Lawmakers returned their focus to workforce issues, calling the anticipated shortfalls one of the critical bottlenecks for the future growth of the industry. Holding a hearing on the issue last week on the heels of the recently passed FAA reauthorization bill, House aviation subcommittee Chair Garret Graves (R-Louisiana) noted that the comprehensive aviation package addresses many aspects surrounding the issue “either by giving the FAA a path forward to fix these issues or by giving certainty to the industry to help to address some of these choke points and growing demands.”
However, he said, “We cannot rest on our laurels. We’ve got to focus on implementation. We need to focus on this explosive growth of this really exciting industry in aviation…We need to be concerned not just about the stresses in the aerospace industry today, but the reality that these stressors are going to grow greater and greater in the future.”
Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee), the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, agreed: “We must turn our attention to implementing [the FAA reauthorization bill]. There are widespread and well-documented aviation workforce challenges, spanning positions from airline pilots and air traffic controllers to aviation maintenance technicians, aviation safety inspectors, and designated pilot examiners. Shortages of these vital members of the workforce have resulted in a subpar experience across the aviation ecosystem.”
Testifying before the subcommittee, Jo Damato, senior v-p of education, training, and workforce development with NBAA, discussed the importance of the issue for the business aviation community as well as the need for diversification of the workforce.
"Despite the high demand, multiple challenges exist as barriers to those who want to embark on an aviation career path,” she said. “The FAA reauthorization bill will help remove barriers for those seeking aviation careers while expanding the aviation workforce pipeline.”
The bill mandates that the FAA implement key strategic recommendations from the Women in Aviation Advisory Board and the Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force to address these challenges, she said, highlighting key recommendations around building early awareness of aviation careers, improving access to information about careers, creating a national strategic plan for workforce development, providing financial support, and addressing cultural factors.
“If implemented effectively, these provisions should move the aviation workforce forward in ways that have not been possible,” she said.
Of the recommendations, she added, culture may be the most difficult. “I know that firsthand,” she said, relaying a story where she was not permitted to fly on certain airplanes in her early flight-school days because of her gender.
Because the pilot pipeline is a concern, Matthew “Monty” Montgomery—chair of the Department of Professional Aviation for Louisiana Tech University—expressed his concern about flight schools’ ability to keep up with demands due to funding issues, lack of designated pilot examiners (DPE), availability of qualified professors and instructors, and aircraft purchasing backlog.
“These areas are critical to our ability to overcome the current bottlenecks, to ensure we provide the required number of airmen when needed, and ensure the quality and effectiveness of our aviation training programs to support growth and adaptability,” Montgomery said.
Damato agreed and noted a parent in her region “desperate to find a DPE” for their college-bound child who needed a private license before entering the aviation program. She added that the parent had to start in May to have someone in place by August.
Dave Spero, national president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, also noted concerns about the FAA’s technician workforce, which maintains air traffic control equipment. Recent analysis shows the agency has lost about 8% of its technician workforce in 2017 leading to longer times to complete preventative maintenance, Spero pointed out.
“While the media focuses on the shortage of air traffic controllers when reporting on non-weather-related flight delays, the shortage of FAA systems specialists is just as acute,” Spero said, citing as an example that there is only one full-time technician to service three radar sites between 120 and 200 miles away from San Antonio International Airport.
Michael Robbins, president and CEO of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, warned that workforce growth would be hampered on the advanced air mobility front until the regulatory framework is in place for certification and operations of these emerging vehicles.
“Without these regulatory frameworks in place, innovation will be stifled, operations will remain limited, and the drone and AAM industries will not be able to scale in the near term in the U.S.,” Robbins maintained.
He also cited a need for the FAA to build up its subject matter expert staffing to keep up with this emerging sector.