BALPA: Pilot shortage warning as cash crisis hits recruits

The number of recruits to training colleges is falling says BALPA, which is this weekend launching a special guide "Becoming a Pilot - The inside track".

'Once young people could enter the profession through airline sponsors' said Captain Mark Searle, BALPA Chairman. 'But now they have to fund their own initial training which can cost up to £100,000.'

And it doesn't stop there. Once trainees have their basic license they increasingly have to find another £25,000 to £35,000 to pay for the 'privilege' of building their experience at the controls of a big jet and get their type rating - licensed to fly a specific aircraft.

'This is plain wrong' said Captain Searle. 'These young pilots are desperate for a job and are now being charged by airlines to fly fare paying passengers. Airlines should be ashamed.'

Finding such sums is a struggle. Parents are re-mortgaging and many other young hopefuls can't even get off the ground restricting access to the profession to the few and undermining social mobility.

Today it is harder, some say almost impossible, for young people from middle and low income families to get into the profession. All are building huge debts that will take years to clear and cause huge amounts of stress for them and their families.

'This is also bad economics for UK Plc. With the economic downturn showing some signs of reversing, Britain's aviation industry is going to wake up with a pilot shortage because of the disgraceful way we have been treating young hopefuls.'

BALPA General Secretary Jim McAuslan said 'BALPA has a 5 point plan to tackle this real threat to UK aviation which includes:

1. BALPA's new booklet for people thinking of becoming a pilot spells out the challenges they will face and gives them guidance on the questions they and their families should ask themselves and potential training providers before setting off on this path.

2. BALPA is establishing a new Career Services support service to give feedback to trainees and eventually help them find a job.

3. BALPA will be pressing individual airlines to shoulder more of the responsibility for training. With few exceptions (Flybe being the most notable) airlines have walked away from their responsibilities to put something akin to apprenticeship back into the industry believing the free market will sort it out. BALPA will be pressing the case company by company and naming and shaming those who exploit these vulnerable people.

4. BALPA wants to work with others who believe the Government should do more. Aspiring pilots have to rely on commercial loans repaid over three years and there is no tax relief for a pilot's own training costs (relief that would be available if the airline paid for it). The Government has said it wants aviation to be better if not bigger and it could start here and BALPA is calling on it to convene a high level summit to sort this out.

5. BALPA will be debating a motion at its own annual delegate conference on Friday 5 November that, if passed, will challenge employers who charge for line training and type rating. The profession will stick together on this. We all have an interest in the best pilots being supported into this profession.'