The National Air Carrier Association recently premiered its new animated explainer video about pilot shortage at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Aerospace Summit in Washington, DC.
Check out the video below.
Source: National Air Carrier Association
As special interests in Washington continue their campaign of misinformation about pilot supply, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released its latest pilot-production data showing that the United States is outperforming last year’s record-breaking year with 10,091 new airline pilots certificated in the past 12 months. More than 1,200 new pilots were produced in August alone of this year, the largest monthly number ever. Overall, there are 6,500 more pilots today compared to before the pandemic according to data from the Department of Transportation and airline filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“This data-centered reality check comes at a critical time for anyone who cares about the safety of our skies because Congress is poised to introduce more risk into America’s aviation system, the safest in the world,” said Capt. Jason Ambrosi, ALPA president. “The special interests pushing these changes hang their hat on the false premise that America isn’t producing enough pilots to meet demand, but the FAA’s data proves their claim is flat-out wrong. In fact, the United States is shattering records when it comes to pilot production,” continued Ambrosi.
Currently, some special interests are lobbying Congress to make changes to U.S. aviation safety laws, including weakening rigorous pilot-training requirements and arbitrarily raising the mandatory retirement age without first studying the safety implications of such a move. Since passage of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010, which established the global aviation gold standard for safety, the United States has seen a 99.8 percent reduction in airline passenger fatalities.
“Pilot production is up, the passenger fatality rate is down, and our skies are the safest in the world The current production of pilots is outpacing U.S. airline hiring needs, so there’s no need to change a law that has been proven to save lives,” added Ambrosi.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 75,000 pilots at 43 U.S. and Canadian airlines.
Source: ALPA
Photo Credit: ALPA
Popular flight school for international aspiring pilots Epic Flight Academy welcomed 28 new flight students to its New Smyrna Beach, Florida campus as part of its September 2023 intake.
Source: Epic Flight Academy
Photo Credit: Epic Flight Academy
Aerviva, a Dubai, United Arab Emirates based international aviation recruitment consultancy, published an article entitled “New Trend Signals to Potential Challenge – Airline Captain Shortage” highlighting the emerging captain shortage in the airline industry.
Check it out below.
The role of an airline captain has long been esteemed and sought after. However, a recent trend highlighted by the American Airlines pilots’ union reveals a surprising statistic: over 7,000 pilots at American Airlines have opted out of pursuing captain positions, while United struggled to fill 50% of the 978 captain vacancies in the past year. This prompts the question: what factors have led to this shift?
Possible loss of seniority and unsatisfactory work-life balance
According to Jainita Hogervorst, Director of Aerviva Aviation Consultancy, a Dubai-based international consultancy, specialising in aviation recruitment and document management, there are many reasons reducing the allure of becoming a head of flight crew. “While becoming a captain entices with attractive compensation possibilities as well as a prestigious title, it also involves a change in seniority dynamics, specifically the transition from senior first officers to junior captains. Junior captains are faced with amplified uncertainties in their flight schedules, on-call commitments, and sudden assignments, translating to reduced stability.”
Furthermore, United pilots have disclosed that many senior first officers opt to forego promotions to junior captain positions, fearing the loss of seniority and subsequent disruption to their personal lives. Work regulations can compel pilots to accept assignments during their days off, with flight plans subject to arbitrary changes or extensions. Seniority has traditionally afforded pilots a measure of schedule predictability, facilitating trip selection, trading, and vacation planning. However, adjustments in job roles, airline bases, or aircraft types can influence seniority rankings.
“Such uncertainty in scheduling might trickle down to other issues, such as unsatisfactory work-life balance,” Hogervorst explains. “The evolving work-life balance landscape and societal attitudes towards career encourage a shift in working people’s attitude, pilots included. According to Statista, 72% of individuals surveyed consider work-life balance a pivotal factor in job selection, underscoring its growing significance.”
What does it mean to airlines?
The International Air Transport Association’s most recent data reveals an increase in air traffic, with May 2023 witnessing a 39.1% increase in revenue passenger kilometres compared to the previous year. Globally, traffic has surged to 96.1% of the pre-pandemic levels of May 2019.
“Such rapid recovery is met with one of the most pressing challenges of the aviation industry — pilot shortage,” says Hogervorst. “Projections from the International Civil Aviation Organization suggest a need for over 350,000 pilots by 2026 to sustain operations and the scarcity of captains further exacerbates the challenge. Some regional carriers have already curtailed flight schedules by up to 20% due to pilot staffing constraints, highlighting the critical role captains play. This intensifies pressure on existing captains and diminishes the allure of the position.”
A possibility for aspiring driven pilots
While unfortunate, this global situation opens new doors to aspiring young pilots aiming for captaincy. Reports from Aero Crew News reveal a new trend: pilots with as little as 4.5 months of seniority bid to become captains on aircraft such as Delta’s Boeing 757 or Boeing 767, marking a departure from industry norms.
