Is there really a pilot shortage?

Consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that despite efforts to close the gap, airlines in North America will face a shortage of nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032. The supply of new pilots will grow, but not enough to offset a continuing wave of retirements, the consultant says. There is cause for hope, however.



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But as air travel demand continues to recover in 2022, our most recent forecast now projects that demand for pilots will outstrip supply in most regions globally between 2022 and 2024 — and continue to worsen over the next decade.

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Consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that despite efforts to close the gap, airlines in North America will face a shortage of nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032. The supply of new pilots will grow, but not enough to offset a continuing wave of retirements, the consultant says. There is cause for hope, however.

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The root cause of the coming shortage varies by region: In the United States, it's an aging workforce facing mandatory retirement, fewer pilots exiting the military, and barriers to entry, including the cost of training.

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According to the Bureau Of Labour Statistics, the average airline pilot salary in America ranges from $202,180 to $208,000.

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WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday voted to pass legislation that would raise the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age to 67 from 65 and make other aviation reforms, with the Senate now set to consider its own measure.

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The average Delta Airlines pilot earns $192,000 with top-earners making $526,000. American Airlines pilots earn an average salary of $118,000, with some pilots earning in excess of $700,000. Most importantly, pilot salaries continue to increase.

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The demand for pilots will be at an all-time high over the next 20 years, according to some industry experts. Most of the expected pilot shortage will be experienced in China and India, with a smaller demand felt in the United States and Middle East.

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A pillar of these reforms is the “1,500 Hour Rule” which requires first officers, also known as co-pilots, to have a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight training time. Since this rule was implemented in 2012, our skies have never been safer.

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American Airlines pilots earn an average salary of $118,000, with some pilots earning in excess of $700,000. Most importantly, pilot salaries continue to increase. Even international airlines pay well. For instance, Qatar pilots average $173-187,000 annually.

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Traditionally a pilot at a regional airline might start out earning less than $50,000 per year, but get hired on by a major airline and that goes up quickly into the six figures, and well over $300,000 for senior captains flying widebody aircraft overseas. Some earn over $400,000.

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Airline pilots fly an average of 75 hours per month and work an additional 150 hours per month performing other duties, such as checking weather conditions and preparing flight plans. Pilots have variable work schedules that may include several days of work followed by some days off.

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World's best airports to land in according to pilots: The 15 airports that all pilots love flying to
  • New York, USA. ...
  • Hamilton Island, Whitsundays, Australia. ...
  • Stavanger, Norway. ...
  • Gibraltar. ...
  • Beijing, China. ...
  • Kittilä, Finland. ...
  • Ilulissat, Greenland. ...
  • San Francisco, USA.


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An acute pilot shortage for major airlines including United, Delta, American and Southwest is forcing the industry to rethink how it trains pilots and recruits the next generation of aviation labor in the cockpit.

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More than a third of commercial pilots still aren't flying for a living, according to a worldwide survey, highlighting the prolonged damage the coronavirus has had on the industry as the crisis enters its third year. The Pilot Survey 2022 found that only 62% of pilots remain in their job, and 20% are unemployed.

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The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, which reauthorizes funding for the Federal Aviation Administration and aviation safety and infrastructure programs for the next five years, includes an amendment that would raise the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 65 to 67.

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The average age of commercial airline pilots is 40+ years years old, representing 61% of the commercial airline pilot population.

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