Congress agrees to 1500hr min for airlines.

darthpanda

darthpanda

New Member
Just thought I'd post this given how big of an impact this will have.

Via Kent Wien: Congress Agrees to 1,500 hour minimum for pilot newhires: http://bit.ly/c3BXvK (This is going to have a huge impact on pilots and airlines)
 
Well, that's some good news. Let's hope the ATA, RAA and Riddle can't talk them out of it this time around.
 
While, I hate to say it, overall, I think it's a good thing. Any idea if the President will sign? If so when will it go into effect?
 
The Air Transport Association, the Washington trade group for major U.S. carriers, told House lawmakers in a letter before their vote that carriers were concerned the requirement would result in “unnecessary and artificial barriers” for qualified pilots and reduce the applicant pool for carriers.

Good! Hopefully it will result in airlines having to increase salaries to attract applicants, allowing pilots to actually survive without being supported by their parents or living in a closet with 6 others. Airlines have had their turn with cheap labor, they squandered the opportunity, consistently losing billions. Maybe now they will be forced to adopt a sustainable business model instead of one that just artificially creates a profit or a smaller loss by taking money from labor groups salaries and pensions.
 
Well it's a good start. BUT, I expect ATA, RAA, Riddle etc to talk/buy them out of it.

And it's not a fix, just a start.
 
Matt13C said:
Good! Hopefully it will result in airlines having to increase salaries to attract applicants, allowing pilots to actually survive without being supported by their parents or living in a closet with 6 others.
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It might, might raise pay for a couple of years, but once the supply curve catches back up to the demand curve, I'd expect a return to the status quo. I'm not getting worked up about it until we see what the legislation actually has in it and it has been passed. Until then, its all speculation.
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
It might, might raise pay for a couple of years, but once the supply curve catches back up to the demand curve, I'd expect a return to the status quo. I'm not getting worked up about it until we see what the legislation actually has in it and it has been passed. Until then, its all speculation.
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Agreed, I am not going to get too excited about it just yet. However, it will take some years for the supply curve to catch back up, if it ever can, with all the factors pushing it back down. Schools like ATP will not be able to push the zero to hero route in 90 days any longer, costs of training are only going to go up and become even more prohibitive than they already are, financing will still not be readily available and without the prospect of a job after 90 days, it may force some people to reconsider the debt. There are only so many ways to get up to the magic 1500 so it will cause a bottle neck forcing people through the instructor/banner towing/pipeline/jump pilot route which I am sure will deter many with SJS from entering the business when faced with the prospect of years of flying around in a single engine Cessna.

Of course it then will give airlines the perfect opportunity to ask congress to allow them to start MPL programs if the supply is drastically below demand for any extended period of time. That would be worse than the status quo for the profession. Would be interesting to see what side of the isle ERAU lines up on then.

I am just being optimistic because id like to see the profession gain some of its concessions back. I would really like to peruse it as a profession but with the current pay and QOL it is just not worth it. If pay goes up at the airlines it benefits the profession as a whole.
 
So just to be clear, this means the 800-hour Senate requirement is out of the window and the new, resolved bill is 1500 hours? It hasn't been passed yet.
 
FAYEV said:
So just to be clear, this means the 800-hour Senate requirement is out of the window and the new, resolved bill is 1500 hours? It hasn't been passed yet.
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It hasn't passed yet but it probably will. This was a negotiation between the house and senate on the bill itself. I will say that it looks like it has good support now. Although training industry lobbyists may have some sway, I think that senators and reps are on pins and needles now about November so they may not be too keen on siding with them. Can you imagine how an opponent could run with that?
 
Are we talking about just 1500 hours, or 1500 hours and an ATP certificate? To me, there's a big difference between the two. 1500 hours instructing can be accrued easily at a busy flight school within several years, while ATP mins, which require 500 hours XC among other things, might be a lot harder to get.
 
Of course it will. Just look at year 2007 for Mesa airlines, try were hiring people at 250 hours and still couldn't fill classes.
 
There will probably be some stipulation that 3/4 of the 1500 can be in sims or something like that.
 
FDX8891 said:
while ATP mins, which require 500 hours XC among other things, might be a lot harder to get.
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Not really.

If you don't have at least 300 50 mile X-country after instructing for 1500 hours, then you're doing something wrong.

If you start 135 freight after 1200TT, then you'll meet ATP mins in less than 6 months.
 
MikeD said:
There will probably be some stipulation that 3/4 of the 1500 can be in sims or something like that.
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Will that be Xplane or MSFS?

Really though do you see if they stick to 1500 and the rating the airlines will then go a la Lufthansa cadet school and then slave contract you for a 10 year FO stint?
 
Its about time. I hope it sticks.
Im sure this thread will get the folks who disagree and feel they are worthy at 500 TT. "Uh, does that mean I have to get my CFI and instruct?"
 
I really hope this ruling fixes wage issues, etc.etc. Did the new ruling include anything about work rules / rest requirements?
 
darthpanda said:
Although training industry lobbyists may have some sway, I think that senators and reps are on pins and needles now about November so they may not be too keen on siding with them. Can you imagine how an opponent could run with that?
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Supposedly. Although what congressman doesn't work with lobbyists? I'm not so sure the general public would care about a congressman working with lobbyists on an FAA bill. All they care about is the ticket price.
 
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