Officials of the U.S. colleges and universities that offer professional pilot degree programs say the demand for new airline pilots is making it difficult for them to recruit and retain flight instructors, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).1
In a report released in late May, the GAO said that school representatives told the agency’s investigators that recruiting and retaining flight instructors is their greatest challenge, and that many flight instructors are leaving their jobs as soon as they meet the minimum qualifications for airline work.
“Instructors who aspire to be airline pilots are rapidly accruing the flight hours necessary to qualify and are obtaining employment as soon as they are eligible,” the report said. “In addition, regional airlines have recently increased hiring, generating high turnover among flight instructors, who are traditionally their main source of new pilots.”
During its study, conducted from Se…
