Boeing has released its 2018 Pilot & Technician Outlook, projecting demand for 790,000 pilots over the next 20 years – that’s almost 40,000 pilots a year!
This represents double the current workforce and the most significant demand in the outlook’s nine-year history, said Boeing.
The demand is being driven by an anticipated doubling of the global commercial airplane as well as record-high air travel demand and a tightening labour supply.
This year’s outlook also includes data from the business aviation and civil helicopter sectors for the first time.
“Despite strong global air traffic growth, the aviation industry continues to face a pilot labour supply challenge, raising concern about the existence of a global pilot shortage in the near-term,” said Keith Cooper, vice president of Training & Professional Services, Boeing Global Services.
“An emphasis on developing the next generation of pilots is key to help mitigate this.”
Collectively, the business aviation and civil helicopter sectors will demand an additional 155,000 pilots and 132,000 technicians.
