Pilot Shortage Survey

You weighed in on the causes, solutions and safety.

About the Survey

The Pilot Shortage Survey is now closed. To those who shared their opinions, thank you! We had a total of 951 people weigh in from the time the survey opened in April to its close on Aug. 25, 2017. Approximately 47 percent of the responses came from professional pilots. See the results below.

Embry-Riddle is proud of its growing number of airline partnership programs that create a direct path for graduates into rewarding pilot careers, and in some cases include partial compensation for flight training. Additionally, Embry-Riddle annually hosts the National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS), a forum to explore and foster future public-private-industry partnerships and discuss pressing issues and best practices. The 2017 NTAS directly addressed the pilot supply problem.

Survey Results

What do you believe is the most significant contributing factor to the current pilot shortage?
Low starting pay.

37.08%
High cost of training.

34.45%
Time to achieve Airline Transport Pilot certification (especially in light of the 2013 FAA rule).

15.44%
FAA’s forced retirement age of 65.

6.2%
Difficult life-work balance.

4.62%
Captains and first officers leaving regional airlines to fly for major carriers.

2.21%
Which of the solutions below would be most effective at filling the demand for qualified pilots?
Higher starting pay.

39.39%
More finance options for pilot training (low-interest loans, scholarships, and airline-funded training / incentive programs for university students and / or those training at fixed base operators / private companies).

33.3%
Airlines offer reduced-cost, in-house pilot training programs (a trend in Europe and Asia).

23%
Raise the FAA-required retirement age from 65 to 69 until the pilot shortage is alleviated.

3.57%
Reduce the number of flight crew on long flights, freeing up more pilots for shorter routes.

0.74%
Do you think the pilot shortage will impact safety for air travelers?
Yes.

58.19%
No.

41.81%
Have you experienced cancelled flights or other flight disruptions due to a lack of available pilots (captains and / or first officers)?
No, I’ve not experienced this.

57.35%
Yes, as a passenger.

24.37%
Yes, as both a passenger and as a pilot / crew member.

10.29%
Yes, as a pilot / crew member.

7.98%
If the pilot shortage is not remedied, what do you think might be the worst-case scenario for the air transportation industry?
More cancelled flights – damaging airline reliability ratings and ultimately resulting in more people choosing other modes of transportation.

29.73%
Decreased safety due to overworked pilots.

23%
Certain air carriers will go bankrupt, leaving some markets without adequate air transportation to fill the passenger need.

21.01%
Higher ticket prices.

17.12%
Increased investment by the airlines in autonomous flight systems.

9.14%
What describes your current employment?
Other employment / not a professional pilot.

53.57%
Other pilot (charter, cargo, corporate, UAS, etc.).

26.05%
Pilot for a major airline.

11.66%
Pilot for a regional/commuter airline.

8.72%