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From: doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Shortage of professional pilots?
Message-ID: <1096@terak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 17-Mar-86 13:25:56 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.1096
Posted: Mon Mar 17 13:25:56 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 21-Mar-86 05:16:50 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Calcomp Display Products Division, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lines: 19

AOPA is calling for the FAA to use $20 million of the Airport and Airway
Trust Fund to finance a "National Pilot Training Program".  They note
that over the past 15 years there have been major declines in pilot
training: Student pilot starts: down 30%, new Commercial Pilot licenses
down 58%, and new Instrument ratings down 49%.

AOPA claims that this is alarming because "the demand for professional
pilots in the rapidly expanding airline and commercial aviation markets
will soon put constraints on the growth of the air transportation
system."

This is the first I've heard of any "pilot shortage".  I've got some
professional pilot friends who can't find flying jobs.  Well, at least
ones that pay.  What do you think, folks?  Is this shortage for real?

And should we who *are* pilots be forced to subsidize the training of
potential job-market competitors through the Trust Fund?
-- 
Doug Pardee -- CalComp -- {elrond,savax,seismo,decvax,ihnp4}!terak!doug