Letter from the Publisher

Dear readers,

Spring is in full swing, and the airlines’ busy season is right around the corner. Hiring at every airline, cargo carrier and corporate department is at full tilt. If you are a pilot looking to be hired, log hours and ride this wave! The next couple of years should be interesting with airlines asking regulators for relief from the “1500-Hour Rule” and the “Age-65 Rule.”

The 1500-hour rule was established after the crash of Colgan Air flight 3407 operating as a Continental Express flight from EWR to BUF. The pilots’ skills came into question in this crash resulting in rule changes and several new laws. When I first started flying, I was told the FARs are “written in blood,” which these exemplify perfectly.

Mandatory retirement for airline pilots started in December 1959. The “Age-60 Rule,” as it was called, went into effect in March 1960. It took over 47 years and ICAO to increase the FAA mandatory retirement age to 65 first. Now only 15 years later, there’s talk of increasing the age to 70.

If airlines can’t staff pilots, what will happen to those airlines? The pilot pipeline has dried up to the point that certain major airlines are hiring CFIs as soon as they accumulate the needed hours. Others are trying pathway programs to feed their regional carriers.

Regardless of the path, it’s a great time to be a pilot!

As always, we love to hear your feedback! Please write us at info@AeroCrewNews.com. Fly Safe, Craig D. Pieper

Craig D. Pieper

About the Publisher

Craig Pieper is the Publisher and Founder of Aero Crew News. Craig obtained his Bachelors of Science in Aeronautical Science, along with a minor in Aviation Weather, from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2001. Craig is also a First Officer for a major airline with a type rating in the Boeing 737 & Embraer 145 and has logged over 8,000 hours of flying time since his introductory flight on November 14th, 1992.

Last month, Aero Crew News visited one of the premier aviation conferences, Women in Aviation International was held in Nashville in March. Our FEATURE tells its story and explains how valuable this conference is to the entire aviation community and to its future. In BAGGAGE, Reini Thijssen offered some advice on how to maintain the quality of your relationship when little ones rule your household. In the CAREERS column, Justin Abrams reminded us to pay attention to our learning style so that our learning is not just for the next test but is for the long term. Sergio Sovero’s column in KNOWLEDGE BASE reminded us of the value and importance of each aircraft’s manual and certificates, with mention of the FAA’s requirements where these documents are concerned. MONEY put some perspective in Shane O’Brien’s piece titled, The Coming Storm of Inflation, Debt and Rising Rates. How do these factors affect your hardearned dollars? Hearing from our readers sets our flight plan, so as always, you are invited to send your ideas, reviews, comments, and criticisms to info@aerocrewnews.com.

CREDITS

Publisher / Founder Craig Pieper

Aero Crew Solutions, CEO Scott Rehn

Editor Deborah Bandy

Layout Design Michelle Harvey

Additional Contributors Reini Thijssen, Justin Abrams, John McDermott, Sergio Sovero, Charlie Mattingly, Ajay Raghavendra

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Photographs By Photographs as noted.

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