The president of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has responded directly to a claim by the Regional Airline Association (RAA) that a severe pilot shortage is brewing, saying there is no lack of qualified pilots in America — but there is a “pay shortage” at regionals that could lead to a pilot shortage in the future.
In a letter to Flying, ALPA President Tim Canoll offered his retort to a story in last week’s Enews in which RAA was quoted as suggesting a shortage of regional airline pilots was being instigated by new FAA rules requiring that first officers hold an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with as many as 1,500 hours of flight time versus 250 hours under the old rules.
