Sky Talk

More pilot shortage warnings

We've written a lot lately about the pilot shortage and some of the impact on pilot hiring, particularly at regional airlines. Now, the International Air Transport Association is warning that a severe global shortage is looming unless airlines and governments work together to address pilot training and qualifications.

The trade group estimated that the industry will need 17,000 new pilots annually thanks to growth and retirements. Here's what the association said in a news release:

“Increasing the retirement age to 65 will help but it can’t be the only solution.  It’s time to ring the warning bell.  We must re-think pilot training and qualification to further improve safety and increase training capacity,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA Director General and CEO.  He told the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) International Safety Forum that industry is concerned that “there are no global standards for training concepts or regulation. Pilot training has not changed in 60 years -- we are still ticking boxes with an emphasis on flight hours.”

- Trebor

Changing course on pilot retirement age

The largest pilots' union, the Air Line Pilots Association, is supporting raising the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 60 to 65. The union, which represents pilots at a host of carriers including Delta Air Lines and American Eagle, had opposed any changes to the retirement age for nearly 30 years.

It's a major development for those who want to lift the retirement age. That group includes both   Southwest Airlines and the carrier's pilots' union, the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Union.

The Allied Pilots Association, which represents pilots at American Airlines, continues to oppose letting commercial pilots fly past age 60. American executives have consistently declined to take a public position on the issue.