RE: Pilot shortage
There is a pilot shortage but only for experianced pilots. period. As previously stated young pilots still lining the docks in Canada for a slave labour job.
Listen, the flight schools are limited on new pilots becuase even if a kid wants to fly, and I mean is passioante about flying, in this economy he/she is going to way the salary levels, the cost of training, and the job propsects and give it a miss. Young people want to know that their education will lead to a good paying job. They see higher education from its return on investment potential. Generation Y demands this, and when they can work in the oil patch in Canada, right after graduating from a 2 year technical diploma and make a starting wage THAT ONLY A SENIOR AIRLINE CAPTAIN MAKES AFTER 25 YEARS. Why would they bother? I had to work docks to get my start, and I would tell my kid not to bother when he can make $120,000 per year starting in the oil patch in Alberta.
Also, the North American attitude towards pilot progression is the dark ages. We always demand experiance, but let me be blunt. The amount of "experianced" old Captains I have flown with in canada that are lazy, unprofessional ,and sloppy is staggering. Our air force trains pilots ab initio to fly F-18's and European airlines train ab initio for airlines while maintaining an air safety record every bit as good as North American airlines (better in fact.)
North American pilots have allowed the "cheap labour new hire" concept, and every pilot on this forum that said " I had to work the docks until I got my way up the ladder" is just as guilty of promoting a low waged pilot industry as the employers are. Junior pilots should be considered trained professionals worthy of a decent living wage. They need to become experianced yes, but how many pilots on this forum refer to them as "wannabes" - Lose the attitude Mr. EX wannabes, becuase someone allowed us all to advance. The Europeans consider their junior pilots as professionals, to be molded with the right training, we consider our junior pilots as cheap garbage, and that attitude, follows North American pilots through employment for much of their careers until they are seniored. The fault behind low wages in the aviation industry lies on each of our shoulders, for taking an outdated and un intellectual approach like " I did it,so can they" which proves NOTHING! Any idiot can load cargo, it proves nothing, and does make for a better pilot.