Boeing has unveiled its latest Pilot and Technician Outlook (PTO), projecting a soaring demand for aviation personnel over the next 20 years. With the global commercial airplane fleet expected to double by 2042, the industry is estimated to require 2.3 million new aviation professionals – pilots, technicians and cabin crew, to support the expansion and meet the long-term growing needs of air travel worldwide.
According to the PTO report, commercial carriers will be seeking about 649,000 pilots, 690,000 maintenance technicians, and 938,000 cabin crew members to bolster the global commercial fleet.
With domestic air travel fully recovered and international traffic near pre-pandemic levels, demand for aviation personnel continues to increase.
Chris Broom, Vice President of Commercial Training Solutions, Boeing Global Services
“Our competency-based training and assessment offerings will help ensure high-quality training for future and current aviation professionals and continue enhancing aviation safety through immersive and virtual training solutions”, stated Chris Broom, Vice President of Commercial Training Solutions at Boeing Global Services.
The PTO forecasts reveal that the driving forces behind the demand for aviation personnel will be China, Eurasia, and North America, accounting for over half of the industry’s requirements through 2042. Particularly noteworthy is China’s significance, as its personnel needs are projected to surpass North America’s.
The report also indicates the fastest-growing regions for aviation personnel to be Africa, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, with their regional demand expected to almost double. Moreover, after omitting Russia from last year’s PTO due to uncertainties in the region, this year’s forecast includes Russia in the Eurasia region, constituting 3% of the global demand for aviation professionals.
Consistent with last year’s forecast, this year’s outlook does not include business aviation and civil helicopter demand. New personnel demand is calculated based on a 20-year fleet forecast for commercial aviation aircraft with more than 30 seats. By analyzing fleet growth and replacement, aircraft utilization, attrition rates, and regional differences in crewing specific to aircraft type, Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook estimates the number of new pilots, maintenance technicians, and cabin crew members needed worldwide to meet global traffic demand. While the PTO does not include assumptions for single-pilot commercial airplane operations, it does consider impacts from alternative modes of transportation, such as advanced air mobility and high-speed rail.
