FQC Service

As the world commercial fleet expands to more than 39,500 airplanes over the next 20 years, the world’s airlines will need to add 460,000 pilots and 650,000 maintenance technicians, both to fly and maintain the new airplanes and to replace current personnel who are due to retire during the period.

Airplane manufacturers and the aviation industry must keep pace with technology-including online and mobile computing-in order to match the learning styles of tech-savvy pilots and technicians. The growing diversity of pilots and maintenance technicians in training will require instructors to have cross-cultural and cross-generational skills in addition to digital training tools and up-to-date knowledge of the airplanes. Training programs will need to be tailored to enable airplane operators to gain the optimum advantage of the innovative features offered on the latest generation of airplanes, such as the 787 Dreamliner.

The signs of a global pilot shortage are mounting as airlines expand their fleets and flight schedules to meet surging demand in emerging markets. Asian airlines in particular are experiencing delays and operational interruptions due to pilot scheduling constraints. The forecast doubling of the worldwide commercial fleet emphasizes the increasing need for well-trained aviation personnel.

The largest projected growth in pilot demand continues to come from the Asia Pacific region, with a requirement for 183,200 pilots over the next 20 years. China’s expected requirement for 72,700 pilots is the region’s largest. Europe will need 92,500 pilots, North America 82,800, Latin America 41,200, the Middle East 36,600, Africa 14,300, and the CIS 9,900.

The demand for trained maintenance personnel will grow in proportion to the expanding global fleet. Many emerging markets currently recruit trained personnel from outside the region to fulfill their growing need for maintenance mechanics, technicians, and managers. There will be a strong need for basic skills training in these emerging markets to develop a local source of technicians.

The need for maintenance personnel will grow most rapidly in the Asia Pacific region, which will require 247,400 new personnel. China’s requirement will be the region’s greatest, with an expected need for 108,300 maintenance personnel. North America will need to add 134,800 maintenance personnel, Europe 129,600, the Middle East 53,000, Latin America 52,500, Africa 19,200, and the CIS 13,500.