Pilot shortage (desperate?)

Well, this post sort of is directed to low-timers. Maybe it's just my luck, but it feels like for every low-time job available out there, at least fifty other applicants are competing for that one spot. Now that the new ATP requirements have gone into effect, it seems like there is a backlog of low-timers scrambling to acquire the highest-paying and quickest time-accruing jobs out there. Admittedly, I'm somewhat new to navigating the jungle that is professional flying, but if I've come to discover anything, I could swear that 1) Someone should accept whatever is the best of possible choices offered to him/her in terms of jobs for which they sought. Don't hold out for a job that seems slim to land or for which you're not maximally qualified. It will just delay one's goal of reaching ATP mins. And 2)Go above and beyond what is needed to make your name or face stand out. Seriously, hand the resume in person or visit the people in charge of hiring at wherever it is you wish to be hired. Pitch up a proverbial tent outside the HR staffers' offices so that they remember your resume first when it comes time to hire again.
 
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I don't think there is a pilots shortage and if there ever is it will not last long. If you look at the forced retires they are rising for major carriers. Although the forced retires are on rise I doubt they will hire somebody to replace every spot especially in today's world of thin margins for airlines. I would say that if someone tells you that there will be a pilot shortage they are most likely a aviation college recruiter.


You can see the forced retires on this website if you go to the bottom,
http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/legacy/american_airlines
 
Forced retires are a very small difference maker in the "shortage". Even if there is no real shortage...it is clear that basically every airline is hiring right now.
 
Yes there is a pilot shortage. A shortage of pilots who meet the 1500 hour requirement. The same regionals were hiring before the term "pilot shortage" started making its way though aviation forums.
 
Bonuses are a sucker-play. And everyone knows it. When the bonuses stop and there are, instead, new "concessionary" (but for MANAGEMENT) contracts, we can all start dancing the "pilot shortage is real" dance.

Me, I'm not anywhere near putting on my dancing shoes.

Well, plus, I don't dance.
 
This thread reeks of the "low time pilot blues". We've all been there boys, and we all somehow managed to get ours. I guess you can never have "too much time", but doors will open for you. Just keep looking for that job and be willing to move. Persistence is key. Call CPs, hiring departments, update resumes regularly... It will pan out if your persistent. And if you get stuck somewhere around 300 to 500 hours like I did with no breaks and no one left to call and beg for a job... Go get your CFI/II. I know money is always an issue but even if you have to get a loan just for those, they pay for themselves several times over throughout a professional aviation career and they will provide you with an invaluable skill set coupled with a wealth of experience. And just to add, I don't think there is a real pilot shortage. This is a temporary bubble begging for a market correction. There will be more consolidation and more flying going back to mainline (hopefully) and the 50 seaters are mostly going to be parked in favor of less 700/900s and 175s. All it takes is another economic crisis, terrorist act, or crisis in the Middle East and gas prices shooting up for all of what we've been seeing recently to change. Too many variables and too many pitfalls for one to ever bet on a pilot shortage.
 
I've always been of the conviction that, instead of worrying whether a true shortage will truly rear up its ugly head one day, prospective career pilots should wisely put more emphasis on how much they are willing to endure from a piloting career with things being the way that they currently are.

Many pilots (myself included) are enthralled by the notion that our skills could be hotly fought over. It makes things seemingly easier, especially for those having training blemishes or entitlement issues. After paying a wheel-barrow's weight worth of money for flight training, and then having to endure years of low-time flying jobs before ever touching the controls of something over 12,500 lb with turbine powerplants and starting off yet again at a whooping $20k, I can understand why! The term pilot shortage comes up every month on JC, and these threads always shoot up to 5-6 pages long lol. Nonetheless, there is no guarantee that one will ever ensue, and that sweeps through my brain like a lighting bolt every time that I see the words pilot and shortage pop up.

So aside from just having nothing better about which to talk about, what is the point really in caring whether a shortage will happen? I don't know. One thing that I infinitely appreciate about this site is that older pilots who have heard this same old nonsense about pilot shortages, can and are willing to tell low-time idiots like me that pilot shortages were supposed to happen since the 70s, but lo and behold, nothing actually materialized. And, call me jaded, because of that, I won't raise my hopes up either way. The only thing that matters in the end is whether I have a flying job NOW that can in actuality support me and my loved ones, and what the next step will be towards something better.

It's anyone's guess what will happen here in the Americas and Europe, so there isn't any point in worrying about what things will be like in five or ten years since there are too many factors misleading our judgment. Asia, the Middle East and Africa are the only safe bets of locations where pilot shortages already have popped up and are intensifying.
 
