How The Aviation Industry And How Does It Affect The Military

The current outlook for the aviation industry and military for a healthy number of pilots is very uncertain. Boeing has estimated in the next twenty years a worldwide shortage of at least 500,000 pilots. Meanwhile, military officials are struggling to retain their pilots because commercial carriers are offering large bonuses and a more relaxed schedule. Currently, the USAF is short more than 1,500 pilots, mainly affecting fighter pilots. The U.S. Navy, Marines, and Army are also struggling to retain pilots. Many factors are to blame for this, including increased flight training costs and rising fuel costs. Since August 1st, 2013, Congress enacted legislation that requires commercial pilots with an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certification

Since commercial carriers are scrambling to keep and maintain pilots, they are offering large bonuses and flexible schedules that are very enticing to military pilots, leaving them no reason to stay. The military is offering their pilots up to $250,000 to stay but they are not taking the money. Another factor is there are many airline pilots are retiring in the next five to ten years, opening up many new jobs the airlines are filling with prior military pilots and the reason commercial carriers want military pilots to work for them is the training they don’t need. They have the time flying multi-million-dollar equipment more advanced than the airlines have. Strict military spending is grounding flying squadrons which limit the flight hours pilots need to stay current, whereas airlines offer a more flexible schedule.

Another cause for this shortage of pilots is the expense of training. For around $30,000 - $60,000 pilots can obtain a commercial license to fly for the airlines. This long strenuous training can take years to log enough hours to be proficient in flying commercially. The cost is a huge deterrence from an average civilian to jump right into, especially if they don’t have prior military flying experience. A regular flight school charges rent for the aircraft and instructor per hour, and fuel costs. This can be very costly if one doesn’t stay consistent in training which some students don’t because of the high