OJT

Several recent newspaper and magazine articles have reported on supposed pilot shortages in the U.S. and, especially, abroad. The reporting, of course, focuses on airline flight crews but doesnt really distinguish between long-established U.S. carriers flying Boeings and Airbii and what at least one industry observer labeled the "lower rungs of the aviation career ladder:" regional jets and turboprops. At least one close friend, himself serving as a regional jet captain, has expressed amazement at the relatively low talent and experience levels hes finding in the seat to his right.

Key Takeaways:

• Reports of pilot shortages, particularly in regional aviation, have led to airlines hiring first officers with significantly fewer flight hours (e.g., 500 hours) than in previous decades, raising concerns about initial experience levels.
• Modern aviation mitigates these lower experience thresholds through highly automated cockpits, more reliable training and ATC systems, and the practice of pairing low-time first officers with high-time captains.
• The author emphasizes that time spent in the first officer's seat serves as critical on-the-job training, allowing pilots to accumulate thousands of hours and gain essential judgment and experience before progressing to a captain's role.

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