Open Air Flight Instructor\u2019s Corner

By now, you have probably seen the 2018 Technicians and Pilots Outlook Report from Boeing. If you haven’t, a quick google search is well worth your time. Basically, it says that there is a shortage of people to fill roles in various aviation trades over the next two decades. It fuels the pilot shortage debate and the subsequent dialogue, either in person or on social media, either encourages or discourages prospective aviators.

But is there a shortage, and if so, why? The answer is like many relationships today, “It’s complicated.” Right now, there is definitely a shortage of Flight Instructors. Most of the reason for that is that there is a shortage of pilots in the Regional Airlines. Due to that, the Regional Airlines’ pay has increased in the last couple of years from a fairly meager salary to something pretty significant. Most of them are around $70K for the first year including salary, incentives, benefits and bonuses.

Of course if you look at the Major Airlines, positions are very competitive and there isn’t any shortage of pilots to fill those roles. Why? Well, first off, the average pay is better than the regionals and the quality of life and schedules are highly desired. Corporate pilots are also pretty well staffed because many are home most nights. Executives have airplanes so they can travel, do business and get back home to their families and companies. So other than Flight Instructors who are moving to Regionals, the real shortage of pilots appears to me to be most prevalent in student pilots to fill the pending retiring pilots, and local General Aviation pilots. There is a plethora of aircraft sitting at most of the 19,000 airports across the country that are hardly flying. They will cite everything from tougher regulations to the high costs of fuel, maintenance and insurance. So yes, there is a shortage of pilots at some levels.

If you’ve read this far and know anything about the industry, you’re probably thinking, “but what about AI and autonomous (computer/robotic) piloted aircraft? Yes, the technology does exist and is, in fact, being used in some cases of flying freight. It is not culturally acceptable, yet, for passengers to ride in an unpiloted aircraft, and for good reason. The human brain is still the fastest, most effective decision making computer capable of handling problems outside of the ordinary. Consider the “Miracle on the Hudson.” There are many factors, including ‘gut instinct’ of properly trained and experienced pilots that is far superior to autonomous technology. There are so many things that can deviate from a normal flight, such as medical emergencies, technology failures, unforeseen groundings and deviations, such as 9/11 or the 737 max issues. And lets not forget that there are fleets of hundreds of thousands of aircraft still flying that would be too expensive to update to autonomous technology. Due to the incredible maintenance and rigorous inspections of aircraft, there are still aircraft flying from every era of aviation. The only time in history we had more pilots than aircraft, that I can recall, is when the Wright Brothers built the first airplane. There will be opportunities for pilots for decades! And as long as there are pilots and aircraft, there is a need for mechanics, engineers, flight attendants, management and support services. There are many opportunities in aviation!

So, what does it take to be a pilot? In a word, desire! The first step is having an interest in flying. Next, you have to study for the written exam to gain the fundamental knowledge of flight, regulations and safety. This can be as self study from many sources, such as Gold Seal Ground School online program, the traditional King or Sporty’s Schools, or Rod Machado books, to name a few. There are also new programs, books and apps coming out all the time. Or, you could learn through a flight school or aviation college. University of North Dakota, Embry Riddle and Spartan are some of the largest. Just about every state has a College or University that has some sort of aviation program. Or you could get accepted into a military aviation program.

Once you pass your FAA Private Pilot Written exam, or any of the subsidiaries, such as Sport Pilot or Recreational Pilot exams, you can start flight training. Some people start flight training in conjunction with studying for their written, but my experience is that it is generally better to gain the fundamental knowledge first to expedite flight training. You can solo a glider at age 14 or a powered aircraft at age 16. You can get your Pilot Certificate at age 17. You’ll need to gain a number of flight hours and meet specific training requirements, spelled out in the Federal Aviation Regulations. Basically, it is 20 hours for Sport Pilot and 40 hours for Private Pilot. Those are the minimums, but you must be proficient for an instructor to sign you off, so the national average is closer to about 65 hours for Private Pilot.

Once you have your written exam and hours completed, an instructor will sign you off for an oral and practical exam, otherwise known as a ‘Check Ride” with a Federal Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). After that you can pursue additional ratings of Instrument, Commercial, Flight Instructor (CFI) and/or Multi-Engine and Airline Transportation Pilot (ATP).

Jeff Jorgenson is a qualified Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) with over 500 hours of duel given, a Retired F-16 Avionics Technician and Award Winning Author of the Book, ‘Open Air - How People Like Yourself Are Changing The Aviation Industry’ You can learn more from his website www.OpenAirForEveryone.com