Getting Beyond The Pilot Shortage - Here Are The Hard Realities.

This special Vox Deorum edition of Aviation Unscripted is a discussion with Kathryn Creedy regarding the background and impact of the current pilot shortage, and what must be done to address it. Plus, we explore how small community airports actually have a bright economic future - if they plan now - even without commercial flights.

Invest A Few Minutes. We'd urge any aviation professionals seeking to get beyond the media and special-interest hype to log on and join us for perspectives that go to the heart of the future of air transportation in the USA.

No holds barred - this is 30 minutes of hard facts that demolish the arguments that the raw 1,500 hour flight requirement is anything but a political mechanism, with near-zero true expertise requirements. Kathryn clearly outlines what other nations are doing in regard to specific-skills training, instead of just logging hours in a 172.

Higher initial compensation is critical, but even more so is the need for educational financial assistance for flight training, as has been pointed out by Scott Kirby of United Airlines.

The Melbourne Dynamic. We get into the misconception that lack of pilots is the main cause of places like Toledo and Dubuque losing air service. It's actually raw economics and consumer shifts that cannot be reversed.

The discussion touches on the strong economic potential of the nation's airports with or without commercial flights. The example is given of Melbourne-Orlando International Airport's massive and and aggressive program to recruit new industry and jobs. Airports across the USA should use the Melbourne Dynamic as a model for the future. Pilots or no pilots, there are huge opportunities in this sector.

Invest 30 minutes to get armed with facts that clear the smoke surrounding this critical issue.