" Unless the FAA/DOT raise pilot salaries and benefits, there will never be a free flowing pilot supply..."
striker26,
The government does NOT control pilot salaries & benefits...nor should they.
As for a government or quasi-governmental national pilot "academy", I have a friend working with his congressman on the beginnings of just such a program, a la the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The initial phase deals with accommodating the fresh-CPL-to-1500 hr-Part 121 issue (without dealing yet with how the CPL was obtained...if you're not familiar with AABI, Google and read about one way it's currently done) with a national academy being the eventual goal. He's got a remarkably clever idea.
Unfortunately, involving government in a private sector issue pretty much dooms it but the idea has gotten at least a small notice despite congressional attention deficit disorder. If the idea is taken up, in exchange for his hard work and insightful thoughts, the politicos will steal my friend's idea and kick him promptly to the curb of history.
The US has pilots falling out of its ears...just not an issue. The lower links of the food chain are merely under temporary stress.
Last edited by bafanguy; 22nd Jul 2016 at 16:05.