Flight Delayed? No Pilots Could Be The Cause!

 Empty Cockpits are Gathering Dust

                                                                                                                                               -Braydon King

  Yes, so planes can fly themselves, but this still doesn't solve a huge problem behind pilot shortage! You might be asking yourself why this is happening, don't pilots make a ton of money? Well, the answer is yes but this comes with so many sacrifices. First, training a pilot is hard work and can cost upwards of $100,000 to complete all training requirements for big airlines. Not everyone can stop what they are doing and sacrifice time and money.  The global demand for pilots is increasing more and more every day. The number of active pilots in the United States has decreased by 30% since 1987 according to the (Federal Aviation Administration, 2019).

Training the Future

Training is the main cause of pilot shortage in the aviation industry. Schools simply cannot supply enough pilots to meet the demands of big companies. A solution to this problem would be lower training costs and flight time requirements. But it's not that simple, by lowering the amount of training needed you lower the amount of knowledge students need for their careers. This turns it into a safety hazard. There is no clear shortcut to expedite training, but airlines are coming up with ways to produce pilots.

Airlines Paying for School

Airlines have come up with a plan to pay for an individual's flight school. Think of it like an education loan from the company you want to work for but aren't qualified for. These companies will pay for your flight school and then all you have to do is pay it back when you get hired! This is a great solution to the training problem the industry is faced with.

There is a promise involved that you will work for a specific airline when you complete all training requirements. The financing programs are a great way to reduce financial troubles for aspiring pilots. I could see this being extremely beneficial to the airlines.

Quality of Life

Quality of life is a massive problem in aviation, apart from training. When a company has a shortage of pilots, they rely increasingly on existing pilots to pick up the slack. 

Fewer pilots equal more pilot demand. This, in turn, makes it harder for pilots to be with family.

A good way to increase the quality of life would be to use all resources to 100% effectiveness. This will ultimately reduce stress for our pilots. 

Only Time Will Tell

The future of the industry is in the airline's hands. Hopefully, we will see more positive changes in due time. If you are pursuing a career as a pilot make sure to do your research! There are tons of information online that can assist you in choosing the right career path.