Estimates That More Than A Million New Pilots, Technicians
Needed Over Next 20 Years
Who will be the next generation of pilots and technicians to
serve the aviation industry? The question is central to Boeing's
2011 Pilot and Technician Outlook, which was released Wednesday at
the Paris Air Show. The document calls on the aviation
industry to invest, evolve and adapt to support the expected
exponential growth in demand for qualified aviation personnel.
The Boeing outlook indicates that by
2030 the aviation industry will require 460,000 new commercial
airline pilots, as well as 650,000 new commercial airline
maintenance technicians.
"Clearly, the sheer size of this vital pipeline is staggering,"
said Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services. "To
meet the demand for capable, well-trained people, Boeing and the
aviation industry need to move with the speed of technology to
provide the tools, training and work environment that tech-savvy
pilots and technicians will expect from us."
Boeing projects that airlines will need an average of 23,000 new
commercial jet pilots and 32,500 new technicians per year to
maintain and fly an expanded world fleet expected to grow to nearly
40,000 airplanes over the next 20 years, as well as replace the
coming wave of retirements.
The largest demand for pilots and
technicians will be in the Asia Pacific region, with an expected
need for 182,300 pilots and 247,400 technicians. China alone will
need 72,700 pilots and 108,300 technicians.
Projected demand in other regions:
- North America – 82,800 pilots and 134,800
technicians
- Europe – 92,500 pilots and 129,600 technicians
- Africa – 14,300 pilots and 19,200 technicians
- Middle East – 36,600 pilots and 53,000 technicians
- Latin America – 41,200 pilots and 52,500 technicians
- Russia and CIS – 9,900 pilots and 13,500 technicians
"We are adapting our technologies, devices and training methods
to attract new people to the industry. That means new-tech
solutions, including online and mobile computing that is engaging,
realistic, portable and accessible to meet the learning styles of
today's and future generations," Carbary said. "We want to
ensure that our trainers, those creating and delivering the
courseware, are equipped with the knowledge, digital tools and
cross-cultural and cross-generational skills to match the
rapidly-changing needs of tomorrow's aviation workforce."
Carbary pointed out that meeting the demands of the future also
means working with industry to transform the air traffic management
system as well as pioneering digital delivery of essential
navigation and in-flight data so that pilots and airlines are
connected with real-time information – allowing them to
optimize flights and overall operations and maximize the capacity
of the global system.