You make a good point. The pilot shortage is the obvious tip of the iceberg, but the maintenance end of the equation is equally important and is being totally overlooked. Being an A&P in general aviation is neither glamorous nor well-paying. Working for the airlines generally means working at night (when the planes are down), doing reams of paperwork, facing difficult deadlines when a scheduled fight has a mechanical problem, and being subjected to intense scrutiny if or when an accident occurs. The work is often insufferably hot or freezing cold. Small wonder that today’s youth are not interested. I just lost the A&P/IA that has maintained my airplane for the past decade. A sudden illness forced him to retire, taking more than a half-century of knowledge with him. Finding a good replacement is proving to be a challenge. Like doctors, some of the A&P/IAs in the area are not taking on any new clients. I have considered getting my A&P license, but holding down a job makes attending mechanic’s school almost impossible (the local school does not offer classes at night). Senator Graham’s proposal only kicks the can a few years down the road without any attempt at solving the root problem (typical congressional buck-passing). And, it ignores half of the problem.