Editorial Comment - New Year Musings

Asanother year begins, and CATMagazine’s editorial cycle begins anew, it’s apparent that the industry concernabout the supply of qualified personnel shows little sign of abatement. Infact, this issue remains the primary concern of the aviation training industrygenerally.

Itis encouraging that public narratives around the importance of theinternational aviation sector to both national and international economies areincreasingly noticeable, including the role of aviation in emerging economiesand global social development and harmony. This is welcomed, as is the growingrealisation that over the 100-plus year history of this industry there has simplynever been a better time to pursue an aviation career.

Inthe US, the regional airline community is where the rubber truly hits the road.As the classic entry point for new pilot employment, there has been concernabout the diminishing size of the pool of qualified candidates able to passairline new hire training. Regional carriers have responded by not onlysupplying additional training - and bearing the cost - but also to pursue andstrengthen their relationships with the source institutions such as collegiateaviation. Further, candidates have had to deal with new legislation thatrequires an airline transport rating before they can be hired as a firstofficer, adding a further financial burden, and delaying the start ofmeaningful professional employment. The challenge for many is getting from thetypical 250 hour level at graduation to the minimum of 1,000 required ifthey’ve completed a four year program (1,250 from an approved two year program,and 750 for an ex-military pilot).

CAT Magazine has long been interested inthe US regional scene and has had a regional airline stream at its annual WATSconference for almost two decades. Watching how this sector has digested changingregulatory requirements, the rapid expansion of the overall industry and changingdemographics has been eye-opening. Regionals are dealing with enormousvariation in the experience and makeup of a typical new hire class, and manyhave found that candidate paper qualifications and licences do not necessarilyreflect skills, aptitudes or employability. University admissions officers havebeen known to say the same thing about high school diplomas and the lack ofconsistency in graduates from one school to the next.

Andthere are similar perceptions in Europe. At CAT’sEuropean Airline Training Symposium (EATS) in Berlin last year, delegates heardthat some 7,000 “qualified” pilots with frozen ATPLs in Europe are considered“unemployable”. This bombshell stimulated much discussion. Comments includedthe need for a re-think of how the industry functions, with emphasis onrigorous selection before training, the development of a “professional andcareer long flight instructor concept,” and most importantly, increasedATO-airline engagement.

Regionalshave told CAT that the most commoncauses of new hire training difficulty are a lack of developed instrumentskills; dealing with the pace of training; and balancing the management ofautomation with the need to actually understand that automation. Clearly, thecosts and burden posed by a disconnect between some candidates training andskills, and those needed to be successful as a professional pilot, aredisproportionally borne by the regional airline industry.

Ofcourse, it`s both quality andquantity that is the concern. In North America, exposure to the phenomenon ofgeneral aviation (GA) has long been the manner in which interest in all thingsaviation has been stimulated. But accessing the “grass roots” of aviation hasbeen severely limited in recent years. Small municipal airports aredisappearing in droves as development overtakes them and disinterested andinept politicians allow their closure. Those that are left are often surroundedby high security fences with “restricted area” signage, and even razor wire. Andthe GA community is aging, with the number of certificated pilots continuing tofall. Sadly, the small private aircraft owner offering the youngster peeringthrough the fence his first airplane ride is all but gone. Even worse, a childtaking an airline flight on vacation with his family can no longer visit theflight deck.

Thenext time you hear about youth being “disinterested in aviation and surgicallyattached to their smart phone”, think about how you were bitten by the aviationbug and ask yourself if the circumstances still exist for it to happen the sameway today.

Safe travels, Chris Lehman, CAT Editor in Chief

Published in CAT issue 1/2018