Flight School Capacity in the U.S. - Turbulence Ahead?

Abstract

Verbatim from Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons. Not paraphrased, not summarized.

For over a generation, U.S. air carriers have relied almost exclusively on external third parties for basic “ab initio” pilot training. As demand for pilots increases, as the supply of available pilots continues to dwindle, and as the U.S. military attempts to limit attrition of trained military pilots, civilian flight training infrastructure is facing extreme pressure and may not have the ability to produce either the volume or quality of pilots required by U.S. air carriers. It is increasingly important that we understand the capacity, quality, durability, and limitations of basic “ab initio” flight training here in the United States. To address these concerns, Flightpath Economics, in partnership with the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) and several U.S. air carriers, is conducting a comprehensive survey of flight school training capability in the United States. The summary findings of this original research will be presented during the pilot supply summit portion of NTAS 2017.

Author

• Barton, Matt Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Keywords

• flight training
• pilot supply
• aviation economics
• Business Intelligence