Originally published at: Boeing Forecasts Need For 674,000 New Pilots
Boeing released its 2026 Pilot and Technician Outlook forecasting the global commercial aviation industry will need 674,000 new pilots over the next 20 years.
With due respect to the author, I’ve been reading predictions like this for the last 40 years I have been involved in aviation as a pilot and a mechanic. The only outfits that ever offered me a job sight unseen was a maintenance company when the owner found out I am an A+P mechanic. There is definitely a mechanic shortage in this country. I see it not only from the pt135 companies I have flown for but also as an airplane owner trying to schedule an annual. One thing I definitely can say is that there is NO pilot shortage is the US. Never has been, and never will be in my lifetime. I do agree that there are less and less persons getting pilot certificates for personal flying. Most of those, especially the last couple of years, get into flying with the goal of flying the airlines. The only shortage is experienced pilots who are willing to fly for nothing! My travels occasionally to Canada, I have seen magazine articles of similar complaints there, and they don’t have the ATP requirement for pt121 FO’s to blame for their “pilot shortage”.