IN THIS MONTH'S EDITION:

• ECONOMIC TURMOIL AFFECTING AIRLINES.
• A FOCUS ON SAFETY.
• ALWAYS BE PREPARED!

ECONOMIC TURMOIL AFFECTING AIRLINES

In the last two weeks, we have seen a drastic shift in the economy and more noticeably in the stock market. Massive selloffs have occurred across all three major indices, and you can almost feel the economic apprehension radiating everywhere you go. Historically, airlines are the first industry to feel the pain of any economic downturn and it seems that the trend continues this time around. Both Delta and American have revised their Q1 and full-year earnings downward as they prepare for consumers to temper their spending. United has said it will be at the lower end of their original projections.

As pilots, we start to feel this economic uneasiness build among our coworkers. As things progress, airlines could stop hiring and their current employees will start worrying about their job security. With so many new airline pilots added in the past few years, many have not experienced an economic downturn resulting in furloughs. Conversely, there are many pilots who have experienced this situation before and know what possibilities lie ahead. This might be a bump in the road but could also lead to lasting impacts upon the industry. During this turbulent time, take care of each other while you are out on the road. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

A FOCUS ON SAFETY

Right now, aviation safety is under incredible scrutiny after a string of accidents, incidents, and close calls. When these things happen, the media and the country as a whole, put our operations under a microscope for the world to see. While we have numerous safety systems in place, we have recently seen some fail while others have worked as intended. In the past, the public's fear of flying has caused airline downturns, furloughs, and even bankruptcies. It is more important now than ever that we make sure our overwhelmingly safe operations continue that way.

In operations with so many variables, pilots must control what we can and maintain situational awareness at all times. While we may be doing our job correctly, someone or something might not respond as we expected. Pilots are the last line of defense in the safe operation of aircraft. It is imperative that we do our part and not become complacent. Whether in general aviation or airline operations, fly as you are trained and maintain positive control of the flight deck.

We encourage all our readers to take a moment to think about how they can operate in a safer manner and hone their skills every flight.

A good pilot is always learning. Fly safe.

RECRUITING TIP OF THE MONTH - BE PREPARED!

It is no secret that we are in a completely different hiring market from that of the past few years. Airlines aren't hiring as many new pilots, and the pilot market is flooded with those fleeing their current low-cost-airline jobs. Anyone with fewer than 4000 hours of total time, as well as a decent amount of turbine PIC time, is struggling to land a job at a major. This means that the regional hiring market has also subsided. Interviews are harder to come by and the selection process is now more stringent than it has been.

Because of these factors and many others, we want everyone to be as prepared as possible to land their first job, or their dream job. Résumé and application reviews are extremely important to getting called for an interview. Additionally, interview prep is CRUCIAL to your success when you do finally get the call. We want all our readers to succeed in their careers but must stress that availing yourself of these services will have an exponential return on your investment.