Boeing projects annual demand for 30,850 pilots 

New York: Global airlines will need 30,850 pilots a year for the next two decades to meet the rising demand, according to a forecast by Boeing Co, which considered new planes on order and surging demand for air travel in its forecast. Boeing projected the future demand for 2.11 million jobs in the global aviation sector including new commercial airline pilots, maintenance technicians and cabin crew to operate the world’s commercial airline fleet by 2035.

The Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer said that carriers will need to recruit and train about 617,000 pilots to fly the 39,620 aircraft, valued at $5.9 trillion, that the US planemaker expects to be added to the global fleet through 2035. The Asia-Pacific region will account for about 40 percent of total new hires as China eclipses North American as the largest travel market.

The Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer said that carriers will need to recruit and train about 617,000 pilots to fly the 39,620 aircraft, valued at $5.9 trillion, that the US planemaker expects to be added to the global fleet through 2035. The Asia-Pacific region will account for about 40 percent of total new hires as China eclipses North American as the largest travel market.

Explaining the inclusion of cabin crew projections in this year’s outlook, Boeing VP-flight services Sherry Carbary said: “Cabin crews are an integral part of operating an airline. While Boeing does not train cabin crew like pilots and technicians, we believe the industry can use these numbers for planning purposes.”

US carriers will need to accelerate recruiting to replace pilots who are retiring, comply with stricter federal limits on duty hours and staff new routes to Cuba and Latin America, said Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services.

Boeing predicts a need for 112,000 new pilots in North America over the next 20 years. Boeing sees 104,000 aviators required for Europe as travel continues to grow between countries on the continent. The Middle East will need 58,000 pilots over the two decades

Boeing predicts a need for 112,000 new pilots in North America over the next 20 years. Boeing sees 104,000 aviators required for Europe as travel continues to grow between countries on the continent, Carbary said.
The Middle East will need 58,000 pilots over the two decades, about 2,000 fewer than Boeing forecast a year ago, as flying within the region shifts to smaller models from very large aircraft like Airbus’s A380 superjumbo.

As detailed in Boeing’s 2016 Pilot and Technician Outlook, the manufacturer estimated the global airline industry will need to hire “about 31,000 new pilots, 35,000 new technicians and 40,000 cabin crew annually” through 2035, or 106,000 new personnel every year.

Boeing projected the need for 617,000 new commercial airline pilots globally over the next 20 years, up 10.6 percent from its forecast last year. Boeing’s 20-year forecast for commercial airline maintenance technicians grew to 679,000, up 11.5 percent from last year.

New to the outlook in 2016 is a projection for cabin crew. Boeing projected 814,000 new cabin crew personnel will be required over the next 20 years.

Comparing just pilots and technician projections, Boeing’s outlook increased 11.1% year-over year, from 1.2 million in 2015 to 1.3 million in 2016. The new pilot demand is primarily driven by new aircraft deliveries and fleet mix, Boeing said. The demand for new technicians is a response to fleet growth.

The Asia-Pacific region again ranks as requiring the largest number of new commercial pilots, technicians and cabin crew for 2016-2035, according to Boeing’s outlook. Asia-Pacific airlines will need 248,000 new pilots, 268,000 new technicians and 298,000 new cabin crew over the next two decades, Boeing said, citing growth in the single-aisle market as driven by low-cost carriers in the region.

The Asia-Pacific region again ranks as requiring the largest number of new commercial pilots, technicians and cabin crew for 2016-2035, according to Boeing’s outlook. Asia-Pacific airlines will need 248,000 new pilots, 268,000 new technicians and 298,000 new cabin crew over the next two decades, Boeing said, citing growth in the single-aisle market as driven by low-cost carriers in the region.

North American carriers will be affected by new markets opening in Cuba and Mexico, Boeing said, projecting a need for 112,000 new pilots, 127,000 new technicians and 151,000 new cabin crew in the region.

A strong intra-European Union market is behind Boeing’s European airlines’ requirements for the next 20 years; Boeing projected a need for 104,000 new pilots, 118,000 new technicians and 169,000 new cabin crew in the region.