Bringing captaincy back to the top
The potential for reinvigorating the captain role lies in shifting the focus towards work-life balance. “The decreasing dominance of pay as the sole motivator presents an opportunity to enhance the position’s allure. Recently, while renegotiating their contract, the pilot union at United has outlined 79 quality-of-life enhancements, including measures to prevent pilots from being compelled to accept assignments on their days off and introducing incentives and improved scheduling systems for last-minute engagements,” she says.
“By focusing more on improving captains’ work-life balance and mental health, airlines can not only reinvigorate the captain role but also fortify its appeal to the pilots of today and tomorrow,” believes Jainita Hogervorst, Director of Aerviva Aviation Consultancy.
Source: Aerviva
Skyborne announced the appointment of Dan Peterson as Managing Director of Skyborne Airline Academy’s US flight training facility in Vero Beach, Florida, following the retirement of Ed Davidson.
Peterson joins the airline academy after more than 20 years in senior educational roles, most recently as president of Herzing University’s Online Division where he rapidly grew the student population and launched five new programs. Possessing a PhD in curriculum and instruction from Utah State University, Peterson also served for 23 years in the US Air Force and Utah Air National Guard, before retiring as a commander in 2008.
Lee Woodward, CEO, Skyborne, says: “Dan’s career demonstrates a track record of success and growth, focused on helping the next generation to thrive. At Skyborne, he will play an active role in overseeing flight training operations and enhancing our growing network of airline partners. I believe Dan will be a valuable asset to our team as we continue our upward trajectory.”
Dan Peterson, Managing Director, Skyborne, says: “Joining Skyborne enables me to combine my passions for aviation and education and apply them to the ultimate combination – an academy that excels on developing pilots with character. I am looking forward to working with Skyborne’s CEO Lee Woodward and COO Ian Cooper to continue to open up flight training and genuine career options to the best and the brightest.” Woodward continues “on behalf of the Directors, all staff, and students at Skyborne, I would like to thank Ed Davidson for the immense achievements he has brought to our US business. His professionalism, experience and personable style was very welcome. We wish him well in his retirement.”
Ed Davidson, former Managing Director at Skyborne, adds: “Leading the Skyborne Vero Beach team has been the highlight of my 50-year aviation career. Since March 2022 there has been a 220% increase in students with more than 300 individuals currently in training and 5,500 training hours per month. I wish Dan all the best in his new role and am confident that he will make a significant impact on Skyborne’s growth and development.”
During his time in education Peterson also served as President and CEO of Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology where he was instrumental in the evolution of teaching methods for the first ever FAA approved Hybrid Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) program.
Source: Skyborne Airline Academy Inc.
Photo Credit: Skyborne Airline Academy Inc.
United States based low cost carrier Spirit Airlines recently announced a new partnership with Liberty University School of Aeronautics to become the company’s 10th flight school to launch the Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway program, which offers graduates a fast track to the flight deck.
“Liberty University offers a premier pilot training program designed to provide graduates with the skills to lead in the aviation field, and Spirit’s growth creates opportunities for those graduates to achieve their dreams with us,” Spirit Airlines Senior Director of Flight Operations and System Chief Pilot Ryan Rodosta said.
Liberty students pursuing a B.S. degree including commercial pilot training can apply for the program after finishing their sophomore year and obtaining a recommendation from a faculty member. If successful in Spirit’s interview process, they will receive a conditional offer of employment, a Spirit Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), and mentorship as they complete their degree and build flight hours. After reaching Restricted Airline Transport Pilot (R-ATP) minimum requirements, program pilots must successfully complete the Spirit-funded and approved Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP CTP) and Jet Transition Course. Graduates who meet all program requirements will join the team as Spirit first officers.
“We are delighted to join with Spirit Airlines as the 10th partner in their Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway program,” Liberty School of Aeronautics Dean Rick Roof said. “This partnership is a major step in creating exceptional opportunities for our graduates, providing selected Liberty-trained aviation professionals with a unique pathway directly to Spirit once they fulfill the necessary training and experience. Spirit will gain access to pilots with exceptional technical skills and the character to be difference-makers in the aerospace industry, while Liberty Aeronautics graduates can become a member of the Spirit team where they will join a recognized leader in quality of life while flying some of the most advanced aircraft in the skies. This is an incredible opportunity for our Champions to fulfill their aviation dreams, and their calling to serve.”
Spirit Airlines is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient airlines in the United States. Aviation Week Network’s Air Transport World (ATW) named Spirit the Value Airline of the Year as part of the ATW 2023 Airline Industry Achievement Awards. Spirit was also recognized for safety with the FAA’s Aviation Maintenance Technician Diamond Award of Excellence for the fifth consecutive year and was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Companies in Travel & Hospitality in 2022, which ranks the 25 best workplaces to grow a career in the industry.
Spirit’s pilots fly some of the newest, most fuel-efficient aircraft in the industry to 90-plus destinations across the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. More brand-new planes are planned for delivery in 2023, including eight new Airbus A321neo aircraft, creating opportunities for first officers to quickly upgrade to the rank of captain. Spirit’s pilots recently approved a contract that provides a significant pay increase and other enhanced benefits, including industry-leading training.
Source: Liberty University School of Aeronautics
