Was chatting with our friendly local UK CAA surveyor the other day and he tells me that Redhill is getting concerned. They estimate a shortfall of around 30%. Yet as reracker says, the shortage should be pushing up wages. Since that isn't happening something else is going on in the background to create an inefficient market. I've long suspected that the regulators (e.g. UKCAA, FAA, JAA) were turning a blind eye to the situation but from talking to the surveyor perhaps that will not remain the case. If the operators won't voluntarily hire enough people then its the regulators job to force them.
The frightening thing is the rising incidence of maintenance related accidents. According to the FAA's own figures, last year 50% of all hull losses to FAR 121 operators (ie Public Transport) were due to maintenance causes, exceeding even "Pilot Error" A total of 7 aircraft were written off. (Not to mention the occupants of these machines.) So, what are the operators doing about it then? Are they really saving money by reducing maintenance expenditure?
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Through difficulties to the cinema