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Why it’s still a good time to undertake flight training.
With the slowing of the world economy and uncertainty in the near future, many prospective pilots are asking “is it a good time to start flight training?” The answer is a resounding “YES”! In fact, it may be one of the best times ever to become a professional pilot.
Read on to find out why.
Demand for pilots remains high for 20 years
“The world’s airlines will need more than 17,000 flight schools graduates each year for the next 20 years to fill the seats of the airplanes on order…the experience minimums some of the airlines are now requiring for pilots have tumbled…the average now is 250 total hours and 25 multiengine, and a few require only the commercial rating.” (source: Flying Magazine - Flying Magazine Flight Training Section)
“Is There Really Still a Demand for Pilots?”
“We’re in the greatest demand we’ve seen in 25 years,” reports Shawn Raker, president of CEO of FTSI. “Right now, we’re experiencing a 98% placement rate.” (source: Marc C. Lee, Plane & Pilot Magazine, October 08 issue -Plane and Pilot Magazine)
Are airline pilot jobs still growing?
According to the Air Transport Action Group (www.atag.org)”2.0 billion passengers rely every year on the world’s airlines for business and vacation travel and over 29 million tonnes of high-value freight are carried by air. Growth of air transport largely depends on global and regional economic cycles. It is also heavily affected by acts of war or terrorism - for example the Gulf war of 1991 or the events of 11 September 2001. But the long-term demand trend is always positive and the figures for passengers and freight are likely to double again within the next 12 to 15 years according to demand.”
Medium term flight training outlook still positive
According to FlightGlobal.com’s David Learmount, “The gloomy current airline market may cast a long shadow over the training industry, but historic experience of market cycles combined with contemporary economic trends present a much more complex and - in the medium term - promising picture for the airlines and flight training organizations. The world’s financial institutions will, in due course, sort out their self-created credit woes, the oil prices will find a level that the surviving airlines will learn to live with, the global economy will recover, and the human race will rediscover its irrepressible urge to travel. Meanwhile the training industry is being presented with new tools that will confer advantages not widely available now.
Alteon (Boeing’s worldwide training organization) forecasts that, from 2007 to 2027, airlines will take delivery of 29,400 new aircraft to replace old fleet and cope with the growth in demand for air travel. This, says Sherry Carbary, Alteon’s President, will require an average of 18,000 new pilots and 24,000 maintainers a year to be trained to replace those who retire and also to crew and service the increasing numbers of aircraft in the world fleet. Only by training at those annual rates will the industry be able to meet the estimated need over the next 20 years for a total of 360,000 new pilots and 480,000 new maintainers, Alteon calculates.
North America heads the league in terms of the number of pilots it will need in the next two decades, at 98,000. Europe follows at 70,000. Other regional predicted requirements are: China 49,900, South- East Asia and Indonesia 32,000, Latin America 22,800, Japan 19,000, the Middle East 17,500, the CIS 11,500, Africa 10,100 and Australasia 7,200.
So whilst the economy might not be at its best right now, aviation employment is always cyclical and the future prospects are still outstanding.
As it takes time to be trained as a pilot and gain experience, now is a great time to get trained. You are better training in the downturn so by the time the recovery begins and airlines are employing, like they were just a few months ago, you’ll be ready to take advantage of the next boom.
Not only will you be getting into an exciting new career with all the benefits of prestige, travel and great job satisfaction but you’ll also have the opportunity to earn great money while you’re doing so!
If it’s not an airline career you’re after there will always be plenty of jobs in areas like Charter, Coastal Surveillance, Flying Instructing, Aerial Crop Spraying, Corporate Pilot and Air Ambulance.
For most jobs you will require as a minimum, a Commercial Pilot Licence with Multi Engine Endorsement and Multi Engine Instrument Rating.
Australian National Airline College will provide you with the skills you need to apply for your first job. Like many student pilots who have trained with us and now fly for various airlines throughout the world, Australian National Airline College provides the grounding you need to get your career off to a flying start.
So what’s stopping you? Let us who you how!
Read more about forecast pilot demand and current pilot shortages:
Indonesian carrier, Lion Air orders 100 Boeing737 900’s Read all about it here.
Garuda pilots resigning and in demand creates opportunities for new entrants to National Airline Read more here.
Surge in air traffic lures foreign pilots to fill Indian skies. New Delhi April 14, 2007
India: At least 4000 pilots needed over next 5 years (May 2006)
http://airlinenews.wordpress.com/2006/05/21/demand-for-airline-pilots-in-india/
India: All foreign flight crews allowed to cover extreme pilot shortage (September 2006)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2015482.cms
6500 more pilots needed in China (Sept 2006)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/HI09Cb02.html
China hires foreign pilots to help with shortage.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2006-08/09/content_660276.htm
Malaysian Airlines Pilot Shortage causes flight disruptions (2005)
http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=A4744_0_1_0_M
Jet Airways always needs pilots!
If you’re looking for a job, these pilot recruitment sites might help.
http://www.jet-jobs.com/
http://www.pilotpointer.com/
http://www.aviationjobsonline.com/
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