Pilot and Lame Shortage Looming ?
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Pilot and Lame Shortage Looming ?
Airline boom leaves Asia short of pilots
Asia is facing a huge shortage of pilots as thousands are needed to keep pace with rapid airline expansion and growing numbers of middle class travellers
Taking off: Asian airlines are expanding rapidly Photo: James D. Morgan/Rex FeaturesBy Justin Harper
The region will require a staggering 230,000 trained pilots over the next two decades to keep up with growth and replace those retiring, according to figures from the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Fast-growing Asian airlines have signed orders for hundreds of planes as improving wealth in the region means more people can now afford to fly, particularly in China and India. But airlines must now find enough pilots to fly them while maintaining tough safety standards.
Budget airlines are also growing in popularity, with many well-known carriers now offering cheap flights across the region including Qantas, Singapore Airlinesand Thai Airways.
On an annual basis Asia will have a shortage of 9,000 pilots a year, as 14,000 will be needed, but there is only capacity to train 5,000. The shortfall looks likely to be filled by Western pilots.
William Voss, president of US-based Flight Safety Foundation, said: “Never in human history have we seen a time when two billion people will enter the middle class and demand air travel. That time is now.”
Training an international airline pilot is time-consuming, typically taking up to four years, and expensive. Many Asian airlines are looking to build flight training centres and attract foreign pilots to fill the gap. China now has at least 1,300 foreign flight captains.
But Gideon Ewers, a spokesman for the UK-based International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) said: “There are cultural issues and social dynamics to consider. Pilots from Australia and Europe for example tend to be more forthright than Asian pilots. There are also language issues to bear in mind. While English is the language of aviation there are differing levels when it comes to pilots across Asia.”
Another problem is attracting pilots to an industry that is no longer seen as glamorous. Mr Ewers added: “Starting salaries can be as low as US$21,000 on a small airline and you have to clock a lot more flying time than before, especially with the budget airlines.”
Industry experts also predict shortages of maintenance personnel to service aircraft. Manufacturer Boeing estimates that Asia will need about 250,000 new technicians over the next two decades to keep pace with industry expansion, but the roles are seen as unattractive and hard to train for.
“Starting salaries can be as low as US$21,000 on a small airline and you have to clock a lot more flying time than before, especially with the budget airlines.”
Join Date: May 2004
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Yeah its pretty unclear but i guess they meant you need to build up a lot more hrs in these ****ty gigs before the big boys will look at you...
While we are paying for TR and they are paying those salaries... no shortage
While we are paying for TR and they are paying those salaries... no shortage
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I will believe it when I start to see terms and conditions actually start improving as opposed to the degradation that I have seen throughout my 15 years in the airline industry!! Every time it seems that we are on the verge of a genuine shortage something always comes along to screw it up e.g. Gulf War, Internet Bullble Burst, 9/11, SAR's, GFC etc.. 
Now Europe is about to go down the toilet again, double dip recession anyone??
Now Europe is about to go down the toilet again, double dip recession anyone??
And American Airlines is in Chapter 11 with potentially 1000's of pilots to be furloughed I am sure.So there will always be a supply of pilots from somewhere in the world.
American might be shut down but only because of their cost structure not because they were not carrying enough passengers. Those passengers will need to fly with other airlines if this happens the other airlines will require most of the pilots from the shutdown AA! So still pilot shortage in the future!! People do not stop flying they just find another operator to fly with....pretty simple!!
Do any of you really want to go and live in middle east or asia? I mean going on holiday there is nice but f*** living there.
Having to learn to deal with a full time live in maid and all the extra free we get isn't easy either.
All this time off and so many exotic places close by to spend it in, I can't make up my mind between going surfing in Bali or scuba diving in the Philippines. There's some nice beaches in Thailand if I'm feeling a bit lazy, but the wife does like shopping in Hong Kong.
What to do with all the extra money we get through not supporting Western government welfare systems can be a bit confusing, you need a good financial advisor.
And with all these positions being rush filled, how long until we see a major dingle due to inexperience.
My favourite was the PA31 that went in north of Isa with empty mains and a double eng failure, but full auxillarys!
Interesting we haven't heard anything from Xenophon lately...
My favourite was the PA31 that went in north of Isa with empty mains and a double eng failure, but full auxillarys!
Interesting we haven't heard anything from Xenophon lately...
I will believe it when I start to see terms and conditions actually start improving as opposed to the degradation that I have seen throughout my 15 years in the airline industry!!
The reason is obvious.
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MM, that was one of the best replies that I have ever seen, good to see that there are a few guys left that can appreciate the good side in these opportunities. I'm also seiously thinking of heading to that part of the world for the work and lifestyle, Sold!!!
