CASA and the pilot Shortage
 

There are 2 issues with the pilot shortage.

The first is the lack of Pilots who can be Captains for the Line. This can be overcome with time as most posters have noted their are many pilots looking for work, but they have little experience. These guys go straight to the Heavy end of town or get jobs as F/O's with the regionals.

The second is far more serious. Training and Checking Captains for Regionals and GA. For a number of years one of the big boys has been employing every T&C Captain they can lay their hands on!

Regionals are now in the position of have very few, if not no T&C Captains for their respective CAR217 organisations and the next 6 months will see many go to the wall because of the regulatory requirements of CASA.

CASA and the Minister now have a crisis in the industry and they must have a compulsory meeting with all COA82.3 and CAO82.5 and voluntary for other CAO82 holders to avert the following:

1. Safety - we do not want or need standerds to drop.
2. A viable industry for the future.
3. Jobs and Regional Australia.
4. Political fallout.

An inquiry by bureaucrats will do nothing, industry has to get together so we an an industry is still here in the future.