As the world becomes more and more reliant on air travel, the demand for pilots is expected to increase in the next 20 years. It estimates that there will be a need for an additional 82,000 pilots by 2032, which is a 50% increase from the current demand. With the increasing demand for pilots, there will also be an increase in the demand for aviation schools.
The study predicts that the demand for pilots will outstrip supply by 2040, as the number of passengers is expected to double. The shortage will be most acute in Asia, where the demand for pilots is expected to grow by 6% a year. North America will also see a significant shortfall, with a predicted need for an additional 30,000 pilots by 2040. The study blames the shortage on a number of factors, including an ageing pilot population, a lack of investment in training, and a decline in the number of pilots choosing to fly as a career. It warns that the shortage could have a devastating effect on the airline industry, leading to flight cancellations, delays, and a rise in ticket prices. The study’s authors say that the only way to avoid the pilot shortage is for airlines to invest more in training and for governments to provide incentives for people to choose flying as a career.
The aviation industry is slowly waking up as the impact of the unprecedented COVID pandemic is waning. In North America and in Europe, it is coming back to almost pre-pandemic levels already. This is evidence of the resilience of the aviation industry in general. The aviation industry has survived various crises since after WWII such as regional wars, economic and oil shocks and various medical outbreaks. The COVID pandemic has been the longest and has affected the aviation industry severely. Nevertheless, its long term trend is still on a growth trajectory. However, in the early days of the COVID pandemic, several airlines particularly in North America, offered generous early retirement packages to its senior pilots. This has moved forward the anticipated wave of pilot retirements in the US. The early retirements have exacerbated the predicted pilot shortage in the USA. Moreover, some pilots who were retrenched have decided to leave the industry and career totally.The long term demand for pilots is expected to be very strong in the next twenty years. The global aviation industry is just beginning to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is expected to take 2-3 years for the industry to fully recover.
Now is a good time to start training to become a pilot.