Will pilots be needed in the next 10 years?

In 2020, the number of pilots aged over 45 was around 16,000, while the demand for air travel has been growing strongly and consistently over the last decade. In total, it is estimated that around 81,000 additional pilots will be needed across the Americas between 2019 and 2029.



People Also Ask

Yes, being a pilot is worth it for many students. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5% job growth for airline and commercial pilots over the next ten years.

MORE DETAILS

The Sky's the Limit: The Growing Demand for Pilots
Boeing's 2022 Pilot & Technician Outlook forecasts a need for 626,000 new pilots by 2040, as airlines and operators continue to expand their fleets and networks. This impressive figure highlights the ample opportunities that lie ahead for current and aspiring pilots.

MORE DETAILS

Robotic pilots will probably take the position of human pilots, although a human pilot will still be needed to control the aircraft. AI or Robots can replace a pilot, but when? Aviation technology applications are not always created with human interaction in mind.

MORE DETAILS

Boeing Forecast Trusted by more than 100 aviation regulatory agencies worldwide, the current Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook concludes that the aviation industry will need to supply more than 602,000 commercial airline pilots worldwide over the next 20 years2.

MORE DETAILS

In the current estimate for 2021-2040, over the next two decades 612,000 new pilots will be required worldwide, with 130,000 of these in North America, primarily the U.S.. Expectations are similar for other staff in the aviation industry such as mechanics and cabin crew, as the whole market expands.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

There are many reasons why becoming a pilot is worth it. For starters, it's a career that offers great freedom and flexibility. Pilots can travel all around the world and experience different cultures, climates, and landscapes.

MORE DETAILS

Getting a job as an airline pilot can take time. However, depending on how the aviation industry looks and if your pilot school links with partner airlines, it can be a quick process.

MORE DETAILS

I even here in North America and in Europe it's a very well-respected career. It's a well-paid career. Even more so as you accrue hours of flight experience. I think there's lots of benefits associated to it that I think the layman employee would not really have the options to do.

MORE DETAILS

In any case, the position is a rare privilege in the US, with commercial pilots accounting for just 0.05% of the population.

MORE DETAILS

WASHINGTON—An updated forecast from Oliver Wyman narrows its 10-year U.S. pilot shortage projections. The consulting firm now expects that by 2032, the North American industry will be short 13,305 pilots, down 23% from its previous forecast of 17,286. If pre-pandemic levels of activity from regional...

MORE DETAILS

Aside from the realities of the physics of flight, people will always want to be on the move. Demand for air travel will keep growing in the foreseeable future, according to IATA, whose recent figures show that demand is expected to reach 94% of 2019 levels in 2023 and will increase to 103% in 2024 and 111% in 2025.

MORE DETAILS

Autonomous planes are coming in the not-too distant future. Many in the aviation industry believe that small pilotless planes could be carrying travellers by the end of the decade. After a period of no major incidents, it could take another decade before larger jets operate without a pilot.

MORE DETAILS

The industry's pilot shortage is likely to continue for a few years and airlines are negotiating bumper new contracts, which means pay is expected to keep rising. The mounting labor costs will affect the whole sector but impact some airline stocks more than others.

MORE DETAILS

Tsourdos says it is highly unlikely that we will have commercial flights without pilots any time soon. “The role of the pilots may change through the years, so they will be supervisors. I think from the safety and resilience point of view, it's unlikely they'll disappear,” he says.

MORE DETAILS

Yes, being a pilot is worth it for many students. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5% job growth for airline and commercial pilots over the next ten years.

MORE DETAILS

Commercial flying is all about getting where you want to be, and planting your feet. You are never too old to earn your pilot's license as long as you can pass all the physical and mental requirements. Nor is there an age limit on flying.

MORE DETAILS

On average, pilots rate the meaningfulness of their work a 3.6/5. Unlike many careers, pilots have little difficulty finding meaning in their work, and it likely constitutes one of the main reasons people become pilots.

MORE DETAILS