Hello
I often hear (or read) that the Supply and Demand Law is the natural explanation of the miserable situation aviation and pilots are living currently. I totally disagree with that.
According to the supply and demand law, terms and conditions will be reduced if the pilot supply is excessive in relation to the pilots demand by the airlines. Same as the price of oil or real state. More oil and houses available to the people means cheaper oil and houses. More pilots available to the airlines, lower terms and conditions for the pilots.
In the pilot demand case by the airlines, pilot used to mean a talented, qualified and experience pilot. It was very difficult that the pilot supply exceded demand, because it takes long for a pilot to achieve experience and there are not so many pilot positions where pilots can gain it. These pilots underwent tough selection processes to become pilots (Air force and Estate flight schools). Those with the best academic qualifications and results, best psychotechnical abilities, english language, etc had access to the profession)
Today, aparently, airlines seek workers with the legal licenses and ratings to cover the pilot positions, regardless of anything else. Why?
Because the system has been reversed from a Suppy and Demand to a Demand and Supply. Airlines used to demand pilots. Now pilots demand airline jobs. Why?
Because the way to access the pilot profession has been transformed into a system in which academic qualifications, talent and anything else is absolutely not required, not needed at all to succeed in obtaining the licenses.
I know this well because I studied in a good, modern JAR FTO and have been instructor and teacher in a very good, expensive one and in both FTOs I have seen an alarming proportion of under-qualified, under-talented people becoming licensed pilots. Actually, I can't remember a sigle case of someone who didn't make it, even the worst cases of antisocial, alcoholic, borderline guys I have dealt with got their licenses. They all had the question data bases, of course.
Hundreds of FTO have appeared, selling expensive integrated courses to people, good or bad, but all with money and have created a hugh amount of inexperienced pilots, which quality ranges from crap to excellence, the later not being the norm.
This umprecedented increase in the supply of inexperienced pilots has been used by the airlines. By requiring Type Ratings to apply for jobs instead of experience, not only they save a lot of training costs, but they have reversed the whole thing and it is the pilots who are demanding the first officer positions, instead of the arlines demanding first officers.
It is the official papers with licenses and ratings what the airlines need, and this is what pilots are supplying. And the supply is very buoyant! Thousands of young people are looking for FTOs, and those who finish are looking for TRTOs. Therefore, according the Supply and Demand Law, the price of the "good" that they are buying reaches amazing levels.
Nowadays, selection exist no more, because pilots are buying the product for money. This is what decides who seats on the right hand seat and nothing else.
The absence of proper selection in pilot recruiting is affecting safety and should be stopped at once.
The system should follow this principle:
"Selection first, hiring second, training third"
The cost of the training will be paid by the airlines or shared with the pilots depending on the real supply and demand of talented, experienced pilots. If there are few, airlines will pay. If there are many, airlines will hire rated pilots without needing to pay type ratings.
I think pilots should lobby to change things so the above principle is recovered and put an end to this perversion of the supply and demand law and of the pilot profession itself.
MB