Boeing says the Asia Pacific region will need to train hundreds of thousands of new pilots and maintainers over the next 20 years to meet the meet the demands of airline fleet modernisation and the growth of air travel.
The company’s Pilot & Technician Outlook is the latest study to raise concerns about a shortfall of trained aviation personnel as growth in Asian air travel continues to outstrip the rest of the world.
“This great need for aviation personnel is a global issue, but it’s hitting the Asia Pacific region particularly hard,” said Bob Bellitto, global sales director, Boeing Flight Services. “Some airlines are already experiencing delays and operational interruptions because they don’t have enough qualified pilots.”
Boeing’s study predicts the region will need 185,600 new pilots and 243,500 technicians through 2030 — nearly double the numbers required by the next fastest-growing region, Europe. China will account for almost 40 per cent of that demand while the Oceania region, which includes Australia, will need 12,900 pilots and 17,100 technicians.
“As an industry, we have to get the next generation excited about working in the field of aviation,” Bellitto said. “We are competing for talent with alluring hi-tech, software and mobile companies and start-ups. We’re working hard to showcase our industry as a truly global, technological, multi-faceted environment where individuals from all backgrounds and disciplines can make a significant impact.”
Boeing has previously predicted that the Asia Pacific will produce demand for 12,030 new commercial aircraft over the next two decades.
