We at Flying have written extensively about the apparent pilot shortage, which has caused the airlines to offer major incentives to join their work forces and increase their pay and benefits to make the initial phase of the career more attractive. The lack of qualified pilots has also affected bizav flight departments and helicopter operators. The rapid movement of flight instructors and the lack of FAA examiners haven’t helped the issue.
Pilot Shortage Keeps Firefighting Airplanes Grounded
Key Takeaways:
- The widespread pilot shortage, previously impacting commercial airlines and business aviation, is now significantly affecting public safety operations, specifically Cal Fire.
- Cal Fire has been forced to ground a notable portion of its firefighting aircraft, including nearly 20 percent of its S-2T tanker fleet in August, due to a critical lack of qualified pilots.
- The agency faces an urgent need to hire approximately 40 pilots in the coming years, a challenge compounded by non-seasonal wildfires, fleet expansion, and low retention rates among trainees.
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