It’s been just over two years since Congress increased the qualifications for first officer flight experience in reaction to a deadly plane crash in 2009.
The change caused a chain reaction seen in delays and pilot shortages at Great Lakes Airlines, which services North Platte’s Lee Bird Field. Essentially, it made it so that many of GLA’s first officers — co-pilots — could only fly in nine-seat craft instead of GLA’s 19-seat Beechcraft planes or 30-seat Embrauer Brasilias.
“We want to bring that up to 19 [seats],” said Scott Lewis, GLA’s director of safety.
Lewis and Joe Linnebur, director of operations, filed a petition to the Federal Aviation Administration to allow GLA an exemption to operate their 19-seat Beechcraft planes with first officers that would otherwise be restricted to nine-seat aircraft. Many of their pilots qualified to fly larger craft are leaving for careers with larger companies, but that’s always been the case at GLA, Lewis said.
For pilots, moving up through careers means extensive time in the air, as well as specialized training, simulator training and check rides. Prior to 2013, when the new qualifications were enacted, pilots could gain flight hours as first officers at airlines such as GLA.
“We are reknowned throughout the industry for training young pilots,” Lewis said.
On average, Lewis said pilots at GLA stay with the company for only four years before advancing to larger craft and airlines.
After starting the petition in October, Lewis said they’ve received many positive responses from residents and businesses in smaller communities served by GLA. As of Nov. 24, 83 comments had been received on regulations.gov, a site that allows the public to comment on federal rules and regulations.
Lewis said GLA is “kind of unique” in serving rural communities. There used to be more small airlines, but not many are left across the United States.
Mike Sharkey, airport manager at Lee Bird Field, said it’s disturbing to see how pilot shortages at GLA have impacted the airport. Lee Bird Field has seen over a 50 percent drop in passengers, he said, despite an eight percent increase in general aviation from charter and private flights.
“This is the second year that the pilot shortage has kept us from reaching 10,000 [enplanement],” Sharkey said.
The 10,000 enplanement allows Lee Bird Field to be considered a primary airport, and guarantees around $1 million annually for maintenance and infrastructure. Without that designation, Sharkey said they are no longer guaranteed any funding and have to compete with other non-primary airports for federal grants.
Sharkey said they have accrued about five years of finances for operations, but the airport will be seriously affected in 2017. Allowing GLA to fly 19-seat craft would bring up enplanement again, he said. With the pilot shortage, Sharkey said around 30 percent of GLA’s flights out of North Platte have to be pre-canceled, which makes planning travel difficult.
“We’re encouraging people who have been negatively affected by the pilot shortage to write comments,” Sharkey said.
The North Platte Area Chamber of Commerce and Development sent a link to post comments in their weekly newsletter, but it can also be reached online at regulations.gov. The docket number is FAA-2015-4903-0001, also known as Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. — Exemption/Rulemaking.
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