Boeing said today that airlines will have to hire 498,000 pilots — about 25,000 each year — to support all the new aircraft they are expected to add to their fleets over the next two decades.
Boeing's outlook, released today during the launch of the 787 flight training center at its campus here, predicts demand for pilots will grow in all regions except for Europe. The projected increase in pilot demand is greater than what Boeing had indicated in previous forecasts. It is particularly driven by airlines' interest in single-aisle aircraft, the company said.
But other factors are coming into play, analysts say. Thousands of pilots are retiring this year just as the Federal Aviation Administration is introducing new rules requiring new training and more rest in between flights.
The FAA announced a new rule last month requiring co-pilots, or first officers, to get 1,500 hours of flight time for their certification, up from 250 hours.
Starting next year, the minimum rest period before a pilot's flight duty will increase from eight hours to 10 and must include the ability to get eight hours of sleep in a row.
"The urgent demand for competent aviation personnel is a global issue that is here now and is very real," said Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services. "The key to closing the pilot and technician gap in our industry is enhancing our training with the latest, cutting-edge technologies to attract and retain young people interested in careers in aviation."
North America has a projected demand for 85,700 pilots and 97,900 technicians. Latin America will be in need of 48,600 pilots and 47,600 technicians.
Analysts say the brunt of the shortage will be felt by regional carriers that operate half of the USA's scheduled flights. They simply won't be able to compete with the larger airlines.
The pool of qualified candidates is drying up for everyone, says Robert Mann, president of airline consulting company R.W. Mann & Co. in Port Washington, N.Y. The industry has historically hired former military pilots, he says. "These days the military is short of pilots, not mustering them out, like in the post-Vietnam years through the 1980s," he said.
Airlines Facing a Severe Pilot Shortage - Boeing Reports
Published Aug 29, 2013 on Pilot Jobs
FREE Airline Pilot Career Guide. — Requirements, Pay, Steps and More. Download Now »
Airlines will need nearly half a million new commercial pilots worldwide by 2032 as they expand their fleets, an industry forecast released today by airliner manufacturer Boeing predicts.
Boeing said today that airlines will have to hire 498,000 pilots — about 25,000 each year — to support all the new aircraft they are expected to add to their fleets over the next two decades.
Boeing's outlook, released today during the launch of the 787 flight training center at its campus here, predicts demand for pilots will grow in all regions except for Europe. The projected increase in pilot demand is greater than what Boeing had indicated in previous forecasts. It is particularly driven by airlines' interest in single-aisle aircraft, the company said.
But other factors are coming into play, analysts say. Thousands of pilots are retiring this year just as the Federal Aviation Administration is introducing new rules requiring new training and more rest in between flights.
The FAA announced a new rule last month requiring co-pilots, or first officers, to get 1,500 hours of flight time for their certification, up from 250 hours.
Starting next year, the minimum rest period before a pilot's flight duty will increase from eight hours to 10 and must include the ability to get eight hours of sleep in a row.
"The urgent demand for competent aviation personnel is a global issue that is here now and is very real," said Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services. "The key to closing the pilot and technician gap in our industry is enhancing our training with the latest, cutting-edge technologies to attract and retain young people interested in careers in aviation."
North America has a projected demand for 85,700 pilots and 97,900 technicians. Latin America will be in need of 48,600 pilots and 47,600 technicians.
Analysts say the brunt of the shortage will be felt by regional carriers that operate half of the USA's scheduled flights. They simply won't be able to compete with the larger airlines.
The pool of qualified candidates is drying up for everyone, says Robert Mann, president of airline consulting company R.W. Mann & Co. in Port Washington, N.Y. The industry has historically hired former military pilots, he says. "These days the military is short of pilots, not mustering them out, like in the post-Vietnam years through the 1980s," he said.
Boeing said today that airlines will have to hire 498,000 pilots — about 25,000 each year — to support all the new aircraft they are expected to add to their fleets over the next two decades.
Boeing's outlook, released today during the launch of the 787 flight training center at its campus here, predicts demand for pilots will grow in all regions except for Europe. The projected increase in pilot demand is greater than what Boeing had indicated in previous forecasts. It is particularly driven by airlines' interest in single-aisle aircraft, the company said.
But other factors are coming into play, analysts say. Thousands of pilots are retiring this year just as the Federal Aviation Administration is introducing new rules requiring new training and more rest in between flights.
The FAA announced a new rule last month requiring co-pilots, or first officers, to get 1,500 hours of flight time for their certification, up from 250 hours.
Starting next year, the minimum rest period before a pilot's flight duty will increase from eight hours to 10 and must include the ability to get eight hours of sleep in a row.
"The urgent demand for competent aviation personnel is a global issue that is here now and is very real," said Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services. "The key to closing the pilot and technician gap in our industry is enhancing our training with the latest, cutting-edge technologies to attract and retain young people interested in careers in aviation."
North America has a projected demand for 85,700 pilots and 97,900 technicians. Latin America will be in need of 48,600 pilots and 47,600 technicians.
Analysts say the brunt of the shortage will be felt by regional carriers that operate half of the USA's scheduled flights. They simply won't be able to compete with the larger airlines.
The pool of qualified candidates is drying up for everyone, says Robert Mann, president of airline consulting company R.W. Mann & Co. in Port Washington, N.Y. The industry has historically hired former military pilots, he says. "These days the military is short of pilots, not mustering them out, like in the post-Vietnam years through the 1980s," he said.
