Expert: D. Norkus - 7/26/2006

Question
I have always be interested in becoming a pilot.  I was just wondering what kind of demand there was for pilots in the industry, and what you predict for the industry.  Is it hard to find a job right out of pilot school?  Will there be an increase in job openings or a decrease?
Thanks

Answer
Shawn-

1)"I have always be interested in becoming a pilot.  I was just wondering what kind of demand there was for pilots in the industry, and what you predict for the industry."

The only thing that can be predicted with any certainty is that the airline industry is very unpredictable! This industry has some major ebbs and flows. However, even in lean times you will see ads in magazines touting a "pilot shortage". Make no mistake, there really isn't any such thing but rather an occasional shortage of well qualified pilots. That tagline is just used by flight schools to drum up business.  

As far as a pilot career, many dream of becoming a pilot but have no actual idea of what the job entails on a day to day basis and what must be sacrificed to get there. It very rarely looks like what you see in TV. I suggest checking out this site for some basic info-

http://www.jetcareers.com

2)"Will there be an increase in job openings or a decrease?"

It varies by the year depending on the economy, which affects the price of fuel and the publics appetite for air transport (people don't fly when it gets expensive). In this present climate of $80 per barrel oil and airline bankruptcies, the hiring has slowed to a crawl and the major carriers still have thousands of pilot laid off after 9/11 that have not been called back to the job yet. Before the hiring can begin again, all of these "furloughed" pilots must be recalled. In order for that to happen, the airlines need to expand their flying or fleet size. Right now, that isn't happening at most airlines.

3)"Is it hard to find a job right out of pilot school?"

That depends on what kind of job you are talking about. Right out of flight school with a new commercial license the jobs most pilots qualify for are those like banner towing, slying skydivers or flight instruction. If you mean an airline job, a new pilot fresh out of flight school doesn't meet the experience requirements to even apply. The regional airlines usually require 1,000 hours of flight time to be considered. That said, there are some schools/academies that have airline affiliations that get their graduates a preferred interview at reduced experience. The minimum cost for such a program runs from $38,000 to over $60,000 depending on where you go. That also only guarantees an interview, not a job.

You might also check out my flight training & careers site for more info-
http://www.geocities.com/av8trxx99/FAQ.html

Hope this helps
Dottie