committee hearing is about 2.5 hours. >> the committee will come to order. this morning we are having a hearing on strengthening the aviation workforce and we have it a panel here. i plan to have the majority of the hearing chaired by my colleague senator duckworth, a pilot in her own right and chair of the subcommittee, but i am going to make an opening statement and have our colleagues make opening statements, senator moran, then turned it over to her. yesterday at the faa safety summit there was an agreement that there has been an uptick in safety incidents, from near misses to runway incursions. among critical action items is ensuing that we increase training to account for human factors in the cockpit and control tower. we have always had the risk of human error. as we bring in new safety workforce, we must double down on the human factors and training. we also must have the right safety equipment to identify and prevent runway incursions and near misses and these airport surface protection systems that are applied at some airports and other technology like them can help air traffic controllers on track the movement of aircraft on the ground and facilitate commute occasion between the tower and the cockpit. these type of investments are needed for situational awareness and to prevent incidents or accidents so the faa must move forward with the safety upgrades. as captain jason can tell us, this means having enough qualified and talented individuals trained with the most up-to-date expertise in every work group, not just the pilot. the faa workforce must keep pace too and that is what we are here to discuss this morning. we must invest in an faa that has 45,000 employees including 14,000 air traffic controllers, 5000 flight standard workers and 1500 aircraft certification personnel. i look forward to hearing from the representative of the faa safety profession on this issue. from airlines to air force -- airports, americans go to work each day depending on these and visuals. according to the faa, aviation contributed to more than 5% of our gdp, and .9 trillion in total economic activity and supported 11 million jobs. the subcommittee ranking member senator moran knows as well. he and i worked on a lot of issues trying to train a workforce for tomorrow. as the footprint continues to grow we see the economic opportunities for our nation. the u.s. airline industry employees 787,300 28 workers in january of 2023. nearly 8% more than the pre-pandemic time. -- time period of 2023. they are expected to hire more than 10,000 workers in 2023 as production increases continue to rise and careers in this field offer highly skilled, good paying jobs with an average salary over 106,000. about 40% above the national average according to the aerospace industry association. we are proud of this talented workforce, particularly in the my home state. washington is home to more than 130,000 aerospace workers and a supply chain that works with more than 1500 suppliers. with post-pandemic aviation growth we now face new challenges and we need to develop a pipeline of qualified workers to replace those who either retired or voluntarily left the workforce during the covid pandemic. the mean projected growth and commercial aviation over the next 20 years, we will need 128,000 pilots, hundred 34,000 maintenance technicians, 173,000 crewmembers in north america alone. big opportunities for us to scale and train a workforce for the job of tomorrow that is already here today. i look forward to hearing from our witnesses about how we can expand access to aviation jobs through all parts of america. now more than ever we cannot afford to leave good talent on the table. the doctor will tell us about women and people of color and how they are still underrepresented in aviation careers and the gap is the key to ensuring a strong aviation system and making education in pilot access to that diverse workforce more affordable so that they can get that skill set of the future. women represent roughly 5% of airline pilots, less than 12% of aerospace engineers and make up 47% of the total workforce. we've got to bridge the gap and i look forward to hearing from our witnesses. i want to thank you from being here from alaska airlines. we talked last week and she had a compelling story about her own career. and what they are trying to do to meet the gap in the pacific northwest. according to the bureau of labor statistics, the pilots and engineers -- we are going to hear about what we can do to build this pipeline for the future. the cost of flight education as i mentioned is one of those barriers traditional four-year institution can range pass $100,000 subject to rising commission needs and that is why we need to consider policy that will help drive down those costs and get or students into the aviation talent pool. in 2018, we led efforts here on an faa program to help develop a more inclusive talent pool of aviation pilots and technicians. today i have letters for the record from two recipients of the 2023 faa workforce brand recipients in the state of washington. aviation technical services in everett and red tail hawk flying club and part of the black pilots of america. this will help aviation technical services develop and train new airframe mechanics and support military veterans transitioning to a civilian workforce and it will enable red tail hawks, the flying club to help underserved and underrepresented students access aviation education. these organizations are training the next generation of aviation professionals and congress should consider it more ways to build up this successful program. i think we will also hear about how the rotc can play a vital role and we should consider that. strengthening our aviation workforce, having the right skills, making safety in aviation the number one priority, that is what we are here to discuss so thank you to the panelists and i will turn it to the senator. >> thank you, i am excited about this hearing and i recognize its value and importance. i know that we have a lot of expertise in the room. i think this country and the state of kansas and the state of washington is poised for further growth related to aviation airspace and the limiting factor is highly motivated training and educated workforce. we have our work cut out for us, and new statistics to demonstrate how much opportunity and challenge we have. during the 2018 faa reauthorization, congress worked to address this issue by creating the aviation workforce development grant program and strengthening the maintenance and technical workers, a total of $10 million