An interesting opinion to read:
"PILOT SHORTAGE, LIE.
I hate to stomp on the dreams of the new private pilot, but don’t you want the truth. I was a new private pilot once, and I was told the same lies. I read the same magazines, and listened to the same old timers say, “Oh, you are getting in at a great time”. That was 20 years ago, and the same magazines, and the same flight schools are pumping the same rhetoric – “The Pilot Shortage”, lol… I spent the first 10 years of my pilot career “suffering”. I worked two jobs, took loans out that I didn’t know how I was going to pay, and held on to a dream of working at a major airline job. When I got my first legacy airline job – I took a $30k pay cut, had to wait 6 months for benefits, and was on probation or a year. I didn’t have to worry about probation – I was furloughed 9 months later. I ended up like the rest of the dreamers – on the street.
If your reading this, and don’t want to read any more. I’m sorry. I am writing this because I wish someone would have told me, what I am about to tell you.
The major airlines control a major part of this economy. Think about it. Billions of dollars change hands every day, because an airliner takes flight. From the people that clean the bathrooms at the airport, to the FAA inspectors – They are all paid because of the airlines. Now think about that money. The government gets a little cut here and there, and big cut of the fuel cost. All through taxes. Its trillions of dollars a year for uncle Sam. The government will not allow these airlines to shrink or loose business.
Now, there are new regulations to be effective Jan 14th 2013 (I believe), and yes there are some retirements coming, but the airlines know this. They have been planning for years.
The airlines will continue to shrink, and merge to offset ANY pilot shortage. They will fly bigger planes, with fewer stops. This has already been seen. Look at the regionals. It was only 10-20 years ago that the regionals parked the majority of the prop aircraft and began flying 50 seat jets. Now its 70, 90, soon 100 seat jets. There are fewer flight options, more connections, and eventually higher ticket fares.
If you love flying, than I encourage you to continue flying, but don’t think its going to be an easy road where you will make a lot of money. I have been doing this for over 20 years, I work for one of the largest carriers in the world. I make less than I made as a grocery clerk for Albertson’s in 1991, and now I have a $750 a month student loan payment…"
Source:
Pilot Shortage, LIE! | Airline Life and Airline Wife