Crisis, what crisis
The math in the article does not add up:
60,000 pilots retire by 2025 is 5000 pilots a year.
34,000 ATPL's in 8 years equals 4,500 a year.
A 10 percent increase in supply would cover the shortfall, an issue, but not the end of the world.
There have been shortages before and the airlines dealt with it by doing doing ab intio direct hires. A neighbor's father was an AC pilot. He was a baggage handler in the 50's when they came around asking who want to be a pilot.
The real issue is raising the pay. A few years back I walked into an FBO in Mobile and there were adds taped to the window looking for regional pilots,
250 hrs and an CPL were the listed minimums. But for 18K why would anyone bother?
The 1500 hr rule is the typical "Megans Law" response to the Colgan crash where parents/spouses/siblings feel that unless they get a new law passed they are not dissing the memories of the departed.
Things really get tight regionals will pay more and the majors will start cadet programs, which miraculously will qualify for some sort of waiver.
The new law is good for flight schools etc as it means the can abuse their employees for longer without worrying they will be poached.