Pilot-Supply Sustainability—Standards, Outreach, and Mentoring

Abstract

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

Flight training organizations in North America are experiencing strong student interest in flight training and a career as a professional pilot. In addition, airlines have introduced successful recruitment and retention programs. Experience has shown that most staffing challenges are successfully resolved by improving the work/life balance, pay, and career-progression offerings. In addition to strategies used to address pilot-supply, the entire pathway from student pilot to line-pilot should be viewed as an ecosystem. This ecosystem must maintain the resiliency and capacity to train and certify future generations of pilots and adapt to market needs and swings. Industry must be cognizant of changes that may upset the equilibrium that exists today. Environmental factors, such as airspace, aircraft, mechanics, regulations, potential candidate pool, and others all play a role in helping the ecosystem of pilot production. The United States first officer qualification (FOQ) standards provide an effective structure within this ecosystem by maintaining a continuous stream of flight instructors to train the next generation of pilots. A review of the ecosystem will show how the market has responded, data on ATP/R-ATP issuance rates, and the stabilizing effect that the FOQ has had. In addition, the importance of professional, practical, and academic development of pilots as they begin and progress in their careers, allowing us to remain the most robust and resilient system in the world will also be discussed.

Author

• Ryder, Paul Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Keywords

• supply
• outreach
• instructor
• Operations and Supply Chain Management