pilot shortage

[Flying Canuck]

Another artcicle about the infamous pilot shortage... as a student pilot trying to finish up my licences I can only hope it's true!!!

CBC Newsworld Newscast Wed, 16 May 2001 22:49:29 GMT

Demand for pilots could outstrip supply in next decade: study

HALIFAX - There could be a shortage of qualified commercial pilots in the next 10 years if training, regulation and government assistance aren't updated, said a study released Wednesday.

The 241-page report from the Air Transport Association of Canada says expanding markets, a dwindling supply of ex-military pilots and an increasing rate of retirement could lead to a rising demand for qualified pilots.

The report suggests that the commercial aviation industry needs a way to forecast changes in pilot supply and demand.

"Canada is not a world leader in aviation by divine right," said Patricia Kennedy, co-chairwoman of the two-year study. "We need to plan and work hard to maintain our position."

The report makes 45 recommendations, more than half of which tackle the issue of training. Rising training costs – it currently costs between $30,000 and $50,000 to learn to fly – have made money the leading reason student pilots drop out.

The report suggests that the industry consider student aid, government participation and a review of fee structures.

Canada's more than 200 flight schools should also update their training procedures and philosophies, said the study, because currently 80 per cent of student pilots never get their licence.

The report also suggests fundamental changes in how pilots are hired. Instead of focusing solely on the number of hours flown, the study's authors suggest that the type and quality of flying be considered.

And the report calls for more female and aboriginal pilots, who currently hold three and 2.5 per cent of the nation's pilot licences, respectively.

[Squawk 8888]

Flying Canuck, it may be true but you should check with a more reliable source. Just about everything that comes from CBC News is pure fiction.

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Per dementia ad astra

[paco]

Just about anything that comes from any news is fiction!

I was involved many years ago in a residential training school that cost loadsa money, and the European airlines (apart from those in Scandinavia) were not able to look past the next five minutes, despite the fact that there was a four year waiting list for approved courses at the time and even if you had a place on a course, let alone a licence you had a job!

That shortage hasn't gone away, because Air Europe obligingly went down and there were bums on seats again, but there's been no serious training since then, due to recessions, etc, which is why it will really bite very soon, if not already doing so, and spread, if what I hear is true (actually, there's no shortage of pilots, but experience).

sadly, no amount of reports will make bean counters think further than the next lunch hour.

Phil

[Panama Jack]

Look at who "stars"in the report-- ATAC. These people represent the flight schools and the airlines alike. Having the gov't get involved feeding money to the flight schools while having a ready supply of cheap (supply vs. demand relative) pilots available to the Canadian airlines is a win win situation for the ATAC constituency. I remember a number of years ago the Regional Airline Assoc. lobbied Congress to institude a gov't sponsored training scheme to supply enough qualified pilots to the regionals (which pay miserable wages) since the military was downsizing and wasn't supplying enough. North American airlines are too cheap to do what foreign airlines have been forced to-- namely start their own ab initio programs.