GAO Report on the pilot shortage...

UIPilot45X

UIPilot45X

Well-Known Member
This report was published this morning. It's being pushed on a lot of major news networks...that's where I heard it. I did not read the whole thing, just the executive summary...but it seems that the majority of you guys on this forum are correct...there is not a shortage of pilots per-say...but a shortage of pilots willing to work for the wage and benefit package that the regional airlines offer.

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-232
 
Airlines aren't the only place for pilots to go though. Granted the other "avenues" do not have near the capacity of the airlines, they are another void to be filled.

When a Major airline calls me, then there is a shortage.
 
Dugie8 said:
Airlines aren't the only place for pilots to go though. Granted the other "avenues" do not have near the capacity of the airlines, they are another void to be filled.
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They do at least mention that in their report.
The BLS household survey based CPS data used to evaluate these three indicators combined airline and commercial pilots into a single occupational category of pilots; therefore, we cannot isolate the extent to which the indicators apply to only airline pilots, although airline pilots represent about two-thirds of the employment within the occupation.
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What kind of makes the whole thing unreliable, though, is that all of the data they use to decide whether a shortage exists is based from 2000-2012. I don't think anyone will argue that there was anything even remotely close to a shortage during that time frame.
 
OMG! Every Week! There's a news report on low paying pilot shortage!

Saw something on the TODAY SHOW this morning also (only a 6 second segment). They said: "Looking for a Job? Well theres a shortage, the Airlines need 4,500 more pilots per year as many over 65 will be retiring."

Wait! WHAT? I didn't know I could easily just get a pilot job! Nice, I always wanted to be a pilot! Where do I sign up?
 
THANK YOU GAO..... Can people please shut the Slack up about "pilot shortage." They are saying THERE IS NO PILOT SHORTAGE. It's a Income Issue. Plenty Qualified. U.S. Congress could not force the Regional Airlines to pay pilots more. They increase the flt hrs to 1500 w/R-ATP requirement in order to force Regional Airlines to pay pilots more due to higher experience requirements and skill set of such a profession.

Read the GAO report folks!
 
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Boris Badenov said:
If there's a good side to this it's that it might wake a few pilots up to the fact that the TODAY SHOW et al are essentially to Corporatism what Pravda was to Stalinism.
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Haha! I was totally clue-less, had no idea I could just submit my resume; wait a few weeks, get a airline to call me back with a job offer, and then BAM! Free training w/stipend to get all my pilot licenses required or the job, and what ever other certification and training i need for the job.

Sounds like an Dream huh? OMG! Asians (including all the Chinese, Indian, etc), Middle East, British, Aussies, Africans, and many European airlines are doing this! OMG, even our Mexican and Canadian and South American neighbors!


Folks... Sad part is they had plenty of time to prepare, now they want our Gov't to change their mind and the new regs so that it is easier to hire CHEAP Pilot Labor????? How are they trying to do this you ask? By Complaining of a pilot shortage they themselves created. $100,000+ in debt for a $22,000- $28,000/yr job while taking care of a family and bills + loans= INDENTURED SERVANT.
 
Xcaliber said:
What kind of makes the whole thing unreliable, though, is that all of the data they use to decide whether a shortage exists is based from 2000-2012.
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They have a pretty good track record of using past data for future projections...but if you want to continue to dismiss the fact that the GAO states it is a pay shortage not a skilled labor shortage like a number of people here, please; continue...

"Two studies point to the large number of qualified pilots that exists, but who may be working abroad, in the military, or in another occupation, as evidence that there is adequate supply. However, whether these pilots choose to seek employment with U.S. airlines depends on the extent to which pilot job opportunities arise, and on the wages and benefits airlines offer."
 
I didn't look through it, but did they filter foreign nationals who hold an FAA commercial out of the statistics? I would guess that they hold about 65-90% of the commercial certificates being issued over the last 5 or so years.
 
Guys,

Having a GAO report is significant.

I've seen a lot of their process first-hand and I can tell you that they set the gold standard on reporting, information gathering, and general process.

If they report it, you can bet your arse that Congress will consider it absolute fact.

Granted, Congress frequently ignores GAO reports to pursue its own ends, but they do so at their peril...
 
The abstract mentions rather artfully the possibility of uh "modifying" the hour requirements. Dollars to donuts they're gutted by this time in 2016.
 
Boris Badenov said:
The abstract mentions rather artfully the possibility of uh "modifying" the hour requirements. Dollars to donuts they're gutted by this time in 2016.
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I don't bet often, but I'd be willing to bet that there are going to be some changes coming....for better or worse...depending on who you are.
 
Something to keep in mind...

GAO works for Congress. When they get asked to research and write a report, it's because a Member of Congress or a Committee (or subcommittee, in the case of Armed Services, for example) has asked for research and a report. I'd only be speculating, but my point is that this information was asked for and is considered valid by someone in Congress - whether it's being used to support an agenda is unknown.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
Bad wager. Unless MPL comes along, those hour regulations aren't changing.
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Let's put a friendly bet on that. Steak dinner.

I'm with Borris, I can almost see it coming. It won't have anything to do with MPL either. Down the road about 5-6 years, the ATP rule will go away under some guise of "No real increase in safety has been achieved" report.
 
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