Wyoming group wants training school to reduce pilot shortage

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Aeronautics Commission hopes to operate an accredited training school to help reduce the state's pilot shortage.

The commission supported the idea at a work session Monday here. Now it will explore the idea to see if it will work.

The goal is to get more pilots into the pipeline so there will be more crews to serve Wyoming, said Dennis Byrne. He is administrator of the state's Aviation Administration.

Byrne said a subcommittee of commissioners will meet next week in a phone conference. They likely will talk about a possible curriculum and their next steps.

"We could have a quality program. I'd like to see it happen," Commissioner Doyle Vaughan of Jackson said.

Commissioners said they might work with existing programs at Casper College and in Cody.

One reason for the pilot shortage is a federal rule that took effect in August 2013. It increased the flight time needed to work as a copilot at a commercial airline from 250 hours to 1,500 hours.

A shortage occurred because it takes time to meet the 1,500-hour rule. Pilots who graduate from a two-year pilot school, for example, come out with 250 hours of flight time.

The Federal Aviation Administration gives credit to pilots for military and academic experience to help meet the 1,500 hours.

A military pilot earns 750 hours credit toward the 1,500-hour requirement. Pilots with two-year college degrees from accredited programs earn 250 hours. Graduates of four-year programs get 500 hours.

Byrne mentioned a new plan from the Regional Airline Association that he said offers the best way to reduce the shortage. The association has not released details of the proposal, but some FAA officials like it, Byrne said.

Sheri Taylor is the air service development director for the state Aviation Administration. She presented an overview of the pilot shortage and possible solutions.

Several factors contributed to the shortage, she said. Among them are:

- Regulatory changes, such as the 1,500-hour rule. Changes have made it hard to find qualified pilots, particularly at the regional airlines level. After student pilots earn their 250 hours, it could cost them another $100,000 and several years to meet the 1,500-hour rule.

"In effect, this rule has siphoned off the number of available and qualified copilots for the regional airline industry to draw from," she said.

- Mandatory retirement at age 65. About 14,000 pilots will retire through 2022 because of this rule.

- A drop in the number of student pilots who want to work in the industry. More opt to become corporate pilots or work in other areas of aviation.

- Entry-level pay at regional airlines. Pilots once could work at most regionals with 250 hours of flight time and get more hours on the job. Now they need 1,500 hours to start.

This forces pilots to pay for their flight time on top of entering a regional air carrier job at a low starting wage.

Possible solutions:

- More training credit to the 1,500-hour flight training rule.

- Student pilot loan guarantees or grants.

- Increasing the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67.

- Source: http://www.wyomingnews.com