After a drought of pilot job openings in the last decade, the airline industry is on the verge of what could be the biggest surge of pilot hiring in history. Below are the top five reasons why pilots are suddenly in high demand.
Revamped Pilot Training Requirements – With an eye on safety, the FAA overhauled decades-old pilot training requirements, making the bar for landing a coveted job in the right seat of a U.S. airliner much higher. Newly minted airline pilots must now hold an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, which requires extra training and more flight experience. Regional airlines are already feeling the strain of the revamped requirements as major carriers look to pilfer their qualified pilots. Getting an approved aviation college degree, by the way, will put you on your airline pilot career path sooner, with 1,000 or 1,250 flight hours required versus 1,500 hours for a traditional ATP license.
