AIRLINE PILOTS GROWING WORLD SHORTAGE OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED MEN

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 12

AIRLINE PILOTS GROWING WORLD SHORTAGE OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED MEN

(By

MICHAEL DONNE.

air corresponden of the “Financial Times )

(Reprinted from the ••Financial Times" b» arrancernenO

One current aspect of the world air transport scene, highlighted by the British European Airways’ pilots’ present expression of discontent with their management, is the growing world shortage of these h g qualified and expensive men. No matter how much the scientists may promise the era of automatic take-off and landing, and no matter how mu ,h en-route flying may be done by “auto-pilot, the human pilot still is, and will be for many years ahead, the most important element on the flight deck of any aeroplane. From a position of pilot surplus of little more than three years ago. there is now a serious shortage—it is estimated that throiig-hQutth 6 world around 3000 more pilots are needed now, and this situation is likely to get worse, rather than better.

The reasons are not difficult to find. The first is the big expansion in air transport in the last few years throughout the world, with the introduction of hundreds of new aircraft, mainly jets, to cope with the rising volume of traffic. There is hardly an airline that has not substantially increased its passenger and freight carryings in recent years, Involving not only the greater use of bigger and faster aircraft, but also increased frequencies of service. This situation will continue: it is estimated that world air passenger traffic alone Is likely to double at the very least between now and 1975, requiring still more aircraft, increased frequencies, and hence more flight crews, particularly pilots. Reasons For Shortage At the same time as demand expands, the retirement rate increases, as many pilots who entered civil air transport from air forces just after the war, 20 years ago, reach the age limit (which for a pilot is often in the middle fifties rather than the customary sixties). This trend, too, is bound to continue, and it is expected that by the early 1970 s most of this ex-service entry serving with British airlines will have left the “front office,” as the flight deck is often called. Recruitment from military sources in recent years has also tended to decline, as air forces have themselves either shrunk, or improved their career structures, so that airlines no longer can look to these as major sources of supply. Another factor in the problem is that in the bad years from the early 1950 s to the early 19605, when the Western world had a surplus of pilots, many experienced men left the industry to get what were then considered better jobs elsewhere. Also, it takes a long time (and several thousands of pounds) to train a pilot to the required standards of competence to handle today’s big, complex jet airliners. A young man may be taught to fly—that is, to go “solo” on a light aircraft—in a few hours, but it will take years to bring him to the standard of skill and experience required to command a big jet under all kinds of weather conditions and in all possible situations. (Even when 8.0.A.C. [British Overseas Airways Corporation] and B.E.A. get their “young entry,” they still have to spend around £l.7m each a year on technical and "pre-operational” training, although these figures include aircraft flying costs.) Salaries Attractive It is this last “experience” factor which effectively prevents a rapid solution to the problem. Although the salaries available to a qualified pilot are attractive (a 8.0.A.C. Senior Captain First Class on Boeing 707 s or VC10s can earn up to £5650 a year now, or £5BBO from next October) it still takes a long time to get to the top. A second officer on 707 s or VC10s now gets £l4BO, rising to £1920 but from October 1

this scale will be upgraded under a 8.0.A.C. agreement with the British Air Line Pilots’ Association and will be between £1540 and £2OOO a year. Between these two extremes, the rates of pay can vary widely up the ladder of promotion according to the airline and the type of aircraft on which the individual officer is qualified. But while these salaries may seem generous to those employed in some other industries or professions, they are not considered good by many pilots in comparison with the rates offered by some foreign airlines, notably those in the United States. Pan American, for example, can offer up to around £12,000 a year, which even taking into account the higher American cost of living is still good for a Senior Captain who is probably doing much the same job—for example, commanding a Boeing 707 across the North Atlantic between London and New York—as his British counterpart. Attracted To The U.S. It is this kind of salary that has led to a number of British pilots quitting to work for United States airlines (although fewer than might be supposed). Air transport in America is expanding much faster than anywhere else in the world, and some individual airlines there are carrying 10-12 million passengers a year each, compared with B.E.A.’s 6-7 million. They are accordingly re-equipping at a phenomenal rate with big jets (United Airlines recently placed an order for 40 737 short-haul jets alone, bringing its jet-planned fleet to 194 aircraft; Trans World has a jet fleet on order or delivered of 128 aircraft, American a fleet of 162 and Pan American one of 136). Fleets like these require pilots in large numbers. Some recent figures for pilots sought by United States carriers include 1600 for United, 1000 for American, and 700 for Trans World. In Britain the long-term possibilities of a pilot shortage were first recognised some years ago—in the mid 1950 s—by British Airline Pilots’- Association and the Air League, but it is only in recent years that firm steps have been taken to meet the situation. It is now estimated that 8.0.A.C. and B.E.A. together will need a minimum of around 200 new young pilots a year. This demand is currently being partly met by the

College of Air Training at Hamble. This school, set up by the two Corporations, is producing about 90 young pilots a year, a figure that is planned to rise to 150 a year by 1968. In order to further raise the number of young pilots coming forward. the Corporations have jointly contracted to C.S.E. Aviation at Oxford the task of training another 60 a year, so that well before the end of this decade the Corporations should be able to expect not less than 200 pilots a year from these two sources together. The cost of training a boy to fly at Hamble is approaching £6OOO, part of which the boy himself repays out of his salary when he starts earning. If he leaves Hamble at the age of say 21, he can expect to earn around £l3OO In his first year as a second officer with either B.E.A or 8.0.A.C. rising thereafter until at around 25-26 he can become ■ first officer, earning up to £3OOO a year. Promotion Prospects The promotion prospects in both Corporations are considered good (by their managements, at least) since both of them are expecting big gains in traffic and are due to re-equip with an increasing number of new modern jets in the next few years. Another major British commercial airline pilot training establishment is that run by Airwork Services (Training) at Perth, Scotland, with up to 100 pilots in training at any one time. But although the pay may seem good, the pilot’s life is not an easy one. The responsibility is great, the physical and mental strains can be immense, flight-deck conditions on even some of the most modern jetliners are far from comfortable, and the pilot is constantly at the mercy of his annual checks —the six-monthly medicals (which are stringent) and many checks on his proficiency.

And he has to think about an enforced earlier retirement than most men. The British Air Line Pilots’ Association itself would like to see a new long-term study of British air transport growth on which could be based an estimate of pilot needs for many years ahead. This would help to establish a firmer long-term career structure for the profession, as well as help to improve current arrangements for training the pilots of the future.