What exactly can Pelair, Jetcraft, Skippers, Pearl and co do to prevent the exodus to jet jobs? It musn't be pay because I know many a pilot from these outfits who are little better off (and had to pay $35K for the privilege) by moving to their shiny jet job.
JetA OK I agree that there will always be some that will go for a jet job regardless; but I bet a lot of the Capts at these operators would stay if they were being paid say $80,000 on average (+ or – for type) and based at their home port or where they have settled. Especially if the next step was only paying $60k plus charging for training. It would be only a matter of time for the “next step operators” to up the P & C to lure more applicants.
What's to stop them licking that problem with some generously funded, state-driven programs? What's then to stop them keeping the factories turning, and exporting their newly-minted pilots to Australia with sponsored 457 visas?
Like This – Do That, maybe insurance premiums? I see your point regarding a possible new supply of bare CPL pilots, but where are the operators going to get experienced crew from to fly from the left hand seat.
I should have said ‘The Experienced Pilot Shortage is Coming’. Soon ‘experience’ will mean the regulatory minimums as opposed to insurance minimums.
As I mentioned before, I am only highlighting a specific trend; not a industry wide shortage. The good times will come. We just need to give it a kick along.