fbpx
DB Schenker - Now That's Logistics
  • English
  • Insights
  • Shipping & Logistics
  • Digitalization
  • Trade
  • Industries
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Automotive
    • Beverages
    • Chemical
    • Consumer
    • Electronics
    • Fashion & Retail
    • Healthcare & Pharma
    • Industrial
    • Marine Parts
    • Oil & Gas
    • Semi Conductor & Solar
No Result
View All Result
  • Insights
  • Shipping & Logistics
  • Digitalization
  • Trade
  • Industries
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Automotive
    • Beverages
    • Chemical
    • Consumer
    • Electronics
    • Fashion & Retail
    • Healthcare & Pharma
    • Industrial
    • Marine Parts
    • Oil & Gas
    • Semi Conductor & Solar
No Result
View All Result
DB Schenker - Now That's Logistics
No Result
View All Result
Home Shipping & Logistics Air Freight

Pilot Shortage Turns to Crisis among Small Cargo Carriers

May 19, 2015
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

plane2

Members of the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) have felt the effects of the shortage of pilots even more acutely than their counterparts within the wider regional airline sector, as qualified applicants for cockpit vacancies among Part 135 and the smallest Part 121 carriers continue to dwindle in response to new regulatory requirements and other forces.

“We have a serious crisis going on in our industry,” said RACCA chairman and Empire Airlines CEO Tim Komberec during the group’s spring conference held recently in Phoenix. “There’s much debate about the pilot shortage in the United States and in the world, but there is absolutely no doubt that at our level where we perform, where we recruit pilots from and where we are on the food chain, we have an extremely serious problem and it has taken on crisis proportions. And the thing that is so worrisome is it’s going to affect all of us, not only the operators, not only our customers, but our members. We need to see if we can collectively find ways to find some solutions to help what’s going on.”

One of those solutions must center on encouraging more young people to join the profession, stressed Dr. Mark Taylor, one of the featured speakers at the conference. Taylor explained the key differences between baby boomer audience members and members of the young “generation next,” who populate the future pilot pipeline. “Boomers are retiring,” he said. “Next is all that is left. We’re leaving great jobs and we’re begging you to take our jobs. If you will learn to work with the ‘nexters,’ you will own the world.”

Taylor’s presentation underscored an issue that some RACCA members mentioned to AIN, that current new-hire pilots require far more training before they can begin flying.

Cargo-carrier Ameriflight has found that many new-hire pilots require additional training, often another week’s worth. “The quality of pilot candidates has degraded to where we have to completely change our training program,” said Ameriflight president Andrew Lotter. “We have to do remedial training. Situational awareness and IFR proficiency is where they’re deficient.”

Ameriflight operates 220 airplanes, including 50 Caravans from the purchase of Wiggins Airways last year. “The shortage hit us in August 2013,” he said. Back then, the company used to lose about five pilots a month, but the number suddenly jumped to 13 to 15 and stayed there. “We couldn’t catch up,” he said.

To stem the flow, Ameriflight raised its pay rates by about 20 percent last November, and another increase took effect recently. A senior Embraer EMB-120 captain now makes $89,000 per year, and a Piper Chieftain pilot $43,000 (up from $28,000).

Ameriflight has petitioned the FAA for an exemption to FAR 135.243c, which requires pilots flying IFR to have logged at least 1,200 hours of flight time. The exemption sought a reduction to 1,000 hours, but the industry has seen little movement for more than two years at the FAA other than a recent request for more information.

RACCA members appeared universally dismayed at the new ATP-Certification Training Program (CTP), a result of Public Law 111-216 enacted under pressure from families of victims of the Colgan Air 3407 accident. Under the new FAA regulations that resulted from that law, ATP applicants now require substantially more training, including 10 hours of simulator training, six of which must occur in a level-C full-flight simulator. Not only did the law raise the cost of obtaining the ATP, but new requirements for ATP instructors mandate that they have at least two years of air carrier experience. The new standards make it harder for operators to find pilots with ATPs and also represent a significant obstacle for pilots trying to build time to reach the minimum 1,500 hours to quality for the license.

John Duncan, director of the FAA’s Flight Standards Service, attended the entire RACCA conference and tried to assuage some of the members’ concerns. He assured members that the FAA is working on rulemaking that would allow time-building pilots to log legitimate flight time in the right seat of a twin-engine airplane that normally needs a single pilot. “The process takes some time,” he said. “We are pushing that to the top.” As for the Ameriflight exemption to lower the number of hours required to fly as pilot-in-command under IFR, he added, “we’re working that as well. We understand the urgency.” Flooded with unmanned aircraft exemption requests, the FAA has become overwhelmed, he indicated. “Our resources are strained,” said Duncan.

Source: ainonline.com
Next Post

DB Schenker pushes logistics to a higher efficiency level controlling it from web issue to customer location

RECOMMENDED

Top 15 Ports in The Americas

Top 15 Ports in The Americas

March 16, 2018
Top 15 Ports in the Americas 2019

Top 15 Ports in the Americas 2019

June 24, 2019

Thought Leadership Updates with Brian Petrie

May 16, 2023
Global Trade Trends for 2023

Global Trade Trends for 2023

January 26, 2023

TRENDING

Thought Leadership Updates with David Buss

Thought Leadership Updates with David Buss

May 30, 2023
3 Things You Need to Know about Importing Chocolate

Three Things You Need to Know about Importing Chocolate

February 2, 2017
5 Tips for Navigating Global Port Congestion and the Ocean Container Shortage

5 Tips for Navigating Global Port Congestion and the Ocean Container Shortage

July 27, 2021
The Port of Vancouver — What Drives Canada’s Busiest Gateway

The Port of Vancouver — What Drives Canada’s Busiest Gateway

December 13, 2018
Screening Changes Coming for Certain Shippers

Screening Changes Coming for Certain Shippers

May 3, 2023
DB Schenker

DB Schenker is the world's leading global logistics provider, delivering over 150 years of premium performance and transportation solutions. One call gets our customers on the fast track to nearly 2,000 locations in all of the world's most important economic regions.

Contact Us

United States
+1 (800) 225-5229 (in USA)
+1 (602) 458-6200 (outside USA)
www.dbschenker.com/usa
Canada
+1 905 676 0676
www.dbschenker.com/ca

Categories

Visit Us

• DB Schenker Americas
• DB Schenker Canada
• DB Schenker Careers
• DB Schenker USA
• Trade Advisory Solutions

Follow Us

• LinkedIn
• Twitter USA
• Twitter Canada
• Facebook

© 2022 Schenker Americas, Inc. | Privacy Policy

No Result
View All Result
  • Insights
  • Shipping & Logistics
  • Digitalization
  • Trade
  • Industries
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Automotive
    • Beverages
    • Chemical
    • Consumer
    • Electronics
    • Fashion & Retail
    • Healthcare & Pharma
    • Industrial
    • Marine Parts
    • Oil & Gas
    • Semi Conductor & Solar
  • pt-br Português
  • fr Français
  • es Español
  • en English

© 2022 Schenker Americas, Inc. | Privacy Policy

We use cookies in order to optimize our website and continually improve it. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can find further information on cookies in our privacy policy. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT