Expert: D. Norkus - 11/12/2010

Question
Hi,
I am a 57 yr old hs teacher(two masters) with a Commercial Multi Eng
Instrument. license with about 750 flt  hours that will be retiring from teaching
this year(2010-2011). I am starting my CFI training. What are the chances of
getting a fulltime flying job (either charter or regional) other than CFI.  

Answer
Tony

In the next few years, the industry will experience unprecedented pilot retirement coupled with lots of projected expansion. Although there are still thousands of pilots on furlough, they will be recalled and more will be hired. The new Age 65 Retirement Rule will start to create a need for pilots beginning in 2013. Most majors are facing retirements of 100-200 per years starting in 2013 and some as many as 400 per year after that. There will be lots of opportunities created for regional pilots to move on, so they chances are good you could find an opportunity to fill one of those slots and fly 5-7 years before mandatory retirement. Read this article of interest on the topic:

Future airline pilot hiring - a Q&A with Louis Smith
http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/resources/job_search_resources/future_airline...

The factor that will affect you is the new rule requiring airline pilots to be hired with 1,500 flight hours starting in August 2013 because you have half that time. There are concerns about how relevant this requirement really is because this measure was passed as backlash from the Colgan 3407 crash (both pilots had more than 1500 and were very fatigued, yet the gov't is now considering making a duty day even longer). The general public assumes that more hours means more 'experience' but is an extra 500 hours flying banners or teaching students in a Cessna really going to make a better airline pilot? Not really. What will make the difference is mandating specific and standardized training for future airline pilots- not mandating flight hours. This is how airlines in Europe do it, via a "Frozen Airline Transport Pilot" certificate. They get the "frozen ATP" with a much lower number of flight hours while taking the theory & training required, then when they get 1500TT the frozen restriction is removed. There is already some talk about relaxing the 1500 hours with specific training as the airlines are gearing up for the next wave of hiring. A qualified 'pilot shortage' would have an impact on growth and the ability to cover attrition. Here is an article from a few weeks ago-

Airlines oppose law increasing pilot flight hours
http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/2010-10-14-airline-pilot-flight-hours_N.htm

Good article on the topic-
http://flightsafety.org/aerosafety-world-magazine/september-2010/counting-the-ho...

As a career changer, I suggest a visit to the forums at these links as there are folder there just for people like you:

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com
http://forums.flightinfo.com

Both of those have numerous posting with retirement figures if you are interested as well.

Good Luck
Dottie