The United States Air Force has a shortage of mechanics to provide support for its fighter airplanes. VOA recently reported that the Air Force has 725 fighter pilots less than the 3,500 it is permitted to have. It is training about 135 more fighter pilots this year than in 2014. But it will be a long time before they are ready for action. Pilots must train for years -- at a cost of millions of dollars -- before they have enough experience to fly fighter jets. The fighter pilot shortage is happening at a time when private airline companies are adding pilots. Private airlines pay more and their pilots spend less time away from home. Two Air Force generals told VOA that the military is still able to meet the demands for fighter jet support. But they added that unless more pilots choose a career in the Air Force, the service will soon be unable to meet the demands of top commanders.
Title: US Air Force Faces Shortage of Fighter Jet Mechanics
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/fighter_jet_mechanics.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='US Air Force Faces Shortage of Fighter Jet Mechanics' data-article-id='2059'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='9458'>The United States Air Force has a shortage of mechanics to provide support for its fighter airplanes.</span> <span data-start-time='9458' data-end-time='22958'>VOA recently reported that the Air Force has 725 fighter pilots less than the 3,500 it is permitted to have.</span> <span data-start-time='22958' data-end-time='31438'>It is training about 135 more fighter pilots this year than in 2014.</span> <span data-start-time='31438' data-end-time='37917'>But it will be a long time before they are ready for action.</span> <span data-start-time='37917' data-end-time='50354'>Pilots must train for years -- at a cost of millions of dollars -- before they have enough experience to fly fighter jets.</span> <span data-start-time='50354' data-end-time='59958'>The fighter pilot shortage is happening at a time when private airline companies are adding pilots.</span> <span data-start-time='59958' data-end-time='68646'>Private airlines pay more and their pilots spend less time away from home.</span> <span data-start-time='68646' data-end-time='79375'>Two Air Force generals told VOA that the military is still able to meet the demands for fighter jet support.</span> <span data-start-time='79375' data-end-time='92417'>But they added that unless more pilots choose a career in the Air Force, the service will soon be unable to meet the demands of top commanders.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/fighter_jet_mechanics.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=7687 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/what_does_mechanic_mean.m4a'>What does mechanic mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a person who repairs machines such as engines and keeps them running properly'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/a_person_who_has_no_job.m4a'><span>a person who has no job</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/a_person_who_constructs_buildings.m4a'><span>a person who constructs buildings</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/a_person_who_works_in_construction.m4a'><span>a person who works in construction</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/a_person_who_repairs_machines_such_as_engines_and_keeps_them_running_properly.m4a'><span>a person who repairs machines such as engines and keeps them running properly</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=7688 data-hint-location='9458' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/how_many_fighter_pilots_is_the_air_force_permitted_to_have.m4a'>How many fighter pilots is the Air Force permitted to have?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='3,500'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/3000.m4a'><span>3,000</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/3500.m4a'><span>3,500</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/1500.m4a'><span>1,500</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/2000.m4a'><span>2,000</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=7689 data-hint-location='50354' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/the_fighter_pilot_shortage_is_happening_at_a_time_when_private__blank__companies_are_adding_pilots.m4a'>The fighter pilot shortage is happening at a time when private <span class='blank'>airline</span> companies are adding pilots.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='airline'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/airline.m4a'><span>airline</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/military.m4a'><span>military</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/sports.m4a'><span>sports</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1544/construction.m4a'><span>construction</span></div></div></div><div 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