The history of aviation
The history of aviation has evolved over a two-thousand-year period, emerging from primitive yet innovative techniques such as kite flying and tower jumping to the current supersonic and hypersonic jets that can fly around the world in just less than twenty-four hours. Decades ago, pilots were greatly respected, had a popular form of employment, and were rewarded well for their work. However, recent challenges and changes in the airline industry have led to severe shortages of pilots with the grounding of most aircraft and the bankruptcy of some big airlines. Such shortages stem from several reasons. They include the general increase in the number of passengers using airlines which directly contributes to an ever-growing demand for more pilots as aircraft increase in number, the rise in cases of retiring pilots as well as the lack of safety in the industry that puts off most recruits. Also, the recent disasters involving several aircraft have led to a change in approaches to training that increases the cost of making a pilot as well as time spent in school and the number of flight hours for qualification. More importantly, there has emerged a trend of poor working conditions and inadequate or nonexistent remuneration that impeded pilots from realizing their dreams. Hence, the impact of such shortages has been felt worldwide within the industry and has led to drastic changes. However, some approaches can be used to mitigate the problem and, when backed with appropriate policies, may see more pilots take to the skies with the transportation of more passengers to various destinations.