Wanted: Airline Pilots and Technicians

Wanted: Airline Pilots and Technicians

According to the airline giant Boeing, it has been projected that the world’s aviation system will require roughly 500,000 new commercial airline pilots and close to 600,000 new commercial airline maintenance technicians. Allof these additional personnal will be needed between 2014 and 2033 according to Boeing’s 2014 Pilot and Technician Outlook that was released this year.

According to the Vice President of Boeing Flight Services, Sherry Carbary, this is a need that cannot be solved by just one company. It is indeed a global issue that needs to be addressed by all parties concerned. This includes airlines, aircraft and training equipment manufacturers, training delivery organizations, regulatory agencies and educational institutions around the world.

For example, The North American region is looking to fulfill a demand for 88,000 pilots and 109,000 technicians. The European region will have a demand for 94,000 pilots and 102,000 technicians. Asia-Pacific regions are foreseeing a demand for 216,000 pilots and 224,000 technicians. The Latin American region is looking at 45,000 pilots and 44,000 technicians. The Middle East, due to expansion is also looking at a need for 55,000 pilots and 62,000 technicians. The Russian-CIS region will need 18,000 pilots and 24,000 technicians; while the African region will require 17,000 pilots and 24,000 technicians.

Why the Sudden Need for Airline Employees?

Back in 2008/2009, airline companies were struggling and laid off thousands of employees, including pilots and technicians. In 2001, regulations related to the USA PATRIOT Act and related legislation expanded TSA and FAA oversight of commercial airliners. These two actions combined to create a much larger demand for private charter flights among those who could afford them. This also served to drive down rates in accord with the law of supply and demand. Supplies remained steady while demand rose.

Thus, as private charter companies grew, the commercial airline companies fell on hard times. Many pilots went to work for the smaller competitors and remain to this day. However, when the airliner companies began to see a return in demand for flights as the economy returned to normal in the past few years, their former employees were no longer in the market for jobs, leaving a glut in the commercial industry.

Too bad, so sad. Their loss, brought about by their own short-sightedness resulted in our (and our competitions) gain. To tell the truth, we don’t feel sorry for them because that is just the nature of competion.