Boeing forecasts a demand for up to 790,000 pilots to operate the world’s commercial aircraft fleet in the next 20 years.
This represents double the current workforce from 2018 to 2037, according to the aircraft manufacturer’s newly released 2018 Pilot & Technician Outlook.
Boeing said the heightened pilot demand will be driven by the anticipated doubling of the global commercial aircraft fleet, along with an increase in passenger travel and tightening labor supply.
According to the Boeing forecast, the Asia-Pacific region will lead the global demand for pilots, with a requirement for 261,000 new pilots over the next 20 years, which is followed by North America, 206,000; Europe, 146,000; the Middle East, 64,000; Latin America, 57,000; Africa, 29,000; and Russia/Central Asia, 27,000.
“Despite strong global air traffic growth, the aviation industry continues to face a pilot labor supply challenge, raising concern about the existence of a global pilot shortage in the near-term,” said Keith Cooper, vice president of training and professional services for Boeing Global Services, in a statement. “An emphasis on developing the next generation of pilots is key to help mitigate this.”
Boeing noted that regional markets that have traditionally recruited pilots outside their home markets are increasingly finding, training and developing locally sourced pilots. Cadet programs that train pilots from ground up also have increased in popularity as airlines look to provide career programs and fill their future pilot requirements.
However, Boeing’s 20-year forecast for aircraft maintenance technicians actually decreased from 648,000 to 622,000, mostly due to longer maintenance intervals for new aircraft. Demand for commercial airline cabin crews during the next 20 years will increase slightly from 839,000 to 858,000 due to changes in fleet mix, regulatory requirements, denser seat configurations and multi-cabin configurations, according to Boeing.