Embraer Expects to Build Record Number of Jets

Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, has indicated it expects to deliver 200 jets in 2008, with the 170/190 model accounting for about 80% of the total deliveries.  This further indicates the health of the commercial aviation market -- as airlines worldwide buy and fly Embraer jets.

In 2007, the company delivered 123 170-190 aircraft, seven ERJ-145s and 35 Legacy aircraft. At the end of 2007, Embraer's backlog (aircraft ordered by not yet build and delivered) consisted of 430 170-190 and 46 ERJ-145s, as well as options for another 917 aircraft.

According to Embraer's President and CEO, depite a slowing world economy "customers are demanding more aircraft, not less."  And Phoenix East Aviation, one of the world's most respected training academies for airlines worldwidem feels this continuing stream of orders for new commercial aircraft is onhe more indication of the strong and continuing growth in commercial aviation --  which is sure to result in an even greater need for new pilots.

Some Interesting Regional Airline Statistics

OK, so you're now a pilot. You have your Private License, Instrument Rating, Commercial Certificate and Multi-Engine Rating. You've also worked briefly as a flight instructor, earning money while building "free" hours.  You now have 350 or 500 hours, maybe a little less even.  What your next step?

Chances are you'll find yourself on the hiring list of a regional airline. They are growing fast and are often the first important career step for a young pilot.  Why are regional airlines hiring so many pilots?  Look at these statistics, and you'll understand:

The regional carrier fleet in the US grew by 52 aircraft in 2007 as declines in turboprop and piston aircraft were offset by an increase in jet aircraft. (Keep in mind that each new aircraft requires hiring approximately 10-15 pilots). All jet aircraft growth in the next few years is expected to occur in the 70-90 seat segment.

Regional carriers accounted for 22.6% of domestic commercial enplanements in 2007, up from 12.4% in 2000. Since 2000, regional capacity has grown 142.4%, traffic is up 207.6% and enplanements are up 95.4%.

More Reasons for the Pilot Shortage in the US and Europe

In the US and Europe, an entire generation of airline pilots who were trained by their countries military in the 1970s are hitting retirement age, and these air forces are no longer turning out enough replacements to be a source of pilots for commercial aviation.  In addition, sophisticated fleets of corporate and fractional jets are expanding very rapidly and sucking up pilots who once might have been flying for commercial airlines.

Plus, the regional airlines, which genrally hire young and less-experienced pilots, have shifted from slow propeller planes to fast and more complicated new regional jets, which require additional training time. More training means it takes somewhat longer to prepare a newly hired pilot to be a first-officer.

IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani said "It's time to ring the warning bell on pilot availability....this is an issue that will face all of us." Some experts project a shortage of 42,000 pilots world-wide by 2020. Pilot union leaders say some US carriers are usingspecial programs allowing first-officers with as few as 50 hours of cockpit time in big planes -- far below the hundreds of hours usually required -- because of intense demand.   Check out www.pea for more information on a career as a pilot. Call us with your questions: 1-386-258-0703 (US toll free at 800-868-4359). 

What is a Fuel Surcharge?

The airline industry is having to cope with increasing fuel costs.  Flight training academies are also having to deal with the continual increases in aircraft fuel costs. 

Did you realize that aircraft fuel costs have risen more than 60% in the past year? Airlines are charging a fuel surcharge as part of their ticket prices. You might not realize it, but when the cost of your airline ticket goes up, it's likely that at least part of that cost increase -- if not all of it -- is the result of increasing aircraft fuel costs.

Just as the airlines do, flight training centers also often must charge an hourly fuel surcharge, just to keep up with rising fuel prices.  We'd all prefer this wasn't necessary -- the airlines don't like to raise prices, nor do flight training academies like to add fuel surcharges, but we're all forced to do so by the high, rising price of fuel.  If you drive a car, you know what's happened to the price of gasoline.  The same thing has happened to the price of aircraft fuel. 

Do I Need A University Degree to Be an Airline Pilot?

A US four-year university flight education now costs $120,000 to $180,000. However, many airlines do not require a four-year university degree. At Phoenix East Aviation, Daytona Beach, Florida, you can accomplish all the ratings you need for employment with an airline for as little as $38,046. And if you wish to also have instructor ratings in order to earn money while you build additional flight hours, you can achieve your Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII) and Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) ratings for only $15,226. Check out www.pea.com for more information.

American Eagle Hires New Pilots

American Eagle Airlines hired 800 new pilots in 2007 and plans to hire another 700 more in 2008. Las year, American started using pre-employment regional jet training programs to prepare newly hired young pilots. These jet training programs teach perspective first officers such advanced skills as crew resource management (CRM).

Want to prepare yourself to be one of these new American Eagle first officers -- or a first officer for one of the other great US airlines? Check out www.pea.com or call 800.868.4359 for information.

Training Pilots for Airlines Worldwide

If you've been following aviation in the press anywhere in the world the past few years, you know the shortage of commercial pilots is at perhaps its highest level in many, many years right now. That's no secret. And orders for new aircraft worldwide have been booming, which makes the pilot shortage problem even more severe.  This creates an exceptional opportunity for someone who wants to fly as a career.

A number of the big aircraft orders have come from low-fare airines, especially in Asia and the Middle East, such as IndiGo, AirAsia, Air Arabia, Tiger Airways and Lion Air. It is expected that more than 1,000 new pilots will be required per year in Southeast Asia alone over the next 20 years.

While there may be enough people who wish to be pilots, the major problem is training them -- finding sufficient training schools in that region to get all the want-to-be student pilots trained.  Such training centers simply do not exist in sufficient numbers in Asia -- nor in Africa.  And then there is the cost -- it is expensive, not just in Asia, but in Europe and South America.

The answer is training centers in other regions, such as Phoenix East Aviation, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Phoenix East has been in business since 1972 doing one thing only, and doing it exceptionally well -- training young pilots for aviation careers.  Phoenix East focuses on the international student, knowing that a strong diversity in their student pilot population brings an additional, positive element to the training experience, especially for the student who wishes to someday fly internationally.  Over half of Phoenix East's student pilots are from countries outside North America.  But in contract to some schools, which seem to specialize in students from only one country, Phoenix East has students from countries in Asia, Africa and Europe, as well as North and South America.  That's one of the things that makes the training experience at Phoenix East especially rich and rewarding.

Want to know more? contact www.pea.com or call 1-386-258-0703 worldwide and ask to talk to an Admissions Officer.  You may find out there is a training aircraft waiting for you at Phoenix East Aviation, followed by an excellent career as a pilot -- contact Phoenix East now for details.