Ratio of Pilots to FAA Employees

[CT4ME]

'Received an email from my Father-in-Law, with some interesting numbers. I checked... they are legit (2010-ish numbers). Astonishing.

Number of active pilots in the US:
72,280 student pilots
234 recreational pilots
3,248 sport pilots
211,619 private pilots
125,738 commercial pilots
144,600 airline transport pilots
21,268 glider-only pilots
15,298 rotorcraft-(helicopter)-only pilots

594285 Total active pilots in the US
47256 Number of 2010 employees in the FAA

12.6 Number of active pilots for every 1 FAA employee

 

[wanttaja]

Look at it from the FAA's point of view:

Airline passengers per year: 630,000,000
FAA Employees: 47256

Ratio of Aviation users to FAA employees: ~13,000:1

Ron Wanttaja

 

[Captain]

Well, I go on a flight from ORD to DEN and I talk to clearance delivery, ground, tower, departure twice, Chicago Center 3 times, Minniapolis Center once or twice, Kansas City Center once or twice, Denver Center three or four times, Denver Approach three times, Denver Tower, and Denver ground.

At most thats 20 people for just me and my FO in the cockpit. Plus my company has a POI, a Mx Inspector and a FSDO office they report to that's just the local folks that I deal with.

What's the ratio of coaches to any sports team? How should it be set up IYO?

 

[Henning]

Consider that many FAA employees at the FSDO in fact hold an airman certificate. How does that influence the balance of power? What does that represent to you?

 

[roncachamp]

'Received an email from my Father-in-Law, with some interesting numbers. I checked... they are legit (2010-ish numbers). Astonishing.

Number of active pilots in the US:
72,280 student pilots
234 recreational pilots
3,248 sport pilots
211,619 private pilots
125,738 commercial pilots
144,600 airline transport pilots
21,268 glider-only pilots
15,298 rotorcraft-(helicopter)-only pilots

594285 Total active pilots in the US
47256 Number of 2010 employees in the FAA

12.6 Number of active pilots for every 1 FAA employee

Why do you compare the total number of FAA employees to just the number of pilots? The FAA has oversight over more than just pilots; aircraft mechanics, for example.

 

[Anthony]

What's the ratio of coaches to any sports team? How should it be set up IYO?

Last time I checked, the coaches were employed by the sports team, not the league.

 

[RotorAndWing]

The FAA is made up of several functions, such as Air Traffic Control, Airports, Navigation Facilities, Manufacturing, Aircraft Evaluation Groups, Flight Standards, Flight Inspection, etc.

When you look at the total of GA and Air Carrier flights that occur each year, including foreign Air Carriers coming into and exiting the US the number of operations are in the millions (sorry I don't have an exact number).

 

[AdamZ]

Also don't forget that FAA also has some oversight of foreign flights that arrive and depart from the U.S. I'm not sure what that number is but if the number of different accents I hear when I fly through JFK Bravo is any indication then thats quite a few, then add every other American International Airport to to that mix. I think but am not sure that the FAA also has oversight over Flight Attendants, I'm sure one of the FAA guys here may know,

 

[Kelvin]

Interesting gotcha statistic for sure....but the FAA deals with facilities, pilots, mechanics, aircraft manufacturing and certification...

I am not sure at the number has any real meaning....

 

[flyingron]

Of course, you're also not taking into account the contract employees used for FSS, some ATC functions, etc...

 

[Henning]

Also don't forget that FAA also has some oversight of foreign flights that arrive and depart from the U.S. I'm not sure what that number is but if the number of different accents I hear when I fly through JFK Bravo is any indication then thats quite a few, then add every other American International Airport to to that mix. I think but am not sure that the FAA also has oversight over Flight Attendants, I'm sure one of the FAA guys here may know,

I think the FAA has hind sight over Flight Attendants...

 

[RotorAndWing]

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/aba/admin_factbook/media/201103.pdf

 

[tonycondon]

you seem to think that the faa exists to serve pilots???

 

[Brad Z]

Of those 47,000 employees, 35,000 of them are in the air traffic side of the house...i.e. controllers, technical operations (people who maintain navaids, communication systems, radar facilities, etc.)

As far as pilot regulation, that would be done by just a portion on the 7,000 employees in Aviation safety. But as others mentioned, they regulate a lot more people than just pilots.

 

[RotorAndWing]

think but am not sure that the FAA also has oversight over Flight Attendants

You are correct.

 

[steingar]

What is the point of this thread? I could compare the number of FAA employees to the number of elephants, or Origami enthusiasts. Doesn't mean I come up with a meaningful number.

 

[RotorAndWing]

What is the point of this thread? I could compare the number of FAA employees to the number of elephants, or Origami enthusiasts. Doesn't mean I come up with a meaningful number.

Alot of people believe everyone in the FAA are Inspectors. They don't realize how it all breaks down.

There are less than 3000 actual "Inspectors" (those carrying 110A's) in the FAA. ( I don't have the actual number handy).

 

[steingar]

Alot of people believe everyone in the FAA are Inspectors. They don't realize how it all breaks down.

Must be sad to not realize that all those guys in all those towers are all FAA employees. Doesn't seem like that big a stretch to me. I guess I'm just special.

 

[Everskyward]

What is the point of this thread? I could compare the number of FAA employees to the number of elephants, or Origami enthusiasts. Doesn't mean I come up with a meaningful number.

Seems like it's from one of those emails that get spread around which take some numbers and manipulate them into whatever the author desires to make his or her supposed point.

 

[wanttaja]

you seem to think that the faa exists to serve pilots???

Sure, just like "The Twilight Zone"...

Ron Wanttaja

 

[denverpilot]

Seems like it's from one of those emails that get spread around which take some numbers and manipulate them into whatever the author desires to make his or her supposed point.

Many of those contain unverifiable "facts" or outright opinions in lieu of facts.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the fairly obvious agenda of whoever noticed the ratio, but it at least is based in facts that can be verified and/or even discussed or expanded upon, like the questions already posed about the juxtaposition of the two groups.

 

[N801BH]

Must be sad to not realize that all those guys in all those towers are all FAA employees. Doesn't seem like that big a stretch to me. I guess I'm just special.

Actually alot of towers are staffed by contract labor.. Like Serco. (sp)

 

[N801BH]

I think the FAA has hind sight over Flight Attendants...

You must not get out much.... 99.274 of the current batch of Flight Attendants do not deserve a second look.... The first look usually has me shaking my head is disbelief the airline really hired "less the attractive" people.....

Flame suit on...

 

[EppyGA]

What is the point of this thread? I could compare the number of FAA employees to the number of elephants, or Origami enthusiasts. Doesn't mean I come up with a meaningful number.

I have to agree.

 

[Henning]

You must not get out much.... 99.274 of the current batch of Flight Attendants do not deserve a second look.... The first look usually has me shaking my head is disbelief the airline really hired "less the attractive" people.....

Flame suit on...

Outside of Hollywood's imagination, where does gay = beautiful? <hiding behind your flamesuit with >

 

[CT4ME]

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the fairly obvious agenda of whoever noticed the ratio

No Agenda... the numbers can be used to make points on either side. While researching to make sure the numbers were close, I found that the FAA tracks these numbers themselves... including ratio of employees to registered aircraft, hours flown, miles flown, etc. I guess a view of the ratios over the years would be interesting.