Pilot shortage in the US?
 

Today in the ALPA daily I was reading about the so-called pilot shortage in the US and problems with finding pilots with 1500 hrs. While here in Canada, we accept pilots from all over the world (shooting ourself in the foot), do you think the US will ever consider opening the border to their fellow North American friends?

Although I'm a university graduate in engineering with an aviation college degree, having 2000 hours tubine time with a NATO SECRET security clearance still valid, it seems easier for a guy that was born in kuala lumpur to get the green card.....this is so frustrating :*

ALPA hum? That should have been your first clue....! Pilot shortage, please...!:ugh: the only thing the regionals are short on is people willing to fly for what they offer, stop believing in fairy tales:=

Maybe, if someday there ever is really a shortage. That day hasn't arrived yet. A shortage of pilots with the qualifications you want who are willing to accept fast-food server wages, is not the same as an actual shortage of pilots. If the airlines who are paying poverty* wages would increase the money and improve the working conditions, they would suddenly see the "shortage" disappear.

You'll find that without exception, the people trumpeting about a "pilot shortage" in the US have some sort of vested interest and/or ulterior motive.

*That's not hyperbole, the pay at many US regional airlines is low enough that the pilots qualify for public assistance.

There will only be a shortage of pilots willing to work for poverty wages...

I'd love to go fly for a "regional" again, but there is no way in hell I'd ever do it for what they're offering. Make their current captain rate the starting FO wage, and raise captain pay by 40% or so and any shortage will be instantly addressed.

i think there is pilot shortage in the US.
everybody blame the regional for low pay scale,but i never
hear people tell any other option.
American eagle,Skywest,ect.
let you fly CRJ/ERJ only whit little flight experince.
And then move up to the majors.
be a flight instructor,be a regional pilot is the first step
of a long flight career is a starting point not a finish piont
and as such they don't pay very well.
if people don't want to a be a pilot because there is no money
at the begining of their career,i'm glad

Sorry, no line of work nowadays requires food stamp wages after years of training to get to the point of employability. There is no excuse for a regional FO to make less than a starting wage of $45,000/year, and a Captain should never make less than 100k. If punk-ass douche bags that had mommy and daddy pay for their training and foot their rent bill continue to accept these substandard positions, and if the toothless, inept, short-sighted pilot unions don't draw a line in the sand, we have only ourselves to blame for not waking up and saying "enough."

This career is not worth it.

ra400

All airline pilots, as of Aug 3rd, have to have an ATP in the US. No more wet commercials with 250 hours.

GF

I know that soon you need the ATP.
Still the CFI and the regionals are the first step
personally I think the majors are worst
they want 1000hr pic in turboprop or jet and the
First year the salary is 35k.
The salary and shortage are 2 different matters
When I was taking my flying lesson my goal
Was be pilot and not my salary.
You're a pilot because you love to flight
If just looking at the money became an actor
So you will buy your on plane and will have
Millions of dollars

The Atp requirement will make it interesting to see if it creates a demand. I would never go through expensive training, hour buidling, stress and hard ships to get an Atp so that an airline can pay me less than a dish washer employee in a norwegian restaurant. As said by others, if you have rich parents and an easy life going about it, no problem. If not, its gonna be very tough.

For MAF
What do you for living? Pilot?
How did you get in that position for the love
Of flying or love the money?

The ATP requirement is in effect, with no notable problems. The 35K salary is for first year probation, it doubles or more in year 2. Lastly, 1,000 hours if TPIC isn't rare or absolutely required. The passengers deserve experienced, fully qualified pilots who work as a team, not a captain instructing the co-pilot who has paid for the chance to play airline pilot, as happens outside the US.

GF

@ra4000

Everyone loves flying which is why most of us became pilots

But at the end of the day you are not flying 24/7 and you will need to come back home .
When you reach back home you need money to pay the bills , put decent food on the table , pay the rent / mortgage
Flying an airplane alone is not going to solve all the above problems where money is involved unless you have income from other sources

If you are married and have kids your expenses will be much higher and if you dont have a happy home you will never have a happy life irrespective of your love of flying

All the time you spend flying you will be worrying about what you do when you get back home especially if you are living paycheck to paycheck like a US regional pilot

Your responsibilities as a pilot are no less important whether you fly for a regional or a major .

Being eligible for food stamps just shows how poorly paid they are and love of flying is the only reason why most are even able to tolerate such terms and conditions

Even sportstars / film actors / doctors get paid their worth and none of them do it for poor wages even though they all love their jobs as well and probably cant imagine doing something else during their lifetimes

Aviation is a potent drug that is very difficult to get out of irrespective of whether you are pilot , flight attendant , engineer or an investor who wants to burn millions of dollars in a new airline
That addiction to flying is the only reason why pilots still fly for a Regional US Airline

@ cyrilroy21

Could not have said it better myself.

The cure is usually embalming fluid.

GF

No, they are not. They can offer low salaries because there is no shortage of pilots. If there was a shortage of pilots, they wouldn't be offering such low salaries. You cannot separate the two.

Thank you for bringing some sense into this conversation, when salaries rise without contract negotiations to attract suitable candidates, then there is a shortage....! On the mean time, the regionals are just mad that they can't get the 250 hour guys to fly for nothing to get experience.

So what you guys telling me
Is people get their license and then
Wait at home and hope for a phone call
From somebody with a job offer
With 6 figure salary.

No, nobody said anything even remotely resembling that. I don't know where you dreamed that up, but it's just sheer fantasy.

Can you point to exactly which post here you have misinterpreted as anyone saying they're sitting at home waiting for an employer to contact them?

I wish they made the requirement of 1500 hours in europe

So what you are telling me is that you feel that a pilot working for less than a kid working at McDonald's flipping burgers is the right thing to do.