Southwest Airlines Struggling Drop Their Jet/Turbine Hourly Requirements.
Southwest Airlines is making a good move to deal with the shortage of pilots, which has been a big problem. While this won’t fix the problem right away or create lots of new pilot jobs immediately, it’s a positive step. Learn about the american airline pilot salary.
In the United States, new commercial pilots have to get a lot of flying experience before they can work for big airlines like American Airlines, Southwest, and Delta. They need to collect a challenging 1500 hours of flying time. This means that new pilots often have to work as flight instructors, at smaller airlines with lower pay, or in other flying jobs to get those hours.
Southwest Airlines – Reducing The Required Number Of Turbine Hours For New Pilots
Southwest Airlines saw how serious the pilot shortage was, which caused many flight cancellations in 2022, even during the holidays. To solve this problem, they decided to lower the number of hours pilots need to fly in turbine-powered aircraft. Even though the FAA says you need 1500 hours, Southwest Airlines now only asks for 500 of those hours to be in jet or other turbine-powered planes. This is much less than the previous requirement of 1000 hours in such planes.
The FAA doesn’t say the exact kind of aircraft you need to fly for those hours, but airlines usually set their own rules, and they often prefer jet planes because they’re commonly used in commercial flights. This change by Southwest Airlines could make it easier for new pilots to get their foot in the door, as it reduces the burden of getting the full 1500 hours before starting their careers.
What’s the big deal?
The big deal here is that recently certified pilots can now step into major airlines sooner without needing to accumulate as many hours at regional airlines or smaller flying operations. While they still must meet the minimum requirement of 1500 flight hours, they now have more flexibility in how they can achieve this milestone. This can include instructing, flying smaller aircraft, or taking on less competitive aviation jobs.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notes that various airlines may place varying importance on different types of flight experience. Some airlines may favor candidates with more experience in flying jet or turbine-powered aircraft, while others might value expertise in a particular aircraft model. Additionally, many airlines take into consideration whether a pilot holds a college degree.
According to a report by the Dallas Morning News, Southwest Airlines has made a change in their pilot requirements. They still follow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rule of needing 1,500 hours for pilots to earn their Air Transport Pilot certificate. However, the new requirement now also demands that some of this time must be spent flying on a jet or turbo-prop plane. This implies that future pilots joining Southwest will need to gain experience by flying for a regional airline, a cargo carrier, or in another professional role.Southwest Airlines Struggling For Pilots. Great News For New Pilots.