Alaska-based airlines face pilot shortage
Published Friday, July 4, 2008
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Stumble It!ANCHORAGE — Alaska-based airlines say they are facing a pilot shortage, with high turnover and open positions. But some in the industry think the nation’s airline struggles may steer job-seeking flyers to the northernmost state.
“We are not able to find captains for twin-engine and turbo-prop aircraft, and this is becoming a great concern,” said Wilfred “Boyuck” Ryan, president of the Alaska Air Carriers Association and president of Arctic Transportation Services.
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens told members of the 21st annual Export Alaska luncheon May 27 that he’s worried about the future of aviation in the state.
“Over 70 percent of our cities in the state can only be reached by air service,” he said, adding that more than half the state’s commercial pilots are older than 55. “This means that we will need to start to replace half of the pilots in Alaska in the next five years.”
The age 65 ruling helped some, said Stevens, who was responsible for getting the Federal Aviation Administration rule change to increase the age limit for pilots from 60 years old to age 65.
“Changing this was a huge thing for us,” said Jim Jansen, president and CEO of Lynden Inc. shortly after the bill passed. “This means that our more experienced pilots can continue to work and teach the lower-time pilots. It would have been a waste to retire our best pilots at age 60.”
Other carriers are also training entry-level positions to meet their needs.
“We take entry level pilots and heavily train them with ground, air and simulator instruction,” said Craig Kenmonth, general manager of Frontier Flying Service, based in Fairbanks.
Kenmonth said Frontier has a priority to hire Alaska pilots, but it has been necessary to hire pilots from outside of the state.
“There has been a big turnover in the last 12 months,” said Kenmonth.
Kenmonth thinks that the fuel price increases and the subsequent downsizing of the legacy airline fleets and flight frequencies may help solve the Alaska shortage.
“This pilot shortage will be tempered by downsizing, we have to,” said Kenmonth. “All the airlines are redirecting their frequencies, this might cut the need for pilots.”
“Transportation in this state depends on replacing these pilots,” Stevens said. “We must do something now.”
Stevens said the congressional delegation would continue to acquire funding and stimulate interest in new pilot training centers at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Merrill Field, and in Bethel and Fairbanks.
Community Discussion
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The cost of an airline ticket to rural Alaska is outrageous. AND unless something is done soon the isolation will only get greater.
Need pilots but the airlines need passengers and freight, too.
First of all, very few furloughed airline pilots are going to come up here with the high cost of living and the crappy flying conditions to work. Second of all, most of them don't have the skills required to do it as flying in Alaska is far more dangerous than flying in the lower 48. Third, service would suffer as chechaco pilots would undoubtedly cancel or delay flights waiting for conditions to "improve".
All of the carriers listed in this article have staffing problems as a result of low pay and not an inadequate supply of Alaskan pilots. This article is another swing and miss for the News Miner.
As a 3 year retired commercial/National Guard pilot flying both airplanes and helicopters here in Alaska, I have this to say to Roadtrip, not waiting for conditions to improve and/or cancelling a flight has resulted in the deaths of more than 20 of my friends and aquaintenances in the 35 years I've been up here. I can't count the number of passenger injuries or fatalities in Alaska over that same time. Flying into adverse weather without the proper skills or equipment (in other words making a bad decision) is the leading cause of aviation accidents in Alaska. Geez...I'm sorry, I'm trying not to comment from a soapbox anymore. I'll keep trying. Happy 4th of July.
roadtrip, the News-Miner didn't write this piece. If you've got a suggestion for further investigation, I'd suggest calling or emailing the Alaska Journal of Commerce. I think they'd be happy to hear from you.
Maybe its the D.O. that causes a shortage of pilots?
I have several friends who are pilots in rural Alaska and after hearing their stories I am not too surprised that there are few people willing to subject themselves to the conditions they routinely encounter. There have been a number of fatalities due to the weather and the maintenance levels that are considered routine. Until the small airlines provide incentives and assurances it is no wonder that pilots seek employment elsewhere. So how do we turn this around? Easy: funding. Which means each passenger will need to help provide the funding to protect themselves and to ensure availability of air travel.
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