in grants was awarded, more than 20 million recipients but the demand sought by all those applicants was over $120 billion. industry, academia and congress all recognize enough to maintain a global leader must have a strong workforce. i'm here to offer insight on how congress can support the growing demand in the workforce as we pursue the upcoming faa reauthorization decision. i would like to get particular welcome to one of the witnesses today, the president of wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology for wsu tech. the doctor has served in her position as president for almost a decade, overseeing the college transition from wichita technical college to this one, the largest technical college. the commitment specializes in the development of career and technical education while driving economic development in the organization, meeting the needs of the industry. they introduce solutions of building it talent pipeline entitled to works, w e r x. this offers full-time employment within the maintenance and overhaul sector while processing the aviation and maintenance technology program. the doctor offers a unique experience working at higher education and private industry and has helped combat workforce challenges in our state. we appreciate her and i look forward to hearing what offer -- advice she would offer to my colleagues. aviation is one of america's top industries and in kansas, aerospace and aviation makes up nearly 20% of our state exports. wichita also is the biggest base of manufacturing in the nation. our success is preparing them to lead in the industry. it will take innovative programs like those the doctor has helped implement. i look forward to hearing from her and our panelists and i look forward to working with you all as we work to reauthorize the faa. i would to this as an opportunity to thank you again and publicly. in this setting, senator cantwell was hugely necessary, engaged and a willing partner as we passed aviation manufacturing jobs protection during covid, which created the opportunities for us to not lose but to maintain our workforce during a challenging time in the aviation and aerospace industry. the legislation success would not be possible without the senator and i remain grateful to her for her assistance. thank you. >> thank you for working with me on that and the covid program and the on suing -- in ensuing challenges we face in getting it over the goal line, he realized how much the supply chain benefited from those jobs and now there are companies advertising on tv for workers in the challenges we face, i'm glad we kept every child that we could. i will turn it over to our chair of the subcommittee and thank you for sharing and your insights and leadership on this leadership initiative. >> thank you for your leadership on this and it is important to get the reauthorization done and a hearing on that path. thank you to ranking member cruz for helping with the hearing as well. coming out of the pandemic, our aviation system faces a lot of challenges. yet when considering the future of american aviation, they were able to dramatically strengthen our aviation workforce over the next five years. without a properly compensated workforce, the public will be put at risk and the delays will seem mild by comparison. i want to introduce my support for the post-covid safety roles and oppose things that would weaken safety standards. as captain sully sullenberger recently noted, if we were trying to increase the number of physicians, we would not cut medical school from four years to two. i would like to point you to a copy of the chicago tribune piece from captain sullenberger. his voice carries a significant weight and his name is associated with a miracle on the hudson. but in the context of the 15 hour rule is worth highlighting 20000 and 208. it demonstrates why it is more a miracle and more why these skills are so important. captain sullenberger and the first officer had 208 seconds between losing thrust and landing in the hudson river. for the 155 passengers on board, the captain and more had accrued 2500 hours of flight time prior to that. the combined 45,000 hours of -- safety does not begin or end in the air. we also must make it a flight priority for flight attendants and other aviation workers. the number has come down from an all-time peak. there were -- united airlines flight -- they tried to stab him with a broken spoon. a year ago, a passenger was assaulted for -- arrested for assaulting a gate agent after they tried to force them back to the gate. the abuse is disgraceful and must end. i would like to ask that the cwa prepare for the searing into the rent -- record. >> without objection. >> thank you. there is increasing demand, especially for pilots and mechanics. the supply for aviation mechanics could reach more than 40,000 year. the study also suggests that many are already between 55 and 64 years old. having just turned 505i don't think that is that old. in the 2018 reauthorization bill, congress established a develop grant program to enhance institutions that train future pilots and mechanics. our program has been a smashing success. in 2021 alone, applicants saw approval for $121 million in grant funding. strengthening our aviation workforce and the grant money failed to meet the demand of $121 million. -- the next generation of pilots and mechanics. with ranking member senator durand, we included the enhancement act year. i would triple investment in grants that support mechanics while crating a new program to create programs for manufacturers and workers. the senators have also included programs that seek to increase workforce investment. i'm optimistic that working in a bipartisan way, we will craft a proposal that combines the best elements of our partisan bills to ensure the forthcoming faa reauthorization will empower the civil aviation system to build a strong pipeline of pilots and mechanics over the next five years. i look forward to hearing from our witnesses about what congress can do to strengthen our aviation workforce. thank you. that ends my opening statement. would like to move onto introducing our panel. we have in the room -- we may have been in flight school at the same time. she is executive vice president vice president and chief operating officer of alaska airlines cpac welcome. the president of wichita state university. thank you for being here today. and a partner in the aerospace and defense, thank you for joining us. we will begin by recognizing constance for her opening statements. >> thank you, chair. thank you for the opportunity to testify on this important topic. i am the chief operating officer of alaska airlines. proud to represent our company and our 23,000 employees across alaska airport. 