Boeing has released the latest edition of its Pilot and Technician Outlook 2021–2040. This is a forecast of how the aircraft manufacturer expects the industry to recover over the next few years.
“Long-term demand for newly qualified aviation personnel remains strong, as 612,000 new pilots, 626,000 new maintenance technicians and 886,000 new cabin crew members are needed to fly and maintain the global commercial fleet over the next 20 years,” says the Outlook.
“Meeting projected pilot, aircraft mechanic and flight attendant demand is wholly dependent on industry’s investment in a steady pipeline of newly qualified personnel to replace those who have left or will soon exit the industry through mandatory retirement, early retirement, recent layoffs and furloughs, and ongoing attrition.”
Boeing says that the industry has fundamentally changed because of the chaos caused by the pandemic. It acknowledges that “the training industry is adopting increasingly innovative solutions”.
The forecast says that over the next 20 years, 612,000 new pilots are projected to be needed to meet commercial operator demand. In addition, 626,000 new technicians and 886,000 new cabin crew will be needed, making a total of 2,124,000 new personnel.
The biggest numbers are in the USA, with China and the Asia-Pacific region following. Europe is not far behind with a total of 405,000 new personnel including 115,000 pilots.
Download the Boeing report here
