Flying schools scramble for staff
The international pilot shortage has left New Zealand flying schools scrambling to find experienced training staff as airlines snap up their senior instructors.
Flying schools have long been a recruitment pipeline for airlines, but the increased exodus of experienced staff is hitting hard because it comes as demand for pilot training is growing.
Ashok Poduval, chief executive of Massey University’s aviation school, said Massey lost four of its 12 category B instructors last year.
‘‘We’ve had increased numbers leaving for opportunities within the Air New Zealand group, which is a natural career progression for them and we don’t begrudge them that … We’re not severely impacted yet, but we are concerned.’’
Ardmore Flying School chief executive Ian Calvert said normal instructor turnover had increased in the past six months as airline recruitment ramped up.
He said two-thirds of Ardmore’s 150 full-time students were from overseas, and the training demand from foreign airlines was growing.
Poduval said one potential solution would be for airlines to release pilots with light aircraft experience to assist schools with training.
Calvert said a better career path and pay for instructors would also help retain staff, but industry attitudes needed to change.
‘‘The stigma of ‘only’ being an instructor is probably the biggest barrier, which is a real shame.’’
The New Zealand Airline Pilots Association represents both commercial pilots and instructors.
President Tim Robinson said junior flying instructors earned barely more than minimum wage and chief instructors were paid between $50,000 and $70,000 a year.
‘‘It’s pathetic. Historically it’s been a rite of passage almost to go through that pain prior to picking up an airline job, but it’s being exacerbated by the fact that the airlines are sucking up these pilots so quickly.’’
Robinson said the pilot shortage was a major issue. At a meeting with Transport Minister Phil Twyford last week, he pushed for the student loan cap on pilot training to be eased so numbers could rise from about 200 a year to 300.
It costs up to $100,000 to train as a commercial pilot and most students could not afford that without a student loan, Robinson said.