Media Release
November 22 2007
Pilot numbers plummet…
but the sky’s the limit for next gen flyers
UniSA’s
head of aviation,
Stephen Phillips, has warned that a shortage of pilots at the top
end of the market is draining resources from regional air services
around Australia and internationally.
The convenor of a recent forum of Australia’s leading flying training
organisations in Canberra, Phillips said the aviation boom was putting
enormous pressure on regional services to employ and keep quality pilots
“We have seen growth in off-shore international carriers such as
Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, China Southern and China Eastern Airlines;
growth in Australia’s own international and domestic carriers such as
Qantas, Virgin Blue and Jetstar; and now the emergence of new regional
carriers in the international and domestic market such as Tiger – so the
demand for pilots in our region is unprecedented,” Phillips says.
“The unfortunate consequences for regional airlines are starting to be felt here in Australia.
“Australia’s largest independent regional airline, Regional Express (Rex) has just announced the suspension of some services including its newly opened Brisbane – Maryborough service due to insufficient pilots to crew the flights.”
Phillips says the pilot shortage has meant that major national and international airlines are draining pilot resources not only from regional airlines but also from flying training schools.
“This is obviously of major concern to the flying training industry – and to the aviation industry more broadly. It is a bit of a crisis when demand and remuneration for skilled professionals is so strong that you erode the capacity to educate future professionals. Some Australian schools have experienced as much as a 60 per cent loss in their instructional staff in the past 12 months.
“Our goal is to entice pilots back to the industry, in particular the training sector. We know that even a five per cent claw back will make a real difference across the industry and we also need to explore the capacity to bring pilots back as flying instructors, even if it is only part time.
“The great news for anyone
studying
to be a pilot is that they will be in demand for many years to come
not only as professional pilots, but also as future teachers of
aviation.”
Contact for interview
- Stephen Phillips office 8302 3047 mobile 0423 292 249 email stephen.phillips@unisa.edu.au
Media contact
-
Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 mobile 0418 823 673
email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au