Demand for superior pilot skill has actually increased

Financial Times 
October 11, 2014 12:17 am


Sir, In response to Adam Twidell (Letters, October 4) on perceived changes in the pilot profession: on the subject of wages (including those in all other segments such as corporate aviation), they generally fare as well as the various income rates of other licensed wage professions, including medicine, engineering, law, architecture or accounting. These have all experienced sticky nominal wages, and decreases in real ones. The phenomenon is more related to global, open labor markets, rather than commercial effects per se.

Pilot wages do reflect airline bankruptcy demands, and union “scope clauses” relieve major airline pilots from operating regional jets, thereby inviting a two-tiered labor market; both, however, are structural distortions to a pure wage equilibrium.

Moreover, wages in general are not (if they ever have been) a path to wealth: equity is. Indeed, pilots at some successful new and restructured carriers have been handsomely rewarded from stock appreciation and profit sharing. Pilots – and unions especially – still reference wages over total income.

As for pilot status, it is still economically and socially anchored in, and referenced to, a short postwar period when airline pilots were seen as pioneers, and their wealth effects, especially in the US and UK, exaggerated by relatively very low real asset prices. Moreover, the UK and US were especially successful at glamorizing the industry – think BOAC and Pan Am – which even today subtly influences career, pay and social status expectations. As for labor disruption, those in public transportation have obvious leverage in curtailing operations, but are encouraged by labor law: strike action is sanctioned over mandatory binding arbitration.

Concerning aircraft automation, the demand for superior pilot skill has actually increased. The Air France 447 crash is an example: automated aircraft systems are not yet “intelligent” and air traffic control and navigation technology is still passive. In many professions, human judgment, reflex and task co-ordination are vital.

The opposing thumb, vision, auditory and other sensing and instinct capabilities (filtering for variations in culture, aptitude and training) are still unsurpassed in real-time reaction environments such as aviation and aerospace.

Matt Andersson, Indigo Aerospace, Chicago, IL, US

- Source:  http://www.ft.com 

Commercial pressure is changing the function of the pilot

October 3, 2014 9:57 pm 

Sir, As chief executive of PrivateFly.com and a commercial pilot, I have seen a gradual decline in the role and status of the pilot over the past 15 years. There are three main causes to the downward pressure on pilots’ remuneration: low cost airlines, flight deck automation and the large numbers of unemployed entry level pilots.

While the recent Air France pilot strikes were on the surface, about pay and benefits, I think there is an underlying cause that is more about the symbolic role of the pilot. There is a lot of emotion and pride involved in earning your wings, so this inevitably creates strong feelings when the role has to change. The strike has been called off for now but it has had a sustained and fundamental impact for the wider airline industry. Passengers will unfortunately experience more disruption in the coming years as the unions fight this inevitable crash in pay and conditions for their members.

Low-cost airlines will continue to gain market share with ever-greater fleet and route volumes, and by addressing the needs of the business traveller as well as leisure. The low cost airlines have also been able to tap into the entry point of the pilot recruitment cycle. New pilots looking for their first job have accepted the conditions offered as the only stepping stone into a pilot career.

Technology has created much more automation in the flight deck. Unfortunately for my fellow pilots, we can expect a further future impact when airlines are permitted to fly with only one airborne pilot. After all, the military are training more ground-based drone operators than fighter pilots – though I think pilotless passenger planes are still a way off.

The traditional figurehead role of the pilot in society may be changing, but is still about security and decision making when it really matters. However, the fact remains that commercial pressure in today’s aviation industry is changing the function of the pilot irrecoverably.

So are Air France pilots fighting a losing battle? Yes, sadly I believe they are.

Adam Twidell, St Albans, Herts, UK

- Source:  http://www.ft.com