MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean Air Force pilots migrating to commercial airlines

Chilean Air Force pilots prefear to fly for commercial airlines

The Chilean Air Force is increasingly concerned with the “loss” of highly trained pilots that are migrating to commercial airlines attracted by higher salaries and better working conditions. The issue is considered so serious that the Congressional Senate and Lower House Defence committees have decided to address the issue.

According to a long interview with the Chilean Air Force commander General Ricardo Ortega published in a Sunday edition of El Mercurio "in 2007 I lost 17 pilots and so far this year another 12" with little prospects of an end to the migration. Every year the Chilean Air Force, probably the best equipped in South America prepares on average 22 highly trained pilots. "This is an extremely serious issue which we have addressed with General Ortega, and a most legitimate and justified concern, because competition from commercial airlines for Chilean Air Force pilots is tremendously strong", said Renan Fuentealba, president of the Lower House Defence Committee. But the solution is not easy, since increasing the income of Air Force pilots means an overall higher budget for the service which "is almost impossible". Another is granting pilots a special bonus for so many years of service, but here also budget regulations could be an impediment. "The only way to keep the pilots in the Air Force is giving them incentives so they won't migrate, and this is an economic challenge for us lawmakers", said Sergio Romero from the Chilean Senate's Defence Committee, who nevertheless cautioned that "there's no way we should force Air Force pilots to remain, this would affect the whole service's morale". A Chilean Air Force pilot makes 1.700 US dollars per month while commercial airlines are paying a basic 3.500 US dollars which could reach 10.000 US dollars depending on experience. Senator Romero said that the objective is not to match Air Force pilots pay with that in the private sector "but avoid the best way possible such an ostentatious difference".