The Commercial Pilot Shortage

COMMERCIAL PILOT SHORTAGE HOW TO BECOME A COMMERCIAL PILOT At least 18 years of age Able to read, speak, write, and understand English Holds a private pilot certificate or higher from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) • this certificate allows a pilot to act as pilot in command (PIC) of an aircraft that carries persons or property for hire BEFORE NOW 300 1,500 A pilot must pass a knowledge and practical test it needs between 190 to 250 hours of PIC time plus 50 hours of cross-country time it requires a total of 1,500 flying hours PILOT SHORTAGE MAY BE SEEN ON THE HORIZON DUE TO: Fewer pilots are entering the system 44% AVG AGE 13% There were nearly 129,000 student pilots in 1990. By 2009, the number had plummeted 44% to just over 72,000 With fewer pilots entering the system, the average age of airline pilot has been increasing The number of flight From 2006 to 2008 schools in the U.S. the Federal Aviation and Canada dropped Administration (FAA) issued an average of 63,000 certificates a from about 2,400 to about 1,700 after the terrorist attacks of new students. year This dropped to 54,876 in 2009, 1990 September 11, 2001 43.6 years old 2009 a 13% decrease 48.9 years old Airline pilot retirements 3000 6283 6976 5990 RETIRING PER YEAR RETIRING 2012-2025 RETIRING 2012-2025 RETIRING IN 2030 In 2012-2025, a sum In the next 13 years, Over the last 6 years there has been an A total of 5,990 United Airlines a total of 6,976 Delta Airlines pilots will average of 3,000 airline pilots retiring per year of 6,283 American Airlines pilots will retire based on age retirements pilots will retire in 2030 based on age requirements retire based on age retirements Fewer military pilots are leaving for commercial airlines 19% (81% The number of The Air Force also active-duty pilots staying in the military has been steadily increasing over the last 10 years provided attrition rates that show 1,280 pilots left the service in fiscal year 2007, but just 525 left two years later In 2000, there were 4,841 active-duty Air Force pilots ranked from lieutenant to The Air Force expects a mere 240 pilots to separate or retire in 2010-81% fewer than just three years earlier colonel, and in 2010 there were 5,740-a 19% increase AS PILOTS AGE, AIRLINES HIRE FEWER FROM MILITARY The aging ranks and changing dynamic of airline pilots today suggests that in the future there might be fewer captains of commercial jets with military training Roughly 28% of pilots hired by major U.S. carriers in 2008 had military backgrounds Compared to around 90% in 1992 28% 90% One reason for the decline is that the Air Force is asking pilots to commit to longer stints With airlines taking significant financial hits in recent years, some military pilots are deciding not to join a commercial carrier when they retire from the service DEMAND FOR NEW PILOTS The 2012 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook projects a need for 460,000 pilots by 2031 Thats an average of 23,300 new pilots a year PILOT AND TECHNICIAN OUTLOOK Demand for pilots by 2031 Region Pilots 3% 3% 8% Asia Pacific 185,600 Europe 100,900 9% North America 69,000 2012 to 2031 40% Latin America 42,000 Pilots 460,000 Middle East 36,100 15% Commonwealth of Independent States Africa 11,900 14,500 22% As global economies expand and airlines take delivery of tens of thousands of new commercial jetliners, demand for personnel to fly these planes will be unprecedented Sources: http://chuck.hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Become_a_Commercial_Pilot http://www.ehow.com/facts_5271743_training-needed-become-pilot.html http://www.newser.com/story/150040/looming-danger-coming-pilot-shortage.html http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=21797 http://www.atpflightschool.com/airlines/pilot-hiring-outlook.html http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/archive/index.php/t-50030.html http://discountaircraftbroker.com/delta-airlines-pilot-retirements/ http://discountaircraftbroker.com/united-airlines-pilot-retirements-based-on-age-65/ http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-01-16-pilots-age_N.htm http://www.boeing.com/commercial/cmo/pilot_technician_outlook.html THE COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE REQUIRES: