Learn why there is no better time to choose a career in aviation than the present.
As 2023 begins, the team at Paris Air is very optimistic about the future of aviation–and the potential to support the next generation of pilots. There are a number of reasons for an increasing demand for pilots.
News headlines swirl with flight cancellations and delays attributed to pilot shortages. People are more eager to travel than ever. Pent up demand from pandemic lockdowns have led to an unprecedented demand for new pilots.
The COVID-19 pandemic drastically halted commercial air travel. According to Statista, air traffic passenger demand plummeted by 66 percent in 2020 and 58 percent in 2021. Many pilots went into early retirement or chose different career paths.
But the winds have shifted and people are traveling again, creating a strong demand for new pilots. Continue reading to learn more about this increasing demand for pilots and why you should consider starting to fly this year.
Pilot Demand by the Numbers
According to CAE, 260,000 more pilots will be needed over the next decade. More specifically, a need for 219,000 more airline pilots and 45,000 business jet pilots. Additionally, CAE cites age-based retirement and fleet growth as the top two drivers of pilot demand. This means that the combination of more pilots exiting the profession combined with more planes creates a greater need for pilots.
Take a look at these numbers:
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports aviation jobs are expected to increase by six percent from 2021 to 2031.
- At the end of 2019, there were 333,000 airline pilots. CAE expects there to be 426,000 airline pilots in 2029.
- Over the next ten years, over 219,000 airline pilots will be needed.
- According to Oliver Wyman, global aviation is expected to be short almost 80,000 pilots in 2032 if strong demand remains and significant efforts to train more pilots aren’t taken.
- North America is expected to be short almost 30,000 pilots in 2032.
- North America was short 8,000 pilots in 2022, or 11 percent of the pilot supply.
- Pilot demand is expected to grow by as much as 18,000 pilots per year.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 14,500 pilots will be hired per year over the next decade.
Now that’s a lot of numbers… but importantly it represents significant demand.
The Scope of the Aviation Industry
In addition to specific data points illustrating pilot demand, the large scale of the aviation industry is in and of itself a strong indicator of the positive outlook for aviation careers. See the following statistics that illustrate the scope of the aviation industry:
- There are 45,000 flights per day overseen by the FAA.
- There are over 16,000,000 flights per year overseen by the FAA.
- There are over 10 million U.S. jobs generated from aviation.
Post-Pandemic Travel Surge
While the pandemic still continues, lockdowns have lifted and people are excited to get out and travel. As almost anyone who has flown in recent months can tell you, airports are back to normal and people are on the move once again. Businesses are sending employees on work trips and people are traveling for leisure. In fact, international air traffic was up by 76 percent in March 2022 compared to the same time in 2021. And North American air traffic was up by almost 97 percent during this same timeframe.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as of 2021, there are 2.9 million airline passengers per day.
Are you still not convinced of the increasing demand for pilots in the aviation industry? Well, according to CAE, more than 11,000 business and commercial aircraft will be added to the fleet over the next decade to meet consumer demand.
Other Factors Leading to Increasing Demand for Pilots
Another reason for the increased pilot demand is that more pilots are retiring. According to the Regional Airlines Association (RAA), 14,000 pilots will retire by 2026. The mandated retirement age for airline pilots is 65. A lot of pilots retired early as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With 67 percent of pilots over the age of 40, many new pilots will be needed over the coming years.
Another contributor to pilot demand is that a lot less pilots are coming from the military. In the past, the military was a large source of airline pilots. About two-thirds of pilots came from the military in the 1980s whereas that number is less than one third today. This shift in pilot supply means that more civilian pilots will be needed and flight schools like Paris Air will be essential to supplying the next generation of our nation’s pilots.
Be Part of the Next Generation of Aviators with Paris Air
Now that you understand the positive outlook of the aviation industry, it’s time to set up a plan to help you become a pilot. At Paris Air Flight School, we have trained over 9,000 students in the more than 25 years we have been open. We have a dedicated and experienced group of flight instructors work diligently with students from all over the world to help them make their dreams of being a pilot come to fruition.
As an FAA-approved Part 141 flight school, our curriculum consists of both classroom lessons and flight training in the cockpit. The structured curriculum means that students can earn their licenses in a reasonable timeframe.
The different licenses we offer include:
- Career Pilot Airplane Program (Multi-Engine)
- Commercial Pilot Certification with Multi-Engine Instrument Rating
- Career Pilot Airplane Program (Single-Engine)
- Commercial Pilot Certification with Single-Engine Instrument Rating
- Private Pilot Airplane Program
- Instrument Rating Airplane Program
- Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane Program: Initial Rating
- Certified Flight Instructor Airplane Program: Additional Rating
- Certified Flight Instructor Multi-Engine Airplane Program: Additional Rating
- Airline Transport Pilot Certification Course
Learn more about our flight school here.
The time is now: Be part of the next generation of aviators making a difference in the industry.
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