Demand For Pilots Expanding

Demand for pilots is expanding. With major airlines combining, pulling aircraft out of the desert, recalling pilots on furlough, making solid profits, a looming pilot shortage will be evident soon. Gulfstream announced recently that manufacturing of business jets looks real strong with new orders for business jets. This stands reasonable because of the insane security measures that the TSA has leveled on the traveling public.

Businessmen still need to travel frequently for meetings and to maintain personal relationships with customers. Airlines will always be busy with interstate and international family travel. All this bodes well for those interested in general and commercial aviation.

Flight training in the US is still the best and least expensive place to learn to fly. The US has adopted some International rules to fly by but the vast majority of air travel throughout the world today is within the borders of the United States. As a matter of fact, there are more departures and arrivals in a 24 hr. period in California alone than in many countries combined.

One reason for the vast amount of air travel in this country is our air traffic control system and the freedom to fly unencumbered. We as pilots do not have to pay air traffic control for each flight. These costs come from the general budget although many democrats are trying to destroy general aviation by mandating more charges for general aviation.

If you are interested in becoming a pilot you might want to check out this e-course for your private pilot training.

New FAA Regs Demand New Pilots, Airlines Expanding

FAA Regulations to Create Need For More Airline Pilots,Update

Update----recently the FAA had made a rule change that will go into effect in august of next year requiring airlines to provide air crews with 9 hours of rest instead of 8. This move alone will demand hundreds if not thousands of new pilots.

Senator Chuck Schumer is pushing hard to get the minimal flight time from 250 hours of CRM commercial ab-intro flight training ramped up to 1500 hours. 1500 hours is the minimal flight time, required for  for for an ATP (airline transport pilot). This is going to be a lot more difficult in today's flying environment. Fuel is very expensive as are rental rates with instructors. If you don't already have a bunch of hours racked up it's going to be difficult to get them. Most pilots go the flight instructor rout but that in itself will not produce enough pilots. But, the future is bright for aspiring pilots.


Further, American Airlines just pulled a couple hundred pilots out of furlough. Delta is pulling some airplanes out of the desert in wake of major profits.


What all this says is that if you want to be a pilot, START NOW. Hop over to joepilotecourse.com and listen to air traffic control to get a feel for air traffic. 

FAA Regulations to Create Need For More Airline Pilots,Update

Update----recently the FAA had made a rule change that will go into effect in august of next year requiring airlines to provide air crews with 9 hours of rest instead of 8. This move alone will demand hundreds if not thousands of new pilots.

Senator Chuck Schumer is pushing hard to get the minimal flight time from 250 hours of CRM commercial ab-intro flight training ramped up to 1500 hours. 1500 hours is the minimal flight time, required for  for for an ATP (airline transport pilot). This is going to be a lot more difficult in today's flying environment. Fuel is very expensive as are rental rates with instructors. If you don't already have a bunch of hours racked up it's going to be difficult to get them. Most pilots go the flight instructor rout but that in itself will not produce enough pilots. But, the future is bright for aspiring pilots.


The Colgan Air crash that unfortunately occurred in Buffalo a while back could be a benefit to aspiring airline pilots. What was developed quickly from records was that the Captain and Co-Pilot were tired from long duty periods and in the case of the co-pilot a long commute. Pilots are required to be on duty for 16 hours and at the end of that period they are off to the hotel to eat, sleep, and get ready for the next day. The 16 hour duty day includes 8 hours of flying rolled into waiting, sitting, or standing in an airplane or airport. Commuter pilots fly shorter routs performing more take offs and landing cycles. And, they do it in the weather closer to the ground.

What came from testimony from hundreds of Commuter Flight Crews following the crash was that more rest was needed between duty days. Imagine checking in at 05:30Am for a 6:00Am departure. You fly 6 or 7 legs that consume only 6 hours of flying time and you still have an hour plus 25 for yet another flight that departs at 8:00 that night arriving at 9:15 PM. 16 hours is a long day doing anything. The FAA has made a rule change and starting in August of next year the 8 hour rest period will be ramped up to 9 hours and there are some other issues about that.

The other significant rule change that may be in the offing has to do with pilot qualifications. In order to fly as Captain, the Captain is required to have an ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) rating that you can work for after you have 1500 hours into your logbook. All Airlines require that basic number and most majors require even more with turbine time. The CO-Pilot on the other hand is only required to have a Commercial rating which a Private Pilot can receive after 250 hours. Now, that 250 hours can be significant if all that time is within the confines of an Airline type training environment which many Ab-intro Flight Schools do. On the other hand again, some private pilots have flown a lot of hard IFR in their own airplanes and may have more real weather experience but lacking in crew resource management or CRM.

The FAA is open for discussion about this topic currently and has not formulated a decision yet. Knowing that there is a lot of expense behind flight training and building hours in an unpaid (I can vouch for that) flying environment the FAA is reluctant to issue tough rules that could hurt everyone. Having said that the FAA is looking at increasing the required flight time for Co-Pilot and possibly a Commercial Rating to 750 hours. There has even been discussion about bumping up requirements for Co-Pilot to the same rating as Captain just like the Major airlines do. The academics behind the new Co-Pilot requirements will be taken into consideration. 

Bottom line, if you ever wanted into the professional cockpit, hit the books and start working toward that goal NOW. Airlines are actually making money because they had cut back on equipment and schedules. Now all airplanes are packed full and some airlines are now pulling inventory out of desert storage. If you are interested in pilots salaries click here.

Regardless I'll be going over more as I work through this information and remember, if you want to fly you need to get through the private pilot written.
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