Boeing has published a forecast of demand for pilots and engineering personnel (Pilot and Technician Outlook) for 2018, according to which the need for pilots for the next 20 years will be more than 790,000 specialists. This figure is twice the number of aviation specialists in operation today and reflects the most significant demand for the nine-year history of forecast preparation.
The demand is due to the expected twofold increase in the global fleet of civil aircraft, a record high need for air transportation and a decline of the labor market. In 2018, the forecast for the first time includes data on segments of business aviation and civilian helicopters.
“Despite the steady global growth in air transportation, the aviation industry continues to experience difficulties in recruiting pilots, which makes us think about the global shortage of personnel in the short term”, said the Vice President, Training & Professional Services, Boeing Global Services, Keith Cooper. “To eliminate the consequences of this problem, it is extremely important to focus on preparing the next generation of pilots. With its network of training centers and joint work with flight training institutions around the world, Boeing is joining forces with customers, government agencies and educational institutions to prepare the market to meet this significant demand for pilots”, added he.
To meet the growing demand of operators, Boeing offers its Pilot Development Program, which is an accelerated training course for specialists from the initial level of training to the level of a second pilot in a certain type of aircraft. Boeing also helps operators to improve crew performance with tools to optimize the use of resources and minimize disruptions.
While the forecast for demand for commercial pilots remains almost unchanged, the need for engineering personnel will decrease from 648,000 to 622,000 people, mainly due to the increase in the intervals for the maintenance of new aircraft. In business aviation and civil helicopter segments, a total of 155,000 additional pilots and 132,000 technicians will additionally be required.
The demand for cabin crews of civil aviation increased slightly in the report from 839,000 to 858,000 specialists due to changes in fleet composition, regulatory requirements, increase in the number of passenger seats and use of multi-class aircraft layout, which requires a more individual approach to passenger service. In addition, 32,000 flight attendants in the business aviation segment will be required.
In the next two decades, Russia and the CIS countries will need 27,000 civil aviation pilots, including data on business aviation and civil helicopter segments, 27,000 aircraft technicians, and 29,000 cabin crew specialists to operate 1,290 new civil aircraft in the period to 2037, Boeing.