The school that I work at has set up a pipeline program with American Eagle. They are offering a $10,000 scholarship to anyone who makes it through that pipeline program out of our 141 School.


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JustinS said:
The school that I work at has set up a pipeline program with American Eagle. They are offering a $10,000 scholarship to anyone who makes it through that pipeline program out of our 141 School.


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Will the pay for the cfi ticket if you already have a commercial? :)
 
jgheggie said:
Will the pay for the cfi ticket if you already have a commercial? :)
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The guidelines are very strict. You must have gone through the 141 program at our school specifically doing our instrument training, commercial training, and CFI certificates all through our school. Among other specific degree requirements.


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Stuff like this makes me think about my future every day. Should I go to college to get a engineering degree and build up hours while I have a job or go to a college aviation school and become a pilot. I hope for a shortage but I think it would only mean more jobs but not more pay.
 
Mark815 said:
Happened all the time a few years ago. A good buddy of mine got hired with 260 TT, 25 multi. I missed that initial wave by just under a year, as they started furloughing when I finally got my commercial/CFI.
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I understand it this was like this "back in the day" too, circa 2006. A Mesa recruiter showed up to my 141 one day and left with about 30 instructors.

I don't think you're meaning it this way, but just to be clear, just because it "happened all the time a few years ago" doesn't make it ok now. I still think people coming from a 61/141 with 250 hrs and sliding into a yettt warrants a "yikes" reaction whether it be back in the day or presently.
 
JustinS said:
The guidelines are very strict. You must have gone through the 141 program at our school specifically doing our instrument training, commercial training, and CFI certificates all through our school. Among other specific degree requirements.


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Is the 10K Scholarship basically the same as the hiring bonus Eagle is offering? I can't remember if it was 10K or not but just wondering...
 
Call it whatever you feel like, but airlines are hiring. The future is uncertain. Don't expect what's here now to be here tomorrow.

Several factors as others have said, have caused more hiring: part 117 staffing issues, contract/fleet expansions, flow of pilots leaving for other jobs, 65 year olds retiring, lowering pay, and new ATP requirements for the right seat.

It's anyone's guess what factors will change working for or against hiring, but hiring is happening. Let's be real...

Things working against hiring: fleet consolidation, pilot work force consolidation, increased operating costs, decreased demand, and small planes parked in favor of larger planes. I haven't seen so much of this lately, but it can all change in a hurry. Don't place all your eggs in one basket. They might all get crushed tomorrow.


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chrisreedrules said:
Is the 10K Scholarship basically the same as the hiring bonus Eagle is offering? I can't remember if it was 10K or not but just wondering...
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Yes it is the hiring bonus because they don't give you the $10,000 until you're working at American Eagle flying their metal. They do interview you for the pipe line program basically to pre-hire you. I think it's silly because the students that will finally make R-ATP mins are 3-5 years away from that goal. Who knows where Eagle will be by then...
 
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Hopeful Pilot said:
Stuff like this makes me think about my future every day. Should I go to college to get a engineering degree and build up hours while I have a job or go to a college aviation school and become a pilot.
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Go to college and get an engineering degree. It will not keep you from flying at all. I promise, you won't miss anything.

The only difference? As a CFI with an engineering job:
  • You will make about twice per hour teaching, as you will mostly end up with aircraft owners as students.
  • You are qualified for far more flying jobs. Most test pilot gigs require an engineering degree, for instance.
  • You won't get burned out as quickly.
  • You willl have a huge pool students to teach. Doctors/Laywers/Engineers tend to prefer CFI's with the same background.
  • You can afford to fly for fun. Most air line pilots under 45 can not.
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Firebird2XC said:
They actually tried to do that- the Union cried foul that they were circumventing the contract, and said if they wanted to give raises they could give them to everybody. The company went back to bonuses. I'm no fan of taxes, but I think a bonus still gets the job done.

I would, however, prefer they just gave us all a raise.
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I hear "give everybody a raise or nobody a raise" frequently. I miss the logic. Sure guy A sees a bump for his longevity and you want one too, I get that.
But
Example Skyw apc numbers shows
2nd year is a raise of +64%
3rd year is +5%
4th +2%
5th +5%
6th +2%

First year pay is artificially held low compared to the rest of the scale. Skyw would need to see a first year raise to $34/hour to be in line with incremental percent increase that YOU already have.
 
jgheggie said:
It's called radman aerial surveys inc.

Not photo I guess
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For what it's worth, I know Carol Radman and their hour requirement was always 1000 tt. I guess they really aren't a place to go to build time. I tried to get a job there out of school and had no success, obviously :)
 
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