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What are some colleges/schools for future pilots?

Future for pilots?

  • I have always wanted to be a pilot, and I have decided to take the first steps to getting my PPL. But I am also seriously considering flying as my career choice. More specifically, my goal is to some day become an airline pilot. I realize that there are several obstacles, including paying for flight instruction, building time, etc, that I will need to overcome to reach that goal. Those are things that I can work on myself. However, I cannot control the future of the business itself. With things the way they are now, airline mergers, fuel prices, unsatisfied customer, etc, will there still be a demand for pilots in the near future? I know this is a very difficult thing to try to predict, but I was just wondering what your opinions on the matter are. Thanks.

  • Answer:

    In the near future, demand for commercial airline pilots is likely to remain low. As you noted, the high cost of operating is leading to a few major causes of pilots being laid off or released. First, through mergers, airlines can eliminate overlapping routes, leading to fewer flights. 2nd, the stand alone airlines are canceling low margin flights in order to save money. American alone canceled around 76 regular flights in the past week or so. Also, airlines are deferring purchases of new planes as airlines and routes are consolidating. As a result, there are more certified pilots chasing fewer and fewer jobs. The bright spot is that airline travel will remain the most efficient way for people, especially business people, to get form point A to point B. The increasingly global economy virtually assures future growth. In the meantime, you will likely see niche players stepping up to fill some of the shorter routes abandoned by the big boys, and there are also opportunities with the cargo carriers. So, somewhere down the line, if flying is what you choose to do, I think you will be able to secure a good job. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

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This mini crisis we are going through right now may see many airlines going insolvent. However there are still the major airlines which are likely to survive with their huge cash reserves. These airlines include BA, KLM, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Singapore, Cathay Pacific, etc. The American market seem saturated anyway but there is still a HUGE demand for flight in Asia-Pacific region. At the end of the day, people still need air travel since there is no other alternative in the long-haul. Short haul wise, high speed rail is the only other contender but i see no advances as of yet, especially in the USA. In Europe however, high speed rail is being looked at more seriously. In terms of having a career, it's impossible for me to give a definite answer. If the aircraft manufacturers are still getting orders and designing new aircraft, i see someone has to fill in the 2 front seats!

tom888uk

ive also been wondering about that but even so, if there is to be many cut backs on the amount of flights and pilots etc..., the pilot s who are still flying today will not be around for ever so by the time they are about ready to retire youre gonna be ready to take there place.

Matt M

You can ask the same question about any career choice. If you want to fly, get your instructor ratings and see if you actually like it. By then you will know more about the career choice. Also, be sure to get a degree in something useful, just in case you don't get a flying job for awhile. Good luck.

Kissthepilot

there will always be a need for pilots.. the US is atleast 50 years away from a decent high speed rail system and a bus system just wont cut it for vacationers or business travelers.. with costs going up, there will be less of a need, but none the less, a need for pilots..

Kevin H

there is demand, but with auto pilot, pay is significantly less than some would assume.

Justagirl

slim do to oil prices alot of airlines will start filing bankruptcy

bosshawg

As always - very bright. Continue with your plans and you will succeed.

Avrilfan

near term demand for pilots will be low. in the long run who knows. couple things are certain though. fuel prices will not come down much if at all and then only cyclical with an upward trend. several large airlines will either cease to operate or will dramatically downsize. ticket prices will rise. pilot salaries will decrease steadily for quite a while. future for pilots? eh, ok i guess. glad i'm retired though.

John B

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