Wahala For Who No Study Aviation! Global Aviation Needs 260,000 New Pilots

A forecast by the International Civil Aviation Training Specialist, CAE 2020-2029 Pilot Demand Outlook, has revealed that the Global aviation industry would require about 260,000 new pilots in the next decade.
In the business aviation alone, CAE is predicting that 41,000 new pilots will be needed over the next decade to make up for anticipated retirements and attrition. This is projected as CAE notes the business aviation market is facing massive retirements as the percentage of pilots over the age of 50 continues to increase versus the total civil aviation industry pilot pool. Currently, this pilot population age represents a disproportionately high rate.The Nation reports that it further sees the airlines scooping up a portion of business aviation pilots. On top of this, CAE projected a need for another 4,000 to accommodate growth for a total need of 45,000 new business aviation professional pilots over the forecast period. The airlines, meanwhile, need 126,000 new pilots to offset attrition and retirements and then 93,000 to accommodate growth. CAE acknowledged that the sudden drop in air travel demand hindered the industry’s growth trajectory.
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“Airlines and operators around the world have adjusted their operations to align with lower demand. Thousands of pilots have been furloughed in recent months,. Many of them have pivoted to other professions and might not want to resume their pilot careers. On the one hand, airlines and operators have reduced the pilot workforce to offset the financial impact of the pandemic. On the other hand, data indicates that the industry will face significant challenges in the upcoming years to meet the demand for pilots”, the Nation reported the CAE said.The Nation revealed that in an investigation it carried out, prospective carriers in Nigerian aviation sector including Green Africa Airways , United Nigeria Airlines, Nigeria Air, Jet Airways and Value Jets are perfecting plans to acquire over 100 airplanes, which would require pilots to fly them, despite pandemic shocks. Besides the new entrants, existing carriers and some operators that suspended  operations are reactivating restart plans with aircraft orders , which would also require pilots in the strategic sector. While Green Africa Airways intends to acquire over Airbus  50 aircraft , confirming the need for more pilots, United Africa Ailines on its part plans to acquire Embraer regional jets with possibilities of creating employment opportunities  for pilots and other professionals.
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CAE Incorporated, which is a Canadian manufacturer of simulation technologies, modelling technologies and training services to airlines, aircraft manufacturers, healthcare specialists, and defence customers  said its forecast  indicates  that the active pilot population is expected to return to 2019 levels in 2022. The international training specialist said pilots  retirements and attrition are expected to become a challenge as air travel recovers and will create an “acute demand” with a short-term need for some 27,000 new pilots as of late 2021, growing to 260,000 over a 10-year period. Photos Credit: Getty