Boeing pilot shortage article

DE727UPS

Well-Known Member
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/boeing-forecasts-increased-global-demand-143000861.html

"MIAMI, Aug. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (BA) projects the commercial aviation industry will need more than one million new pilots and technicians to support the expanding demand for new airplane deliveries over the next two decades. Projected pilot demand is increasing worldwide, as is demand for technicians in some regions.

Today, at an event marking the launch of 787 flight training at the Boeing Flight Services campus in Miami, the company released the 2013 Pilot and Technician Outlook -- a respected industry forecast of aviation personnel.

The Boeing outlook indicates that by 2032 the world will require:
498,000 new commercial airline pilots
556,000 new commercial airline maintenance technicians

"The urgent demand for competent aviation personnel is a global issue that is here now and is very real," said Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services. "The key to closing the pilot and technician gap in our industry is enhancing our training with the latest, cutting-edge technologies to attract and retain young people interested in careers in aviation."

The 2013 outlook projects significant increases in pilot demand -- compared to previous forecasts -- in all regions except Europe, which declined slightly over last year's outlook. Overall, the demand is driven by steadily increasing airplane deliveries, particularly single-aisle airplanes, and represents a global requirement for about 25,000 new pilots annually.

Global demand for technicians remains significant, at approximately 28,000 new technicians required annually. However, the introduction of more efficient and smarter airplanes will require fewer mechanics over time, as aging aircraft—which typically require more maintenance—are retired from service. New airplane technologies featuring more advanced components are likely to lead in some areas to lower maintenance requirements and corresponding lower technician demand.

Projected demand for new pilots and technicians by global region:
Asia Pacific – 192,300 pilots and 215,300 technicians
Europe – 99,700 pilots and 108,200 technicians
North America – 85,700 pilots and 97,900 technicians
Latin America – 48,600 pilots and 47,600 technicians
Middle East – 40,000 pilots and 53,100 technicians
Africa – 16,500 pilots and 15,900 technicians
Russia and CIS – 15,200 pilots and 18,000 technicians

"This is a global issue that can only be addressed by industry-wide innovation and solutions," said Carbary. "We need to attract more young people to careers in aviation by continually looking at innovative ways to train pilots and technicians, moving away from paper and chalkboard-based learning to incorporate tablets, eBooks, gaming technology and three-dimensional models. Aviation is a great field to be in—we have a responsibility to make sure it's a viable career option for the world's youth."

Contact:
Stephanie Miller
Flight Services Communications
1 206-619-7280
stephanie.a.miller3@boeing.com"

What I get from this is young people need flight training to be more fun/challenging/interesting like a high tech computer game. Of course, they don't want to address the pay and QOL issues of the career, that would cost money. By making flight training "cooler" to the next generation, all our troubles will be solved? Weird....
 
"The urgent demand for competent aviation personnel is a global issue that is here now and is very real," said Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services. "The key to closing the pilot and technician gap in our industry is enhancing our training with the latest, cutting-edge technologies to attract and retain young people interested in careers in aviation."

Corporate speak for capitalizing on SJS.
 
This is just the fanfare which preceeds the rolling-out of the Multi-Crew License and the "Die chained to the yoke" retirement "C-plan".

Seriously. It worked for the Romans. For every oarsman, there was another one ready to jump in and pull once the original had expired at his own speed and been tossed over the side to feed the fish*.

*= increased environmental awareness is a side-benefit.
 
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/today...-a-pilot-shortage-boeing-report-says/2725815/

Follow up article with ATA rebuttle at the end.

MIAMI — Airlines will need nearly half a million new commercial pilots worldwide by 2032 as they expand their fleets, an industry forecast released today predicts.

Boeing, the Chicago-based airline manufacturer, said today that airlines will have to hire 498,000 pilots — about 25,000 each year — to support all the new aircraft they are expected to add to their fleets over the next two decades. They also will need 556,000 new maintenance technicians, or about 28,000 a year.

Boeing's outlook, released today during the launch of the 787 flight training center at its campus here, predicts demand for pilots will grow in all regions except for Europe. The projected increase in pilot demand is greater than what Boeing had indicated in previous forecasts. It is particularly driven by airlines' interest in single-aisle aircraft, the company said.

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But other factors are coming into play, analysts say. Thousands of pilots are retiring this year just as the Federal Aviation Administration is introducing new rules requiring new training and more rest in between flights.

The FAA announced a new rule last month requiring co-pilots, or first officers, to get 1,500 hours of flight time for their certification, up from 250 hours.

Starting next year, the minimum rest period before a pilot's flight duty will increase from eight hours to 10 and must include the ability to get eight hours of sleep in a row.

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"The urgent demand for competent aviation personnel is a global issue that is here now and is very real," said Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services. "The key to closing the pilot and technician gap in our industry is enhancing our training with the latest, cutting-edge technologies to attract and retain young people interested in careers in aviation."

The most pronounced shortage will be in the Asia Pacific region, where 192,300 pilots and 215,300 technicians will be needed, according to Boeing's forecast.

Even though demand has declined slightly in Europe, the region still will need another 99,700 pilots and 108,200 technicians.

North America follows with a projected demand for 85,700 pilots and 97,900 technicians. Latin America will be in need of 48,600 pilots and 47,600 technicians.

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Analysts say the brunt of the shortage will be felt by regional carriers that operate half of the USA's scheduled flights. They simply won't be able to compete with the larger airlines.

"The major U.S. airlines are just beginning the longest and largest pilot hiring binge in history, and the 'wake turbulence' will be very disruptive to smaller flight operations who feed them pilots," says Louis Smith, president of FAPA.aero, a company that provides career and financial advice to professional pilots.

The pool of qualified candidates is drying up for everyone, says Robert Mann, president of airline consulting company R.W. Mann & Co. in Port Washington, N.Y.

The industry has historically hired former military pilots, he says.

"These days the military is short of pilots, not mustering them out, like in the post-Vietnam years through the 1980s," he says.

Meanwhile, the number of people willing to deal with the liability insurance and fuel and maintenance costs for a plane has declined.

All that, he says, has made getting a pilot's license "a huge expense, and the number of flight schools has likewise declined."

Poor wages also have not helped to attract qualified candidates, he says.

A first officer for a regional carrier, still on probation, typically makes $18,000 to $20,000 a year before taxes at first, Mann says. Flight school loans can reach $100,000, he says.

Katie Connell, a spokeswoman for Airlines for America, which represents the industry, disputes that there is a lack of qualified candidates.

"Long-term projections about pilot hiring are inherently subjective as they are based on assumptions about airline growth that have often proved to be faulty," she says. "We expect the major commercial airlines will be appropriately staffed, and are not expecting any shortage within the next few years."
 
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