More than one million new pilots and technicians needed over next 20 years

Boeing Challenges Industry to Meet Unprecedented Demand for Aviation Personnel

E BOURGET, France, June 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) today called upon the aviation industry to invest, evolve and adapt to support the expected exponential growth in demand for qualified aviation personnel as the company released its 2011 Pilot and Technician Outlook at the Paris Air Show.
The Boeing outlook indicates that by 2030 the aviation industry will require:

• 460,000 new commercial airline pilots
• 650,000 new commercial airline maintenance technicians

"Clearly, the sheer size of this vital pipeline is staggering," said Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services. "To meet the demand for capable, well-trained people, Boeing and the aviation industry need to move with the speed of technology to provide the tools, training and work environment that tech-savvy pilots and technicians will expect from us."

Boeing projects that airlines will need an average of 23,000 new commercial jet pilots and 32,500 new technicians per year to maintain and fly an expanded world fleet expected to grow to nearly 40,000 airplanes over the next 20 years, as well as replace the coming wave of retirements.

The largest demand for pilots and technicians will be in the Asia Pacific region, with an expected need for 182,300 pilots and 247,400 technicians. China alone will need 72,700 pilots and 108,300 technicians.

Projected demand in other regions:

• North America – 82,800 pilots and 134,800 technicians
• Europe – 92,500 pilots and 129,600 technicians
• Africa – 14,300 pilots and 19,200 technicians
• Middle East – 36,600 pilots and 53,000 technicians
• Latin America – 41,200 pilots and 52,500 technicians
• Russia and CIS – 9,900 pilots and 13,500 technicians

"We are adapting our technologies, devices and training methods to attract new people to the industry. That means new-tech solutions, including online and mobile computing that is engaging, realistic, portable and accessible to meet the learning styles of today's and future generations," Carbary said. "We want to ensure that our trainers, those creating and delivering the courseware, are equipped with the knowledge, digital tools and cross-cultural and cross-generational skills to match the rapidly-changing needs of tomorrow's aviation workforce."

Carbary pointed out that meeting the demands of the future also means working with industry to transform the air traffic management system as well as pioneering digital delivery of essential navigation and in-flight data so that pilots and airlines are connected with real-time information – allowing them to optimize flights and overall operations and maximize the capacity of the global system.

Boeing Flight Services, a business unit of Boeing Commercial Aviation Services, is aligned with the customer's flight operations function and offers integrated products and services to drive optimized performance, efficiency and safety, ranging from advanced training to improved airspace efficiency and infrastructure, airline operations, flight planning, navigation and scheduling – offerings that are crucial for airplane deliveries and market expansion.