The Vietnam War was in full swing when I graduated high school. The economy was in the toilet and airlines were furloughing. There were countless military pilots looking for jobs. It was a terrible time to launch a professional pilot career.
Pilot Shortage Arrives
The Vietnam War was in full swing when I graduated high school. The economy was in the toilet and airlines were furloughing. There were countless military pilots looking for jobs. It was a terrible time to launch a professional pilot career.
Key Takeaways:
- The author asserts that a long-predicted pilot shortage, which never materialized in past decades, is finally becoming a reality.
- This current shortage is driven by a "perfect storm" of factors, including declining student pilot starts, low completion rates, meager starting commercial pilot pay, and the expensive ATP requirement for airline first officers.
- The pilot deficit is already impacting regional airlines through flight cancellations and threatens to cripple the general aviation market with soaring prices and reduced product availability.
- The article urges support for initiatives that expose people to aviation, such as Young Eagles and local events, to inspire new pilots and counteract the trend.
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