(Photo | courtesy of Clay Trenz)
The aviation industry in Central Oregon has been steadily climbing for years, and this year we see that pattern being repeated. From renovations and upgrades coming to Bend’s private airport to RDM adding in several direct flights to major cities over the last few years, growth to the aviation industry has been a welcome sign of overall economic growth in Central Oregon.
However, keeping up with that growth and the demand that comes with it has presented the industry with some challenges, particularly in the form of training, hiring and maintaining a proper workforce of pilots.
Licensed flight instructor and airline transport pilot Clay Trenz said that, “The pilot job market is hot as a firecracker, right now.” Trenz goes on to discuss the many barriers that bar potential pilots from becoming actual pilots, “The training can be very expensive and depends heavily on the weather. You’re constantly flying away from home, which can be an issue for many people, and historically speaking, the pay is decently low for pilots with little to no experience.”
A reason this job market has become hotter and hotter over recent years is due to many Vietnam-Era pilots aging out of the system, as airline pilots are required to retire at 65, “With more demand, we’re seeing more and more planes in the air,” Trenz said. “Tons of our Vietnam-Era pilots are retiring and we’re simply not seeing that many young people get into this as a career.”
A potential solution to some of those barriers listed above is the emerging flight simulator technology that pilots can use to gain practice hours on, “Simulators can help decrease the overall entry cost for new pilots,” Trenz said. “With access to a technically advanced flight simulator, pilots in training can gain instrument skills, save both time and money, and their practice flights are no longer dependent on the weather. However, this is not the end-all, be-all.”
Simulators aside, there are some leading programs in Central Oregon for new pilots. Leading Edge, Central Oregon Community College and Bend Aircraft Mechanics can all help prospective new pilots reach their professional goals and turn an interest into a career.
In terms of new developments, not too much has changed in the past year, but there are new hangars coming to the Bend Airport, along with a few other upgrades, according to Gwil Evans, an operating partner at Aero Facilities, which is a hangar development and sales company at the Bend Airport.
“We are currently building 17 new hangars, which will put the total number of hangars at the Bend Airport at 65,” Evans said. This growth, particularly in the private aviation sector, is happening at an accelerated rate. In previous years prior to the pandemic, Aero Facilities could only afford to build two or three new hangars a year.
Now, with 17 hangars being built this year, Evans chalks up this growth to the increasing popularity of private flight, among those who can afford it, “Bend has been a hot spot to move to, and for some people looking for specific routes, public aviation can be found lacking,” Evans said. “Private aviation allows total West Coast and PNW travel from anywhere. After the pandemic, it seems like folks who could afford to decide to move to non-commercial air travel, and we’ve seen a huge influx of private airplane ownership, as a result.”
Among the reasons to move private, Evans spoke about the work freedom it can provide, and reiterated the often-heard point that Bend is a hot spot for remote workers looking to explore and travel.
Although the price to develop a hangar has gone up in recent years, Evans said that construction is still steady, citing the fact that the people who are wealthy enough to own multi-million dollar aircraft aren’t too fazed by the increased construction cost.
Aside from hangars, Evans says that the Bend Airport is looking at a few key upgrades. First, there are plans to build a new air traffic control tower to accommodate for increased demand; the tower should be operational by spring 2025. Second, the main runway will be lengthened by 1000 feet, allowing for larger aircraft to land and take off from the airport. Lastly, there are plans to install a fence around the entire property to increase security.
Evans says that once the runway has been improved, we might start to see larger aviation-based companies set their sights on Bend, which could mean more convenient air travel for the people of the community.
With the way Bend and Central Oregon are growing, it seems like the aviation industry is only moving up. Assuming the community can prioritize and incentivize the training of new pilots, the industry should be able to continue its economic growth while satisfying our demand for travel.
