Where are all the pilots?

[Rote 8]

I noticed this morning that Flight International are carrying a feature this week about a possible shortage of aircrew.

You can read the article, by David Learmount on their site -

Flight International

Discuss amongst yourselves -

[rex]

I read that as well. Maybe there is hope. Reading other messages there is supposed to be a retirement bubble coming up in the next few years and what with the lo costs expanding, who knows?
I'll just keep ploddding on



Rex

[RowleyUK]

I Like It......I Like It.........I Like It

There is a hope after all!

[redsnail]

bit cynical I am

I'm afraid every time there is a slump in flight training you'll find magazines doing articles on this much talked about pilot shortage. I have been hearing about this retirement bubble for about 10 years....
Jobs are always scarce when you are starting out.

[tinyrice]

Won't the departure of all those three man cockpit 727's,747's,Tri-stars and DC10's to the desert, and the more "creative" crew reg's of the start-up / low cost crowd just act to offset demand?

[Slasher]

Rote Ive been in the industry now for about 22 years and I can tell you theres ALWAYS been this cr@p about a pilot shortage just around the corner. In actual fact theres never been a shortage globaly, only sporadic short-term ones here and there in particular localised areas. It usualy follows an economic recesion when airlines stop recruiting for a while. Ive been through 3 alreadey and the storey is always the bloodey same.

[Boss Raptor]

Agreed Slasher, so accurately put...as always

Shortages are sporadic and often localised or specialised in nature i.e. certain country, operator or aircraft type...

300 pilots about to be laid off in Spain for example all MD80 or A320 qualified...the likes of them will always get taken on ahead of the new guys...the first leap to bridge that divide is the most difficult!

[Easy Glider]

Likewise, I have been reading about an imminent pilot shortage for the last 12 years.... It hasn't happened yet and don't believe it ever will.

[Tosh McCaber]

I notice that most of those interviewed represent various flying colleges around the world- they would try to talk up 'pilot shortages', wouldn't they?