The new ATP certification test may cost up to $15,000. How will these high costs impact the pool of ATPs available to the airlines?

A person cannot be thinking right to want to get into commercial aviation. The new FAR requirement is just a spit in the bucket when looking at the cost/benefit analysis. There's things like career ending injuries that hardly any other profession needs to worry about, there's mergers, and seniority issues related to that, Chpt 11, Chpt 7, furloughs, HR, and a host of other issues. Did I mention TSA, NSA, and the IRS which could also ruin a pilot's aspirations?

Is this a joke?

Even less pilots to draw from the Air Force in future years. They now have drone "pilots". Right out of pilot training, guys end up as joy stick operators. With a civilian pipeline full of inexperienced pilots making little money, things could get quite dicey in the not to distant future. Navy pilots on the other hand could have quite the advantage!!!!