CAE Releases 2020-2029 Pilot Demand Outlook

With the pandemic still raging in the US, pilots have been focused on how long layoffs from their individual airline might last. If a new CAE Pilot Demand Outlook 2020/2029 published on November 8, 2020, holds up to the reality of an uncertain economy, many of those pilots may find themselves back in the cockpit sooner than they expected.

CAE’s news release on the 2020-2029 Outlook, the third edition of the CAE Pilot Demand Outlook, says, “Retirement and attrition are expected to continue to be a challenge for the civil aviation industry as air travel recovers progressively. This is expected to drive an acute demand for pilots, resulting in an estimated short-term need for approximately 27,000 new professional pilots starting in late 2021. The report demonstrates that despite the short-term decline in the number of active pilots due to the impact of COVID-19, the civil aviation industry is expected to require more than 260,000 new pilots over the next decade.”

The news release added, "The renewed 10-year view offers fleet operators key insights on the future need for professional pilots in both commercial and business aviation, building on the markets' key drivers, variables, and trends. Additionally, the 2020-2029 Outlook says, “retirement and attrition are expected to continue to be a challenge for the civil aviation industry as air travel recovers progressively.”