Aug. 20--You can add a looming pilot shortage to the laundry list of challenges facing U.S. airlines.
Unless the nation starts churning out more commercial pilots, airlines could confront a shortfall of 30,000 qualified cockpit positions by 2017.
That's according to a preliminary report issued recently by Fltops.com, an online information service for active and aspiring professional pilots. The forecast, published in Aviation Week & Space Technology, is based on current flight training levels, anticipated retirements and the Federal Aviation Administration's growth projections.
Competition for newly qualified commercial pilots already has heated up, according to Kent Lovelace, a professor of aviation and chairman of the University of North Dakota's aerospace department, one of the largest trainers of commercial pilots in the nation.
"We've had about 10 different airlines out here, hiring on campus this year. And most of them have been coming back every six weeks or so," he said.
Lovelace said would-be employers have become increasingly aggressive, offering signing bonuses and extending job offers contingent upon students successfully completing their aviation studies. Other carriers have offered their existing employees bonuses for referrals that result in the hiring of new pilots.
"I've been working here since 1980, and I've never before seen this level of recruiting activity," Lovelace said.
But the career path for young pilots remains rocky. Just ask Andrew Johnson, a Duluth native now flying CRJ200s, 700s and 900s for SkyWest Airlines in Chicago. During this, his first year with the company, he expects to pull down less than $20,000 in pay.
"I don't know many people who make less than I do," said Johnson, who also operates a painting business on the side. He said that many of his pilot colleagues work second jobs to make ends meet.
BURDENSOME DEBTS
The low pay is even more difficult to bear, considering the debts aspiring pilots incur to become qualified for commercial jobs.
Lovelace said it's not unusual for a pilot to invest $100,000 in training before landing an airline job. Many people enter the profession shouldering hefty debts.
In contrast, many more airline pilots used to enter the field following military flying careers. They received most of their training on Uncle Sam's dime.
Lovelace said that up until the 1980s, about 75 percent of new airline pilot hires came from the military, and the remainder came from civilian training programs. Just the opposite is true today, he said.
"The military has downsized so dramatically since the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Iron Curtain, it has really dried up as a source of pilots," Lovelace said.
Given the changing scene, he contends that young people need more of a financial incentive to pursue careers as commercial airline pilots. He pointed out that often graduates can make more flying cargo or working in the corporate aviation arena than they can working for regional airlines.
"There's no way around it; regional carriers are going to have to up their pay," Lovelace said.
"PAYING YOUR DUES"
For most pilots, working at a regional carrier remains a necessary precursor to winning a job at a major national airline.
"It's seen as paying your dues," said Johnson, who said he still aspires to one day fly larger aircraft for a major airline. First, however, Johnson acknowledges he probably will need to become a captain at SkyWest and log at least 1,000 hours in that role to make it to the big leagues.
Wade Blaufuss, a first officer flying Boeing 757s for Northwest Airlines, said the payoff for pilots who made it to the major airlines used to be more rewarding than it is now. In the past few years, Blaufuss said that he and other pilots at Northwest have seen their wages cut by about 38 percent, as the airline restructured through bankruptcy.
A beginning pilot at Northwest now earns $30,000 to $35,000, and the pay scale tops out at about $180,000 for a captain of a Boeing 747 with 30-plus years of experience, according to Blaufuss. He said the pay reflects the training, experience, responsibility and skill required to safely fly such an aircraft.
Twelve years ago, when he was starting at Northwest, Blaufuss said his career held much more appeal. Airline pilots' wages aren't the only thing that has taken a hit. Blaufuss said less stringent work rules have led to more time away from home.
"If it were me, and I was back in college today, I wouldn't choose this career again," Blaufuss said. "The daily grind of the job seems to be designed for a bachelor with no life outside of work."
Northwest Airlines has struggled to maintain its schedule with a leaner stable of pilots on the payrolls. After a spate of canceled flights and delays, the airline announced on July 24 that it planned to hire 250 to 350 more pilots within the coming year.
So far, Northwest has had no difficulty attracting job candidates. In just two weeks' time, the airline was flooded with more than 1,400 applications.
Northwest's regional airline affiliates also are hiring. Mesaba Airlines has received 1,400 applications for 695 positions it's trying to fill. Meanwhile Compass Airlines has received 1,300 applications for 360 pilot openings.
"We're pleased with the response we've received," said Roman Blahoski, a spokesman for Northwest, adding: "I think we have a good pool of candidates with lots of flying experience."
GREATER CHALLENGE
Airlines have yet to face their greatest challenge, as increasing numbers of pilots reach retirement age. The Federal Aviation Administration projects that the nation's supply of pilots with commercial licenses will drop to about 119,000 by the end of this year -- nearly 6 percent fewer aviators than five years ago.
Lovelace offered little bright news, when it comes to young people entering the profession, either. He noted that the number of students enrolled in commercial pilot programs at UND dropped by 12 percent from 2002 to 2006.
As many of the nation's largest airlines filed for bankruptcy in recent years, Lovelace said many students came to view the industry as too volatile. He said the public failed to recognize the growing opportunities for pilots flying cargo, corporate aircraft and for nontraditional carriers.
Despite tough times, the desire to fly large commercial aircraft continues to motivate many young aviators.
Ross Schumacher, 20, works as a flight instructor for Twin Ports Flying Service in Superior, building his flight hours in hopes of landing a job at a small regional carrier in the near future. His dream is to fly a large commercial jet.
Although his family has remained supportive of his career goals, Schumacher said many others have tried to convince him to change course.
"A lot of people have tried to discourage me," he said.
But Schumacher can imagine no better job than flying for a living.
"It goes back to the basics," he said. "Flying is my passion. And at the end of the day, it's important to love what you do."
PETER PASSI covers business and development. He can be reached weekdays at (218) 279-5526 or by e-mail at [email protected]
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