Readback: February 2019

I thought your Remarks, Pilot Shortage? in October were very well said, sir. I just retired after 40 years of airline flying. Like most, I started as a CFI before the airlines ($15 dual/wet) before getting hired as a Twin Otter F/O and then Captain making $1700/month flying about 50 hours per month. I finished as an International Heavy Jet Captain making in the mid $300K per year but still hourly but with better work rules. In reality the wages havent gone up that much when compared with the astronomical costs to get the ratings.

Editorial Staff

Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Experienced pilots confirm challenges in the profession, citing concerns about compensation versus training costs, the importance of strong unions, and the inadequacy of some training providers due to outdated equipment.
The 24-30 hour limit for TAFs is a result of historical technological limitations and forecasting accuracy, though future updates driven by advanced models are possible.
IFR circling approach turns follow a hierarchy: ATC instructions, then approach-specific restrictions, and finally the airport's normal traffic pattern; also, MSAs are not included on RNAV approaches that already feature a Terminal Arrival Area (TAA) due to redundancy.

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Likes Remarks

I thought your Remarks, “Pilot Shortage?” in October were very well said, sir. I just retired after 40 years of airline flying. Like most, I started as a CFI before the airlines ($15 dual/wet) before getting hired as a Twin Otter F/O and then Captain making $1700/month flying about 50 hours per month. I finished as an International Heavy Jet Captain making in the mid $300K per year but still hourly but with better work rules. In reality the wages haven’t gone up that much when compared with the astronomical costs to get the ratings.

Your last paragraph about Southwest management vs. other airlines is also spot on. I worked for 30 years for one of the two small package cargo companies and they were very honest with us—they hated the pilots and we hated them. That is fine as long as you know where you stand.