hr pilots will fly for free or take miserable wages just to get to the airlines due to SJS. Not many 1500hr pilots will fly for pennies. The 1500hr rule may be the best treatment for SJS. More work and experience requires more money. Airline management folks just don't get it.
The majority of those with Commercial certificates or better are already established professionals in other fields that make switching to entry-level regional F/O positions laughable. The dopes in airline management now know their situation, they are just in the misrepresentation/denial stage. Congress has no clue as usual and the tsunami wave is gaining speed and will slam into the regional airline beach party with far more force then many realize. In 18 months it will be a full blown crisis for many of these carriers and many small/mid-size towns air service is on borrowed time.
You reap what you sow and the greedy airline managements have sown this successfully for decades, but as John McClain said. "the party's over, pal".
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,304
The pool was drying up significantly well before the 1500 rule kicked in. The REAL reason for the shortage of entry-level regional first officers is that young college age people will not, do not or cannot shell out at least another $50,000 on top of standard college costs to get a $24,000/year job that treats them like garbage. Their parents cannot or will not cosign such economical nonsense.
The majority of those with Commercial certificates or better are already established professionals in other fields that make switching to entry-level regional F/O positions laughable. The dopes in airline management now know their situation, they are just in the misrepresentation/denial stage. Congress has no clue as usual and the tsunami wave is gaining speed and will slam into the regional airline beach party with far more force then many realize. In 18 months it will be a full blown crisis for many of these carriers and many small/mid-size towns air service is on borrowed time.
You reap what you sow and the greedy airline managements have sown this successfully for decades, but as John McClain said. "the party's over, pal".
The majority of those with Commercial certificates or better are already established professionals in other fields that make switching to entry-level regional F/O positions laughable. The dopes in airline management now know their situation, they are just in the misrepresentation/denial stage. Congress has no clue as usual and the tsunami wave is gaining speed and will slam into the regional airline beach party with far more force then many realize. In 18 months it will be a full blown crisis for many of these carriers and many small/mid-size towns air service is on borrowed time.
You reap what you sow and the greedy airline managements have sown this successfully for decades, but as John McClain said. "the party's over, pal".
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