The post below is from another website that discuss the pilot shortage in USA, I thought it would be interesting what this guy have to say about 135 operatores in USA, so here it comes:
135 Operators are in serious danger. I do not give them many more years in operation. Not many 135 operators will be able to stay in business.
Really? Yes and that because of the Pilot shortage that is already a reality. Desperate pilots taking any kind of job for the hours or as a step into experience necessary for applying to the regionals are soon history.
Who will accept what the small 135 night cargo companies have to offer? flying all night in old equipment freezing like hell, loading and unloading their airplanes many times per night and being forced to fly in any kind of weather, accepting mechanical problems in the name of operational interest? and that being paid 1700 to at the most 3000 per month before tax?
The regionals are taking every trainable pilot available in the market and we have only seen the start. The Regionals needs 7000 to 10000 new pilots during 2007. The big airlines will be seriously start hiring at the end of 2007 and even more during 2008 taking most of the new pilots from the US regionals and they will need even more pilots. The international market need for US pilots mainly in Asia (China, etc) will increase dramatically.
Who will want to fly for the 135 operator? All night? for what? for nothing?
Corporate and Charter operators will also increase the demand for pilots. The 135 operators that will survive are the ones that will be able to increase the salaries seriously and will have to treat their pilots like kings to make them stay. Who will financially be able to do that? The days of the night working slaves will soon be over..............................
One thing I just want to mention to this post is that Very Light Jets are cooming to the market this year and we should expect somewhere around 1000 of them. Insurance requires two pilots for each. So, we are looking about 3-4000 pilots. Flight Schools in US this days consist of Indian and Chinese students, and the schools are crying for CFI's. A lot of students are on hold for CFI shortage.
It will be very interesting to see what really going to happen in a year or two,,,,, I'm so glad I just graduated from college with a professinal pilot degree
.