tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429311486394377221.post2874179541488679686..comments2024-01-25T19:59:19.744-05:00Comments on COPA Flight 8 Ottawa: Aviation's "elephant in the room"Michael Shawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17881160865679740901noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429311486394377221.post-55380433324613964632011-08-11T07:34:57.498-04:002011-08-11T07:34:57.498-04:00There is some more recent news on this subject in ...There is some more recent news on this subject in <a href="http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/airline_pilot_pay_negotiation_union_205211-1.html" rel="nofollow">Airline Pilots Fight For Pay by Glenn Pew</a>. It seems that US Airways is suing its pilots for not flying, while the union says the aircraft are unsafe.Adam Hunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02524937335927976607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429311486394377221.post-77235223958634626242011-04-06T11:09:38.763-04:002011-04-06T11:09:38.763-04:00I was part of the 1970s, as a line man, dispatcher...I was part of the 1970s, as a line man, dispatcher, flight Instructor, pay was low, work was hard, many promises and much hype. But I was vigilant and always had a backup career connected to aviation. Life’s pendulum swings from good to bad and back, so does the pendulum of salaries. Obviously discussion of the situation is important and will very gradually move that pendulum to sway the other way.<br /> 40+ years later, I must say my experiences as a pilot has always helped my employment. Aerospace is an amazing career! Not rich but having a lot of fun! My recommendation to younger generation is very similar to flying have a plan B, C, D... Find out which way the pendulum is swinging, but never ever give up flying!Patricknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429311486394377221.post-74693924997764676022011-04-03T11:50:37.434-04:002011-04-03T11:50:37.434-04:00That is funny because the average air traffic cont...That is funny because the average air traffic controller in Canada today makes 2.5 times what the average airline pilot makes!<br /><br />Having met with a number of the key players in the UAV industry in Canada I can tell you that their plans very much include airliners with no aircrew on board. Because they fly fixed routes it is much easier to do than UAV air combat is and we already have that! Now, will paying passengers get on a non-crewed airliner? I wouldn't, but then lots of people said they would never ride Vancouver's unmanned SkyTrain for the just the same reason, but it carries millions of people each month and there are very few who refuse to ride it.<br /><br />Everyone keeps saying that the F-35 will be the last manned fighter, at least in the west. The last manned airliner is closer than you think.Adam Hunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02524937335927976607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429311486394377221.post-60841934739618874102011-04-03T11:39:26.015-04:002011-04-03T11:39:26.015-04:00Here are some more thoughts...
I guess there is l...Here are some more thoughts...<br /><br />I guess there is little, at least in the short run, that an individual can do to change the economics of the aviation industry. Are pilots going the way of the production line workers, that is, being replaced by machines and computers? We seem to be half way there now. Current planes seem pretty adept at navigation and landing without much human intervention.<br /><br />With pilot's real wages falling one might think there is less incentive for the airlines and industry to develop the machines and computers to fly airplanes, but glass cockpits and automation seem to play an ever increasing role in today's airliners. What's next, Machines and computers already fly airplanes with remote human pilots, but will joe traveller want to be a passenger on an airliner without a human pilot on board? Current passengers don't appear willing to pay for that luxury, I for one often choose the least cost flight.<br /><br />It won't be long before pilots will learn how to fly without real airplanes.<br /><br />It is interesting that the air traffic controllers used to complain that they had to handle more than one plane full of paying passengers at a time, and therefor they should get the big bucks paid to the pilots. Do they still argue that?<br /><br />Remember we used to have elevator operators, but they were replaced with buttons. Look out pilots!<br /> <br /><br />Idle thinking, Michael ShawMichael Shawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17881160865679740901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429311486394377221.post-51250154642921128802011-04-03T11:37:24.945-04:002011-04-03T11:37:24.945-04:00David: It is curious that you bring that up, becau...David: It is curious that you bring that up, because the same <a href="http://www.avweb.com/news/snf/SunNFun2011_TownMeetingIssues_AvgasPilotDecline_204404-1.html" rel="nofollow">AvWeb article</a> reported: "Matt Zuccaro, president of Helicopter Association Intl., said the key to reaching the next generation is to find heroes they can look up to in the fields of science and technology, the way they look up to athletes and rock stars. He also suggested that GA needs to make better use of social media to reach young people."<br /><br />But to my mind that doesn't address the issue and will just make what you term "glamour effect" worse and hence flood the market with more unemployed pilots, driving wages down to "free."Adam Hunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02524937335927976607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429311486394377221.post-10174919235334834352011-04-03T11:18:12.558-04:002011-04-03T11:18:12.558-04:00I call this the "glamour effect." Any pr...I call this the "glamour effect." Any profession that seems exciting or glamorous - anything you'd choose for the lead character in a romcom - attracts too many people, forcing average pay down (even if there's a token small percentage of high-profile winners): think novel writing, professional sports, law, acting, advertising, etc. The market can't fully correct for that, because it's a social issue.davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15194758376900990105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429311486394377221.post-26778786036425964912011-04-03T10:29:14.305-04:002011-04-03T10:29:14.305-04:00As a former flight instructor I can attest to this...As a former flight instructor I can attest to this miserable state of affairs. It's easy to blame flight schools for gouging students and feeding them enough lies to keep the money flowing out of student pockets. It's easy to blame regulators for requiring more and more hours in order to qualify for a license. However, that doesn't change the fact that the wages of professional pilots do not match the much-hyped marketing that goes into this whole mess.<br />So, where does the blame belong? Everywhere I've mentioned but also with the starry-eyed students who have been fed a steady diet of movie and video game tripe. Think very <i><b>very</b></i> critically before undertaking any type of venture like this one. Ask yourself what you're trying to prove (yes you are trying to prove something) and then take a cold sober look at the whole situation. You may not like what you see but you'll at least not be in debt up to your eyeballs!Ruth personhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03876220888758034975noreply@blogger.com