NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose to their highest since 2008 on Monday, with Brent surging above $121 a barrel as Nigerian election delays and a short-lived strike in Gabon joined a list of geopolitical supply concerns.
Today fuel passed the $120 mark, the one at which there no more benefit for the companies, the one from which airlines start to go to bankruptcy.
I have been following this problem for a long time, and if you take the time to look at my first post, 2007, it was to announce an up coming fuel crisis, and it was to warn the wannabes to avoid to start a career, or at least think about it... We were end of 2007... Most of the posters didn't beleive it, but less than one year later occured the worst aviation crisis, directly linked to the 2008 fuel crisis.
Among the wannabes, and experienced pilot, do you beleive it is possible for a young guy in 2011 to choose pilot as a life career?
Can you guaranty the young pilot apprentice will have a job for the next 40 years?
Is the fuel issue still taboo among the flight crews, the airlines, the wannabe at their flight schools, and the politicians?
We have officially reached a fuel plateau production, and any economic growth demanding more fuel is from now on impossible. Is this information well known by any pilot training candidate, or is that still considered a legend used by the pessimistic individuals and green peace to announce the end of the world?
What is your (wannabes) honest position on the subject? Do you think:
- "well, I will try we will see", or
-"that's all bull****, how our life could change that's just impossible we have used fuel as far as I can remember", or
-"it's a passion anyway, I will go as far as I can but I know I will have to change job at one point or an other, if I ever find one"?
Concerning the training and manufacture industry that has been forecasted pilot shortage for the last 30 years, do you still beleive in it? Are you still waiting for it to happen?
What motivates you to do your training today? When I did mine, we didn't reach the fuel plateau production yet, but now that it's the case, I don't beleive I would choose this career if I were 20 years old in 2011. I would choose an interesting job and buy a glider.
So, is the subject taboo or can we speak about it?