美国空军面临飞行员短缺问题

（单词翻译）

AS IT IS 2016-03-14 US Running Out of Pilots 美国空军面临飞行员短缺问题

Regional airlines in the United States are short of pilots.

Many older airline pilots are retiring. Federal¹ regulations require pilots to take time off between flights to rest. Pilots are staying at their jobs overseas and in the military.

Republic Airways², a regional airline, filed for bankruptcy³ last week. Low profit and the pilot shortage⁴ were factors in the bankruptcy, according to the Associated Press.

Also, America’s largest airlines are hiring pilots from regional airlines. There are too few pilots to fill the vacancies⁵. Some openings are being filled through flight schools. But flight school attendance⁶ is down. That means trained pilots are difficult to locate.

Salaries for new pilots are low. The starting salary for first officers in the regional airline industry is $22,400, according to The Los Angeles Times. That salary is keeping pilots in the military and working for foreign competitors.

Captain Lee Moak is past president of Air Line Pilots Association⁷ International. He told The Los Angeles Times that “there is a shortage of pay and benefits for pilots in the regional airlines industry, not a shortage of pilots.” 

A lack of active pilots could hurt the future United States economy. In the next 20 years, the supply of pilots to fly passengers will meet just two-thirds of the demand, according to Forbes magazine.

A lack of pilots at regional airlines will mean less business and lower revenue⁸. Fares will be higher, while routes will be fewer.

Words in This Story

airline – n. a company that owns and operates many passenger airplanes

bankruptcy – n. a condition of financial failure caused by not having the money that you need to pay your debts

vacancies – n. jobs or positions that are available

fare – n. the money a person pays to travel on an airplane, train or other vehicle

regulations - n. rules

salary - n. the amount of money an employee is paid each year