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 affecting airlines and business aviation, is now significantly impacting critical public services like firefighting.
- Cal Fire has been forced to ground a substantial portion, up to 20 percent, of its aerial firefighting fleet due to an insufficient number of pilots, particularly during peak wildfire season.
- Cal Fire faces a critical need to hire approximately 40 pilots in the coming years to address losses from retirements and other factors, a challenge exacerbated by retention issues and the growing, year-round demand for aerial fire support.
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