Delta to launch flight academy to train more pilots.

[Just a civilian pilot]

Delta to launch flight academy to train more pilots

Delta Air Lines Inc said on Tuesday it would launch a flight academy to train pilots for the airline as the industry struggles with a shortage of aviators.

www.reuters.com

 

[hrv]

I think that American is doing the same...

 

[wpod]

Being an airline pilot requires more skill training and responsibility and procedure that I could fathom.
.

 

[PWMDMD]

I'm in!

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

I never thought there ( they talked about it for years ) would ever be an actual pilot shortage and I am even more surprised to see NA airlines training their own pilots off the street.

Times have changed big time.

Here is my advice to airlines that are frustrated by current/future pilot shortages.

Pay and respect them properly and that will be an incentive to spend $100k and more for university to become a pilot for those who won’t be hired from an airline-run academy.

Many people, unless totally obsessed with wanting to be a pilot ( me ) , won’t take the risk of spending that kind of money given the historically low pay and instability.

The pay at U.S third-tier regionals was a total embarrassment until recently.

Even the pay Captain Sully Sullenberger got with a major airline back then was a joke for the level of responsibility.

Now, because of the pandemic ( lots were incentivized to retire to save costs ) and years of taking pilots for granted, they are short.

Those days are now over ( U.S ) and hopefully, it’s a permanent turning point pay and respect-wise.

Good for U.S. pilots and the industry trend.

Up north, they still take us for granted.

*** I remember the days when pilots obsessed with wanting to get a job would actually PAY ( in addition to their initial cost of getting a commercial license ) the cost of getting trained on some aircraft to compete with other pilots ( but some bad outfits made every pilot pay or sign a training bond ).

 

[frankbee3]

As someone who has paid the training bond, I am glad to see the airlines finally exhaust the seemingly endless supply of truly interested pilots. I spent years at entry level pay as a pilot. For 25 years I was always hearing about the impending pilot shortage.
The thing I always worry about is how fast the pilot market changes. I have seen so many hiring and furlough cycles and so many business boom and bust cycles.

What I see now is fairly young aviators and air traffic controllers now working in the industry having never been through a bust cycle and feeling complacent and entitled. To me, it is more more noticeable in the US air traffic controller world. I saw a lot of folks showing up to work looking like they were headed to the beach for the weekend and acting as though. I know I am painting with a broad brush, but it seems like air traffic services is more hit and miss than ever.

After having said all that, I do think it is a great time to start a flying career. Learn your craft well, listen to the experienced pilots and show up and do a great job with a good attitude. Never ever forget that things can change on a dime.

I have contemplated changes in career many times. It is hard to give up on the fantastic view from my office window though..

I work in general aviation and see everyone clamoring for the airline jobs. From the general aviation side, I hear this giant vacuum cleaner sound pulling general aviation pilots and mechanics away..

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

As someone who has paid the training bond, I am glad to see the airlines finally exhaust the seemingly endless supply of truly interested pilots. I spent years at entry level pay as a pilot. For 25 years I was always hearing about the impending pilot shortage.
The thing I always worry about is how fast the pilot market changes. I have seen so many hiring and furlough cycles and so many business boom and bust cycles.

What I see now is fairly young aviators and air traffic controllers now working in the industry having never been through a bust cycle and feeling complacent and entitled. To me, it is more more noticeable in the US air traffic controller world. I saw a lot of folks showing up to work looking like they were headed to the beach for the weekend and acting as though. I know I am painting with a broad brush, but it seems like air traffic services is more hit and miss than ever.

After having said all that, I do think it is a great time to start a flying career. Learn your craft well, listen to the experienced pilots and show up and do a great job with a good attitude. Never ever forget that things can change on a dime.

I have contemplated changes in career many times. It is hard to give up on the fantastic view from my office window though..

I work in general aviation and see everyone clamoring for the airline jobs. From the general aviation side, I hear this giant vacuum cleaner sound pulling general aviation pilots and mechanics away..

Great post, totally agree.

Aviation is like the stock market, it can change fast.

I tried getting out of aviation a few times in the past , I hear you.

Totally agree about the entitlement mentality.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2022/03/10/alaska-airlines-pilot-training-program.html

 

[spasm3]

Should they raise the maximum age from 65 to 70? Based on medical clearance of course.

What do you say @Astro14 ?

 

[Astro14]

It’s always gratifying to see United start something, and the industry follow a couple years later.

