The
Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has been very vocal that there is not a
pilot shortage. They cite the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report
that shows a sufficient number of Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificates
with appropriate medicals registered in the US to cover the number of airline
jobs available. ALPA argues that low pay is the driving factor behind the
alleged shortage. Low pay, coupled with the new “1500 hour” rule, are certainly
a major factor in the inability of regional airlines to find enough pilots. The
GAO report, however, is not so conclusive. While they identified the seemingly number
of sufficient pilots they also reported that the training pipeline is suffering
due to the increasingly exorbitant price of flight training. If no action is
taken the current situation will grow worse regardless of pay options.
The real answer behind
the shortage is probably a combination of low wages, expensive training, and
regulatory restrictions. Regional airlines will need to be creative in their
recruitment strategies beyond merely raising pay in order to attract a
sufficient number of pilots. There will have to be a systemic approach to acquiring
more quality pilots. I have seen signing bonuses offered, that’s a small
consolation for the pilot who stuck through CFI to build his or her hours, but
I believe the regionals and the Regional Airline Association (RAA) will need to
come up with other solutions to entice potential pilots, beyond the promise of
an eventual 6 figure income several years in the future.
The
second issue with the regional airlines and the potential shortage is
professionalism. Professionalism to me is the act of trying to put yourself out
of business by providing such great service that you’re no longer needed. This
doesn’t quite translate into the airline industry where there will always be a
need to travel, so I would amend my definition to being courteous, respectful, mission-oriented,
and especially safe. In the 2009 Colgan Air accident in Buffalo, NY, poor
piloting skills aside, the pilots lacked professionalism as demonstrated by the
first officer failing to call off sick and the captain continuing an inappropriate
conversation. Colgan Air lacked professionalism when they tried to alter
records to extend pilot duty days. The poor pilot compensation is not an excuse
for a lack of professionalism. Many low paying careers demand exceptional
professionalism (i.e. military, police, firefighters, etc). I plan to maintain
my own level of professionalism by keeping a level head regardless of stressful
situations, and by caring about my crew and passengers.
References:
Dillingham, G.
(2014, February 1). Aviation Workforce: Current and Future Availability of
Airline Pilots. Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/661243.pdf
Hoffman, A. (201,
April 22). The Effect of the "1,500 Hour Rule" and New Pilot
Certification and Qualification, Requirements for Air Carrier Operations.
Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.tmtindustryinsider.com/2014/04/22/the-effect-of-the-1500-hour-rule-and-new-pilot-certification-and-qualification-requirements-for-air-carrier-operations/
Lewinski, J. (2014,
July 14). Turbulence Ahead: The Coming Pilot Shortage and How It Came to Be.
Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/07/turbulence-ahead-the-looming-pilot-shortage-and-its-decades-long-history/374171/
Mission Statement
- Regional Airline Association. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.raa.org/?page=Mission_Statement
Polek, G. (2014,
April 3). Pilot Shortage a Myth, Says ALPA. Retrieved January 26, 2015, from https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2014-04-03/pilot-shortage-myth-says-alpa
White, C. (2010,
June 18). How Is a Pilot 'Professional'? No to Backpacks, Yes to Integrity.
Retrieved January 26, 2015, from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/wheelsup/2010/06/18/how-is-a-pilot-professional-no-to-backpacks-yes-to-integrity/
