Regional Airlines' Pilot Shortage is Heading Toward the Perfect Storm

Regional airline pilots are trained to fly in all kinds of weather, but they are heading toward the proverbial perfect storm. That's because regional airline pilot-recruitment wars are about to get intense, very messy, and ugly. Next year is destined to be the beginning of crunch time in the battle for cockpit talent among regional and mainline airlines for several reasons: Major airlines, including Delta and United, are beginning to hire pilots for the first time in several years, and they will look to the upper ranks of regional airlines to fill a large number of the positions. Regional airlines, which range from  American Eagle and Republic Airways to Air Wisconsin and Mesa, are already facing a hiring crisis and will find it increasingly difficult to fill pilot positions because of the talent drain to the mainline airlines, and more rigorous, federally imposed training requirements. This pinch could be somewhat offset by the phasing out of some -- but not all -- 50-seat aircraft, and the transition to larger, and more-efficient regional jets, which should mean fewer pilots per passengers flown. But, as you'll see, even that migration to larger regional jets will be convoluted and wild, from the pilots' perspective, at least. "In 2014, this is going to hit the fan," says aviation consultant Kit Darby, adding that Delta is slated to hire some 300 pilots in November, and United plans a pilot-recruitment drive for 2014. » One Related Link You Really Should Read After This: The U.S. Airline Pilots Who Barely Make Minimum Wage Much of the focus will be on regional airlines, which are alrea