Boeing’s 2022 Pilot and Technician Outlook (PTO) forecasts demand for 2.1 million new aviation personnel over the next 20 years to safely support the recovery in commercial air travel and meet rising long-term growth.
The long-term forecast shows that 602,000 pilots, 610,000 maintenance technicians and 899,000 cabin crew members will be needed to support the global commercial fleet over the next two decades. The worldwide fleet is expected to nearly double and grow to 47,080 airplanes by 2041, according to Boeing’s recently released Commercial Market Outlook.
This year’s PTO represents a 3.4 percent increase from 2021, excluding the Russia region, which is not forecast in this year’s PTO due to sanctions that prohibit exports of aircraft manufactured in western countries and market uncertainty. China, Europe and North America represent over half of the total new personnel demand. The fastest growing regions are Africa, Southeast Asia and South Asia, with all three regions expected to grow more than 4 percent over the forecast period.
“As the commercial aviation industry recovers from the pandemic and plans for long-term growth, we anticipate a steady and increasing demand for aviation personnel, as well as the ongoing need for highly effective training,” said Chris Broom, vice president, Commercial Training Solutions, Boeing Global Services. “Our customer-centric approach and digital expertise includes a commitment to delivering data driven, competency-based training and assessment solutions as well as technologies that meet the evolving needs of our customers.”
New digital solutions to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of training would include immersive learning experiences and virtual learning platforms.
Projected demand for new pilots, technicians and cabin crew by global region for the next 20 years is approximately:
Region New Pilots New Technicians New Cabin Crew
Africa 20,000 21,000 26,000
China 126,000 124,000 162,000
Europe 122,000 120,000 207,000
Latin America 35,000 35,000 48,000
Middle East 53,000 50,000 99,000
North America128,000 134,000 173,000
Northeast Asia 22,000 24,000 38,000
Oceania 9,000 10,000 18,000
South Asia 37,000 34,000 43,000
Southeast Asia 50,000 58,000 85,000