Israeli Arkia passenger flight loses contact over Hungary, NATO scrambles fighter jets

Several factors will be contributing to an upcoming pilot shortage:

• In the summer of 2013, newly hired pilots will be required to have 1,500 hours of prior flight experience—six times the current minimum
• Upcoming (2014) Federal Safety Rule fatigue laws decrease flight time
• Senior pilots hitting mandatory retirement at 65
• Tight airline budgets, costs cut

So the question is is the so-called upcoming pilot shortage a trumped-up scare tactic by the airlines to get themselves wiggle room in the face of regulations they’ve had years to prepare to comply with?