14,000 of whom are represented by senators on this committee. i was proud to be a member of the women in aviation advisory board. alaska airlines is the fifth largest carrier in the u.s. and our success is fueled by our people. thank you to our remarkable alaska airlines employees for the work they do every day to operate safely and reliably while delivering the care and service were known for. we are passionate about our guests, our airline and aviation. anchorage to maui, san diego and all. i started my career 30 years ago as an officer in the u.s. army, flying blackhawk helicopters. leading flight operations throughout the world. our team is made up of people from every possible background. still, we found a way to come together and achieve our goals under rigorous circumstances. that is something i hold onto. we build on what we had in common. that is the perspective i bring as we work to solve the big challenges facing aviation today. i believe in building collaborative career pathways that build on relationships between airlines, government, military, manufacturers. the strong aviation workforce is what enables safe and reliable operations and that is something i have been passionate about throughout my career. day-to-day operations on the ground and in the air. my objectives fall into three categories this year. elevating safety, building resilience and enabling growth. this is our top priority along with our top value. this applies to our workforce strategy as well. our workforce enables safety. our safety program is rooted in what we call ready safeco. only after we have ensured we are ready and able to deliver safely do we proceed with the operation. this past year, we updated -- and to recognize the valuable contributions. we finished 2022 with on-time performance and efficiency rates near the top of the industry as we have for the past 16 years. finally enabling growth. enabling growth is based on a strong workforce pipeline. we must have an inclusive approach to expanding and diversifying talent pools, especially from maintenance technicians and pilots. as we plan for the future at alaska airlines, we have established a handful of programs to that end. in both cadets are eligible for low-interest managers -- financial assistance. we expect to graduate 250 pounds per year out of that program. last year, our first person completed this program. kyle is an alaska native who joined alaska airlines -- a success story as we look to grow a significant barrier. this is key to improving access of the pilot pipeline. congress should also expand the investment of this. as well as paved the way for veterans and his work aviation careers. thank you, i look forward to working with this community on advancing and developing the strongest aviation workforce for our common future. it will take the industry collaborated to accomplish this mission. thank you for the opportunity to be here today. i am also the distinguished professor of aviation. my research concentrates on aviation workforce with a focus on women in aviation. and i was a member of the advisory board which served from 20222022. also, develop recommendations for encouraging more women to start careers in aviation. aviation must attract and retain the best possible talent in the widest possible pool. aviation is fundamental for the u.s. military. in addition to quality jobs, we must not take for granted the industries contagious -- continued strength and success. an obvious strategy to address workforce needs when identifying talent. in most aviation occupations, women make up 20%. of the world's top airlines, only seven are led by women. and compound to improve suspicious engagement, the cost issue, inadequate worklife balance, lack of role models and negative workplace culture including harassment. in a 2018 survey, 71% of respondents reported that experienced sexual harassment. they are broken down into five key areas. no single individual entity is responsible for. recruitment recommendation also targets significant cost barriers through new funding avenues. these ensure that women not only remain in the pipeline but are set up for long-term success. by improving professional development and sponsorship opportunities. i am hopeful in my over 30 years in aviation i have never seen so much momentum to expand the aviation workforce. we are seeing opportunities to better reach underrepresented groups. and with support from apartment board will further propel aviation forward and create a stronger industry. >> thank you. >> thank you for holding this important hearing. i am an international captain on the boeing 767. it is an honor to be here today representing more than 63,000 airline pilots. there are enough pilots to make cargo demand. i experienced the pandemic as a frontline worker. this necessary process is expensive. it also relies on a training footprint that includes personnel and similar devices and was not designed for a global pandemic of this magnitude. the good news is we have more pallets available now. with the recovery, airlines are hiring as companies expand market share. they have further complicate of the labor market with pallets moving between airlines and pilots are also leaving airlines that offer less attractive careers that provide good paying jobs and better quality of life. airlines make decisions every day. we believe all americans deserve safe, reliable air service including those in small and rural communities. that said, we should not now or ever consider lowering safety standards. this is a time in aviation history that we should never repeat. not if we want to keep america sky's the safest in the world. since congress passed the bill, passenger fatalities have gone down by 99.8%. the current training requirements are saving lives and we should reject any efforts to undo them. our extraordinarily -- extraordinary safety culture has made being an airline pilot one of the best careers in this country. it is a great time to be a pilot. the number of pilots working for u.s. passenger airlines actually rose 5% in 2019 to 2022. while this is encouraging, we should not lose focus on continuing to maintain and grow a robust pilot pipeline. the airline industry must offer strong and -- strong employees from all backgrounds. the department of transportation should consider and abide by the public interest requirement and enforced aviation workers rights. congress has a unique opportunity to build