Business View Magazine - October 2018

2 3 R From the Editor Regular readers of Business ViewMaga- zine might note that,over the last year or so, we’ve highlightedmany regional airports across the United States in our pages.Today,there are over 19,700 airports in the U.S.-5,170 of which are open to the public for general aviation,and 503 of which serve commercial flights.Almost all of the airport directors that we’ve talked to havementioned a growing problem facing the commercial aviation industry: an increasing shortage of newpilots. The domestic travel industry is flourishing. U.S. air travel rose 15 percent from2007to 2017,according to the Bureau of Transporta- tion Statistics.That’s partially spurred bynear record-lowticket prices—the average round-trip fare in 1990was $539.29 in 2017dollars; last year,it was $339.87.The International Air Trans- portAssociation predicts that,over the next 20 years,worldwide air travel will double. According to a 2017 study by CAE Inc., a manufacturer of simulation technologies, 85,000 new airline pilots will be needed by 2027. But a 2016 University of North Dakota U.S.Airline Pilot Supply Forecast predicted a cumulative pilot shortage of 14,000 by 2026. The reasons for the shortage of new pilots–especially for the smaller, regional airlines,which are responsible for 53 percent of all domestic departures–include: a recent increase in the flying hours required for commercial pilots, the aging pilot workforce, fewer new pilots coming out of the military, low pay and poor working conditions at the regionals, and a general decline of interest in the career. After some major regional airline crashes, most notably the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo, NewYork, in 2009 that killed 49 people, Congress and the FAA changed their rules. Co-pilots’flight-hour requirements increased from 250 hours to a whopping 1,500 hours. Pilots must also have 1,000 hours as a co-pilot.When flight time can cost more than $100 per hour, training expenses can add up quickly, easily exceeding $200,000 to become a commercial airline pilot. So,many students never make it to the cockpit. The major airlines drawmost of their pilots from the regionals. But, today, they are replacing an unprecedented number of pilots due to the mandatory retirement age of 65.And because many of today’s pilots have come from the Baby Boom generation, the percentage of retiring pilots is at an all- time high. So,while themajors are shedding older pilots,and replacing themmore quickly from the top ranks of the regionals,it’s the regionals that are being forced to cancel flights and routes,often negativelyaffecting smaller communities. It used to be that pilots could get their start in themilitary,transition to a small regional airline,and thenmove up to a larger carrier.In fact, traditionally,more than three-quarters of commercial pilots came from the military; Uncle Sam, in effect, paid for the training. Now, roughly a third of pilots are drawn from the armed forces, and the alternative—pri- vate flight schools—requires a substantial six-figure investment and serious sacrifice, given the low starting salaries for junior pilot jobs,which can fall in the $20,000 to $30,000 range, annually.And even the military, itself, is producing fewer flyers.The Navy predicts a 10 percent pilot shortage in 2020,while the Air Force predicts its own 1,000-pilot shortage by 2022. Finally, there are concerns about the low number of young people interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.That’s not a new revelation, but with the need for aviation profession- als expected to continue to grow over the next decade, it could lead to a shortage of students entering aviation careers in the not too distant future. Possible solutions to the growing crisis include the following: n Create interest at an earlier stage in aviation education with internship, cadet, and leadership development programs. n Beef up collegiate training programs with more funding and teaching personnel. n Encourage flight schools to lower their tuition,while encouraging airlines to help offset the costs by offering scholarships. n Encourage airlines to establish their own training academies and flight schools. n Increase salaries, sign-on bonuses, and benefits for pilots at the regional airlines. n Increase the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 70. The commercial pilot shortage is real and growing. If changes aren’t made soon, the “friendly skies”are likely to grow a lot less so. Al Krulick Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Al Krulick Associate Editor Lorie Lee Steiner Vice President of Operations Lauren Blackwell Research Directors Paul Payne Brendan McElroy Josh Conklin Lisa Curry Matthew Mitchell Christian Combes Digital Strategist Jon Bartlow Alyson Casey Director of Administration Creative Director Dana Long Vice President of Business Development Erin O’Donoghue Vice President of Publishing Andre Barefield CGO Alexander Wynne-Jones COO Brian Andersen Executive Publisher / CEO Marcus VandenBrink USA Canada Caribbean Oceania Email for all inquiries: info@businessviewmagazine.com WWW.BUSINESSVIEWMAGAZINE.COM 12559 New Brittany Blvd Fort Myers, 33907 239.220.5554 CONTACT US Continuously improving is at the core of BrandPoint Services’ DNA. 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