With the global commercial aircraft fleet expected to double by 2042, Boeing forecasts the demand for 2.3 million new commercial pilots, technicians and cabin crew in the next 20 years
Boeing's Pilot and Technician Outlook 2023 (PTO) projects that commercial airlines will need a significant number of professionals through 2042 to support the global fleet:
649,000 pilots
690,000 maintenance technicians
938 thousand cabin crew
“With domestic air travel fully recovered and international traffic near pre-pandemic levels, the demand for aviation professionals continues to increase,” said Chris Broom, vice president, Business Training Solutions, Boeing Global Services. “Our competency-based training and assessment offerings will help ensure high-quality training for current and future aviation professionals and continue to enhance industry safety through immersive, virtual training solutions.”
Boeing forecasts that through 2042:
China, Eurasia and North America drive demand for more than half of the industry's new staff, with requirements in China exceeding those in North America.
The fastest growing regions for staff are Africa, Southeast Asia and South Asia, and their regional demand is expected to nearly double.
After omitting Russia's demand in last year's PTO due to uncertainty in the region, this year's forecast includes Russia in the Eurasia region, comprising 3% of global workforce demand.
In correlation with this forecast, the company recently announced that it will generate an investment of 950 thousand dollars in scholarships for the training of commercial pilots , in response to the demand and growth of the sector. And in addition, Boeing will make a donation of 500 thousand dollars that will be distributed among five organizations that work for this cause.
Organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to pilot training and diversity in the aerospace industry include: the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the Latino Pilots Association, the Organization of Afro-descendant Aerospace Professionals, the Sisters of the Skies Society, and the organization Women in International Aviation.
Separately, the company will also donate $450,000 to Fly Compton, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that provides job opportunities in the aerospace sector for minority youth.
With this investment, Boeing seeks to foster a next generation of pilots and lower the high barriers to entry in the aviation industry, considering the need for more than 600,000 new pilots in the next 20 years worldwide.
“Demand for skilled and diverse pilots remains high at airlines around the world. Although becoming an aviator offers a career of a lifetime, access to training remains a barrier to entry for many,” said Ziad Ojakli, Boeing executive vice president of Government Operations.
Since 2019, Boeing has committed more than $8.5 million to pilot training programs in communities across the United States. This initiative seeks to promote diversity and inclusion in the aerospace sector and allow more women and people from different backgrounds to enter the aviation industry.
