Boeing published its 2016 Pilot and Technician Outlook, forecasting global demand across the commercial aviation workforce over the next two decades. The report estimates the need for more than 600,000 commercial airline pilots, nearly 700,000 maintenance technicians, and over 800,000 cabin crew members worldwide.
Boeing projects a 10.5 percent increase in pilot demand and an 11.3 percent rise in technician demand during the outlook period. Broken down annually, that equates to roughly 31,000 new pilots, 35,000 new maintenance technicians, and 40,000 new cabin crew members each year.
Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services, noted that the pilot and technician outlook serves as an industry resource to help airlines and training organizations plan for future staffing needs. While Boeing does not provide cabin crew training in the same way it does for pilots and technicians, the company includes cabin crew projections so the industry can incorporate those figures into workforce planning.
Regionally, the Asia Pacific market accounts for the largest share of demand, representing about 40 percent of global requirements. Europe and North America each require roughly half the personnel needs of Asia Pacific. Other regions, including Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), show comparatively lower demand.