Aviation mechanics, pilots wanted

Record-breaking hiring numbers at the close of 2022 plateaued in the first three months of 2023, averaging about 1,100 pilots hired per month by the 12 major airlines racing to fill vacancies left by retiring pilots. Trends among aspiring professional pilots eager to get in front of airline recruiters are still high as Future and Active Pilot Advisors saw 1,200 total registrations at its first four hiring events of the year.

“Across the board, pilot retirement numbers will continue to build each year until they peak in 2026,” Timothy Genc of FAPA said. “After that, they start trickling down, but not dramatically. Early outs took a lot of those retiring pilots out of the mix, but there are enough left to continue being a pilot supply factor over the next few years. So, as rough as contending with retirements has been so far, it is going to get worse.”

Regional airlines, as well as business aviation operators, are also feeling the squeeze as they continue to lose pilots to the major airlines. To recoup their pilot populations, companies are creating more incentives, and offering better benefits—and some of the highest sign-on bonuses ever seen in the industry, according to Genc.

Smaller general aviation maintenance shops are also having trouble keeping employees from flocking to the airlines, who are offering incentives like sign-on bonuses as high as $75,000.

“We’re at an impasse in the aviation industry right now, where it’s hard to find mechanics who want to work in general aviation,” Dan Neal, owner of San Martin Aviation and aviation undergraduate program academic advisor at San Jose State University in California, said. “Most shops like ours are at capacity with the current number of mechanics we have. We want to hire, but they’re just not available.”

“We’re definitely losing mechanics to the airlines because of bonuses and benefits," Neal continued. “To combat this, I’ve raised my shop rate so I can pay my employees 25 percent more. Our pay is now on the same scale as most airlines, but without the sign-on bonuses. If we want to retain employees, it starts with salary, then if that works, we can start offering other benefits.”

JSfirm.com, a free online resource for aviation job seekers and employers, has seen a 13.48-percent application increase in the first four months of 2023 compared to last year. “I can tell you it remains a hot market for maintenance professionals,” Sam Scanlon of JSfirm.com said. “Perhaps hotter than pilots.” There are currently over 7,500 maintenance positions open on JSfirm.com with more than 1,400 of those offering sign-on bonuses. There are over 3,500 jobs on the website with sign-on bonuses.

“We are seeing mechanics and all job seekers use our search by perks functionality on JSfirm.com,” Scanlon continued. “That is where it is going, and they know that. Maintenance professionals are using the Company Search function onjsfirm.com more than ever. With Company Search, they can export the company information and use their own networking to contact any company (Active or Inactive). They are finding everyone is hiring. Just get in touch with the correct person.”

Schools like California Aeronautical University are also helping fill the aviation mechanic shortage. CAU is offering a 17-to 22-month (for an associate’s degree) aviation maintenance technology program at the school’s main campus in Bakersfield, California. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers a four-year aviation maintenance bachelor’s degree program.