Flight Training - March 2019 - 46

ADVANCED PILOT CAREER PILOT

HAVE YOU
DOWNLOADED THE

AOPA APP?

BEYOND THE AIRLINES
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND IN BUSINESS AVIATION
BY WAYNE PHILLIPS

IT IS LITTLE SURPRISE THAT MANY

The perfect pilot
companion for aviation
enthusiasts on the go!
Stay up to date on the
latest aviation news, watch
videos, listen to podcasts,
and search events right
from your mobile device.
The AOPA App is available free
for download in the iTunes and
Google Play stores.

future flight professionals toiling away
toward FAA certificates and ratings at
the nation's aviation colleges, universities, and academies are laser-focused
on grabbing those first crewmember
positions at Endeavor, SkyWest, Envoy,
and the rest in the regional airline family. The lure of an airline uniform and
a paycheck earned by doing something
as keen as viewing the landscape from
35,000 feet is hard to escape. Then, with
time, the big money lies down the road
when strapping on a Boeing 787 or an
Airbus A380 for a major carrier. It is
the rare student who says, "I am aiming
for the flight deck of a Gulfstream 550
operated by a Fortune 500 company, or
maybe a flight officer's slot for a premier
Part 135 operator such as Michigan's
Pentastar Aviation, or even a Part 91-K
fractional such as NetJets." Well, guess
what? The pilot shortage extends far
beyond the airline industry. Business
aviation and the air taxi business need
flying talent, too.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is pointing to the airlines
as contributors to the pilot shortfall in
the business aviation world: "Business
aviation is finding it increasingly difficult to attract and retain talent, in part
because the airlines are offering what
is perceived to be a better deal, but also
in part because of an overall decline in
the number of people choosing aviation
careers."
46  FLIGHT TRAINING MARCH 2019

Bob Seidel is the CEO of air charter
company Alerion Aviation. He told Forbes
magazine that private aviation is also at
risk for a lack of pilots: "We both draw
from the same sources. And over the next
20 years, commercial passengers are
going to double. Private travel is growing
probably at a faster rate than commercial
travel is growing. Compounding this issue
is that airlines have been forced to seek
people with higher levels of experience."
The pilot shortage is felt heavily at the
regional airline level and among business
jet operators. Pilots are dispersing from
the ranks of business jets to pursue more
lucrative aviation jobs that include a more
predictable schedule, signing bonuses,
and long-term stability. In a recent Boeing forecast, the combined demand in
business aviation and helicopter sectors
amounted to at least 155,000 pilots and
132,000 maintenance technicians over
the next 20 years.
The result may be beneficial to anyone chasing a corporate or air taxi flying
career. Business jet owners and operators
will continue to feel pressure to increase
benefits, pay, and quality of life.
As an example, GrandView Aviation,
a Maryland-based charter operator, is
offering a signing bonus of $5,000 to
$10,000 to be paid upon completion of
training, depending on pilot experience.
Flexjet recently announced a significant increase for its "Red Label"
pilots who fly for the company's premier
charter operation. A fifth-year Challenger
Flight Training - March 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - March 2019