And no, I’m good with 65, I’ll be too old for all this fun by then!

 

[MRC01]

It's always seemed to me that age is just a correlating factor or proxy for various other medical issues that can compromise a pilot (skills, judgement, memory, etc.). And it's a relatively poor proxy at that; there is so much variance in physical and mental condition in different people from age 65 and up. So why bother with age limits? Pilots already get medicals and flight reviews, so make sure they test those actual factors instead of relying on a proxy like age.

In fact the system already works like this. Class 3 medicals for little bug squasher pilots like me have no age limit. Class 1 medicals for ATP rated pilots flying heavies are already more frequent and more strict. So if an ATP at 70 years old still passes his Class 1 medical and flight reviews, loves flying and wants to keep doing it, why stop him?

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

It's always seemed to me that age is just a correlating factor or proxy for various other medical issues that can compromise a pilot (skills, judgement, memory, etc.). And it's a relatively poor proxy at that; there is so much variance in physical and mental condition in different people from age 65 and up. So why bother with age limits? Pilots already get medicals and flight reviews, so make sure they test those actual factors instead of relying on a proxy like age.

In fact the system already works like this. Class 3 medicals for little bug squasher pilots like me have no age limit. Class 1 medicals for ATP rated pilots flying heavies are already more frequent and more strict. So if an ATP at 70 years old still passes his Class 1 medical and flight reviews, loves flying and wants to keep doing it, why stop him?

Totally agree but I will have had enough by age 65 ( 58 now ) despite loving my job.

Anything you do that challenges you, makes you stay sharp, is good for your cognitive health. It’s a privilege to be healthy enough to fly as you get older plus maintain the skill.

No mandatory retirement for brain surgeons up here last I remember ( and no annual testing required ) so flying past 65 isn’t as big a deal as some think ( yes, that motor skills thing we do ).

Last thing. Some pilots cannot let flying go, it’s their identity ( same with other careers ) and they find it hard when they do their last flight.

I do not miss work when off but I like going to work.

My wife likes it when I go to work

Just checked, I was right….

College and hospital policies​

There are no national guidelines in Canada around continued competency for older physicians to practise safely and effectively, nor is there a mandatory retirement age for doctors. Some Colleges monitor and assess physicians beyond a specified age through formal assessments and quality assurance programs. For example, in Ontario physicians are required to undergo a peer and practice assessment when they reach age 70 and then every five years thereafter.11 The Collège des médecins du Québec evaluates physicians 60 years of age and over through a questionnaire designed to assess certain risk factors.12

Physicians should be familiar with the applicable requirements in their jurisdiction. As well, some hospitals have specific guidelines requiring older physicians undergo screening to evaluate their clinical competency, as a condition to renew their privileges, and as a way to retain particular expertise.

​

 

[Joe1]

It’s always gratifying to see United start something, and the industry follow a couple years later.

And no, I’m good with 65, I’ll be too old for all this fun by then!

This is unrelated to the thread topic, but as you are a United pilot, l was curious if you have any insights as to why United never offered non-stop service from EWR to ICN (Seoul) .
I read that a new Korean startup carrier will begin 4x weekly non-stop service on this route starting in May.
With United being the dominant carrier at EWR, l thought that they would be the logical choice to be the first to offer this service.

 

[Astro14]

This is unrelated to the thread topic, but as you are a United pilot, l was curious if you have any insights as to why United never offered non-stop service from EWR to ICN (Seoul) .
I read that a new Korean startup carrier will begin 4x weekly non-stop service on this route starting in May.
With United being the dominant carrier at EWR, l thought that they would be the logical choice to be the first to offer this service.

Network planning is a fascinating thing - and our guys are quite good at it. I’m not privy to the decisions, but the decisions have all been good ones.

Part of the problem with Newark is the limited number of aircraft movements - the place is packed. The other part of the problem is the Port Authority- who will keep letting it get over scheduled.

The answer to your question likely has to do with both. We fly to ICN from SFO. We can get our passengers there quite efficiently.

To serve ICN from EWR - we would have to give something up. What would that look like? LHR? DEL? MUC?

We serve something like 40 international destinations directly from EWR. If ICN offered greater revenue yield than one of those, we might do it, but the fact is, everything we fly to Europe from EWR is already close to full and doing well for us.

If this start up is able to show significant potential revenue from a direct EWR ICN, we’ve got the fleet to do it, and we would be interested, but for right now, we’re limited on slots, planes, and crews, so we put them where they make the most revenue.