Lawmakers Wrangle Over Measures to Address Pilot Shortage
A series of controversial proposals aimed at addressing the airline pilot shortage is creating complications for Congress as they consider new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policies.
One senator has issued a warning to fellow lawmakers, stating that they will bear responsibility if reduced pilot training leads to a fatal accident.
The proposals presented by lawmakers include raising the pilot retirement age, increasing the use of flight simulators for training instead of actual cockpit experience, and fast-tracking training programs.
These measures are contentious and are intended to tackle the ongoing shortage of airline pilots, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. The shortage has already resulted in grounded planes, and the situation is expected to worsen in the coming years.
One proposal that sought to change the minimum number of training hours for airline pilots derailed plans for a Senate committee vote on the FAA reauthorization, the underlying legislation.
According to a source familiar with the matter, this measure was sponsored by Senator John Thune of South Dakota, a prominent Republican.
Senator Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, criticized the delay, stating that the aviation system should not be subjected to last-minute political considerations.
Just moments before the Senate Commerce Committee was scheduled to meet, the Air Line Pilots Association union publicly announced its strong opposition to the proposed changes in training hours.
In a letter, the union expressed its unequivocal opposition to the amendment. The union’s president, Jason Ambrosi, questioned why there was even consideration to roll back the current pilot training and qualification rules when the number of airline passenger fatalities has significantly decreased.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, the chairwoman of the aviation subcommittee, took to the Senate floor to share her personal experience and explain how cockpit training saved her life during a mission in Iraq.
The Illinois Democrat criticized those who believe simulator training is equivalent and expressed doubt that reducing training hours would resolve the pilot shortage.
She warned that any vote to reduce the 1,500-hour rule for pilot training would be held responsible if an inadequately trained flight crew led to an inevitable accident.
On the House side, the House Transportation Committee narrowly approved an amendment that would raise the mandatory pilot retirement age by two years to 67.
The amendment passed by a vote of 32 to 31 and will be considered on the House floor as part of the FAA reauthorization package.
During a meeting, Representative Troy Nehls, a Republican from Texas, informed lawmakers that the amendment had the support of AARP and the Regional Airline Association.
He argued that mandatory retirement ages perpetuate inaccurate stereotypes about competence and highlighted the fact that pilots are forced to retire on their 65th birthday. Representative Rick Larsen, the top Democrat on the panel, stated that raising the retirement age would have little impact on increasing the number of available pilots. He pointed out that senior pilots typically fly larger aircraft on international routes, and international flight regulations set the retirement age at 65. Therefore, these pilots would require re-training on different aircraft to serve the final two years of their careers. Nehls dismissed this argument as “baloney,” asserting that the United States sets the standard for other countries.
Additionally, the draft House package included a provision to allow pilots to count more simulator time toward meeting their required training hours.
