pilot shortage - Photo credit: Hiller Aviation Museum - photo of young girl flying plane simulator
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As featured in Aviation Week by William Garvey

 

I was in a deep leather chair on the fourth floor of the University Club on San Franciscoā€™s Nob Hill viewing a downtown obscured in a smoke haze generated by the terrible Camp Fire, still smoldering 150 mi. to the northeast. At long last, it was finally raining.

Presently I was joined by my host and club member Sheryl Barden. I had taken a break from a family Thanksgiving visit to discuss the pilot shortageā€™s effect on business aviation with someone who could provide insight, perspective andā€”possiblyā€”a way forward.

 

By way of background, Barden is president and CEO of Aviation Personnel International (API), a business aviation-oriented placement, recruitment and advisory firm founded by her late mother Jan nearly 50 years ago. Sheryl Barden joined API in 2001 after holding a variety of executive positions in the paper goods industry. She was named president in 2003 and chief executive a decade later. Last year, she was appointed to the National Business Aviation Associationā€™s board of directors and now is also vice chair of NBAAā€™s Associate Member Advisory Council. Barden holds a bachelorā€™s degree in management from Penn State and an MBA from the University of San Francisco.

 

Quickly to the subject at hand, she confirms the shortage is real, causing major disruptions within business-aviation flight departments, altering careers and ā€œis the No. 1 topic in every pilot lounge.ā€

The draw by the airlines offering high compensation and predictable schedules is being countered by many departments with salary boostsā€”often considerableā€”for veteran crewmembers. Indeed, she quotes a colleague describing the increases as ā€œintoxicatingā€ and resulting in conditions likened to ā€œa frenzy.ā€

How much money? She says a ā€œheavy ironā€ line pilot can command $200,000-250,000 or more, and the calculation becomes more complicated in high-cost-of-living regions such as the San Francisco Bay Area. She cited one line captain whose new salary of $220,000 was complemented with a 40% bonus and company stock. Such ā€œextrasā€ can surprise: For example, I know of oneĀ DassaultĀ Falcon pilot whose decision between two otherwise equal job offers was eased by the added plum of free housing.

Such an environment, she explains, causes collective anxiety and restlessness among crews since ā€œeverybodyā€™s afraid theyā€™re going to miss outā€ if they fail to act. And while wealthy aircraft owners can adjust compensation or add pilots relatively easily, corporations have a more difficult time singling out their flight department personnel from other workers for substantial, unscheduled increases.

While the beneficiaries of current circumstances may not see things as problematic, Barden says it is what followsā€”or not, actuallyā€”that should be of concern to the industry. She says that beginning with 9/11, the professional pilot ranks became a ā€œclosed shopā€ with scant opportunities for newcomers. And those newbies who did make their way into regional jet flight decks got paltry returns on their piloting investments, which with a bachelorā€™s degree might have tallied $350,000.

Combined, those factors ā€œmade becoming a pilot unattractive,ā€ she maintains, and there are few replacements in the wings as a result.

The solution? ā€œIf I had a magic wand, Iā€™d have theĀ FAAĀ increase the airline pilot mandatory retirement age to 67 or 68 or even 70,ā€ she says. ā€œThat would release the pressure a little bit and provide time to replenish the pipeline.ā€

Ultimately, she would like to see a national pilot training academy established with rigorous standards and financed by the aviation industry. However, she acknowledges such a concept is easily dismissed with: ā€œOh, thatā€™s Sheryl Barden, the crazy lady.ā€

Regardless, the solution must include making aviation appealing to future generations. And during my visit, I saw clear evidence of what it takes, 20 mi. south at San Carlos Airport, site of the terrific Hiller Aviation Museum.

Not only is the compact facility jam-packed with extraordinary and unique flying machines, but it is full of things to engage and delight kids in their introduction to flight. There are various simulators galore, a play area and a fun workshop where kids can fashion and fly simple paper helicopters. Evidence of its effectiveness was readily apparent. There were kids everywhereā€”laughing, gaming, pointing, climbing and just having a grand time in an aviation place.

Thatā€™s the kind of California fire we can all welcome.

 

This article by William Garvey was originally published in Aviation Week & Space Technology on Nov. 28, 2018.

  • All very true! I also believe the search for excellent Maintenance Technicians and Maintenance leaders is at least, if not more challenging!

  • I agree !! The FAA should not set any maximum age for airline pilots. We pass medicals every 6 months and flight test at least every 9 months.
    The age 65 cap is pure age discrimination !! There is no data to support it !

  • There are pilots with the requisite experience and FAA licenses all over the world held back by emigration laws. If companies sponsored visas for the right crew many corporate problems could be alleviated.

  • Age 65 mandatory retirement is foolish and pure age discrimination. They have so much valuable EXPERIENCE and must pass a physical every 6 months and annual check rides demonstrating proficiency. There is no mandatory retirement age for law or medicine or politics etc . This mandatory retirement age of 65 is not based on science and needs to be repealed and keep this valuable experience.

  • Mike – thanks for your comment. I am not sure that doing away with a mandatory requirement is the right answer but I am a vocal advocate of raising the age to at least 68. It would take a great deal of pressure off of the pilot shortage at the moment and I can’t see how it would slow down the engagement of young people with a flying career.
    Sheryl

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