Says Too Many Military Pilots Are Leaving For Airline Careers

When the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 became law, it set a standard of 1,500 hour for a civilian pilot to qualify to become an airline pilot. But the standard for military pilots is 750 hours, and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein says that is contributing to a shortage of military pilots.

Gen. Goldfein (pictured) is now calling on Congress to change those rules and lower the minimum hours for civilian pilots because airlines are poaching pilots from the Air Force. “Right now if you got to have 1,500 hours to go be a commercial pilot, I am a really attractive source,” Goldfein said.

Stars and Stripes reports that the USAF has begun conversations with major airlines can work together to ease their mutual pilot shortages. Goldfein is planning a meeting with airline executives in May, according to the report.

Goldfein said that the problem is not unique to the Air Force. "Everybody who has a pilot today is in this game. Because the reality is, if you look at the numbers, the airlines require 3,500 pilots every year through 2025. I produce about 1,200 a year. So what we have is actually a national shortage of pilots.”

The Air Force COS said that advances in technology might mean the standard can be lowered, which would increase the civilian pilot pool available to the airlines.

He said he would also support incentives for flight schools or university aviation programs that could reduce the demand for military pilots.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.af.mil