commercial pilot shortage coming?

[Harrier Dude]

Yeah, but I think a Harrier is undeniably an airplane if someone asks. Your only problem is that it's not multi. My problem is convincing them it counts as an airplane. I don't think ex-Harrier fortunes are tied to Ospreys any more than the other way around.

You just have an aversion to being associated with rotor trash, don't you?

Well, according to the FAA, it's powered lift. Like I said though, the airlines still think of it as a plane (and rightly so) so for the foreseeable future that's not going to be a problem. I have plenty (1200+) of multi time in the C-12 and the T-2, so that's not a problem.

As far as your end of the deal, I talked to a check airman for AA who seemed to think that plopter dudes would be considered favorably. That's just one guy's opinion. I still think that the first few plopter dudes that get hired will set the tone for decades.

 

[Harrier Dude]

From here: https://fedex.pilotcredentials.com/index.php?a=qualifications

"Current FE Turbojet Rating or written (FEX or Basic/turbojet) taken within previous 18 months only applicable to candidates notified and offered a BI class that may include B727 Second officer positions."

By the letter of the law you will need one only if you test, interview, get hired into the pool and then get offered a Basic Indoc class that has 727 SO positions.

727s are on the way out and most likely will be overmanned for the foreseeable future.... so save your money.

Yeah, I didn't think that I'd ever actually need it to someday ride the panel, but I didn't want to disqualify myself for being selected to come test because I was too cheap/lazy to take the test again.

It's like the class I medical. I don't actually NEED one until I were to make Captain many years from now, but the airlines want to see it current in order to interview. So I keep updating it every six months.

 

[HAL Pilot]

As far as your end of the deal, I talked to a check airman for AA who seemed to think that plopter dudes would be considered favorably. That's just one guy's opinion. I still think that the first few plopter dudes that get hired will set the tone for decades.

I heard a rumor that Atlas is telling guys to put down any UAV time they have (but differentiate from pilot time). Ploter has to be better than UAV.

 

[Harrier Dude]

Tons of AV-8ers in the airlines, never seemed to be an issue.

True, but this whole powered lift debacle is pretty new. I don't think it'll effect me, but the guys coming up in 10 years or so may feel it. The same goes the F-35B.

 

[Harrier Dude]

I heard a rumor that Atlas is telling guys to put down any UAV time they have (but differentiate from pilot time). Ploter has to be better than UAV.

Atlas didn't ask anything about it when I applied a few months back. They won't be hiring off the street for awhile anyway, so it's probably moot.

 

[7562Driver]

My apologies Phrogpilot.

 

[7562Driver]

I know of 1 guy who is AR in 764. He was in my last squadron and went AR after his 2P. He is a selected for or promoted to Major now.

 

[rotorhead1871]

I'm not buying into it. 4 years ago when I was looking at getting out and looking around at places like airlinepilotcentral.com there was a lot of hype about a pending pilot shortage. Then they passed the law extending mandatory retirements to 65 (was 60). Supposedly now that we are coming up on 5 years, all those guys who were going to retire are now on the hook to do just that, opening up slots for new hires. However, when you hear stories of Southwest hiring 300 people from something like 8,000 applications, I don't think 50 guys retiring per month from any given airline is really going to affect anything. Nor do I see the it having enough of an impact to allow the unions to force a re-negotiation on wages to make the industry more attractive to qualified pilots avoiding it because of the pay. I'm not a commerical guy, but that's my opinion based on what I saw when I considered it as an option. So its probably not worth anything.

agree.....its always that way....you have to know some body to make real progress........when I was flying P3's in the reserves at NAS whidbey....many guys were trying to get into Alaska, delta, etc...and the ones that had the best luck knew someone...like you said, 8000 applications, with basically all the same quals, someone needs to put your app on the top..

so if you still like flying and can work it in...get into the reserves and get to know the guys....in P3's I bet half/two thirds/...were airline guys...its probably the same now...

good luck.....

 

[rotorhead1871]

I wish the airline industry the best; but I don't buy it either. When I flew regionals in 2000, the salaries were low, and I went back to mil as an O4 when I could; but that was my choice.

reserves.....go for it.....its a hard long road...and you really have to want it!!.....

 

[Treetop Flyer]

agree.....its always that way....you have to know some body to make real progress........when I was flying P3's in the reserves at NAS whidbey....many guys were trying to get into Alaska, delta, etc...and the ones that had the best luck knew someone...like you said, 8000 applications, with basically all the same quals, someone needs to put your app on the top..

so if you still like flying and can work it in...get into the reserves and get to know the guys....in P3's I bet half/two thirds/...were airline guys...its probably the same now...

good luck.....

You responded to a post made four years ago made by someone who is no longer with us.

 

[rotorhead1871]

You responded to a post made four years ago made by someone who is no longer with us.

and you replied......there is life in the universe.....

thx...