The 2013 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook, an industry forecast of aviation personnel demand, calls for 192,300 new commercial airline pilots and 215,300 new technicians in the Asia Pacific region through 2032. Northeast Asia, including Korea, will need 18,500 pilots and 25,500 technicians With the aviation industry in the Middle East growing faster than the world average, the Boeing outlook predicts the region will require 40,000 pilots and 53,100 technicians over the next 20 years.
“We’re seeing a significant, urgent need for competent aviation personnel in the Middle East and across the globe due to the growth in airline fleets,” says Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services. “We are working hard with airlines, regulators, independent flight schools and other industry groups to make training accessible, affordable and efficient so that anyone in the Middle East—or anywhere else in the world – who qualifies can become a pilot or maintenance technician in this high-tech industry,” she adds.
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For the Middle East region an average of 2,000 new pilots and more than 2,600 new airline technicians will be needed each year to meet the expected demand. The 2013 global 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. In the Middle East, more than 60 per cent of the pilot demand will be driven by increased deliveries of widebody airplanes.
In terms of demand for technicians, 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. “This is an issue that has the attention of the entire aviation industry. To attract a new generation of pilots and technicians, we need to train them in new ways. At Boeing, we are continually looking at innovative training methods, moving away from paper and chalkboard-based learning to incorporate tablets, eBooks, gaming technology and three- imensional electronic modeling techniques. We need to make sure aviation is as great a career option for the world’s youth as it is for us,” says Carbary.
Breaking new ground
Boeing is joining hands with Incheon and Korean Air for construction of Korea’s largest new aviation training facility to be located in Incheon’s Free Economic Zone (IFEZ). The new campus, which is slated to open in 2015, will allow Boeing to expand the scope of its training business in Korea and continue its long-standing training relationship with Korean Air.
“Boeing is very pleased to participate in the continuous development of Incheon’s Free Economic Zone with this project to expand aviation training capabilities in Korea,” says Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services. “Boeing and Korean Air have a training relationship spanning almost 15 years. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Korean Air as we together to develop advanced aviation training programmes from a new base in Incheon,” she adds.
The facility, once complete, will house 12 full-flight simulators for pilot training programs supporting Korean Air’s flight training needs. “This marks yet another milestone in our mutually beneficial 40-year relationship with Korean Air. This new training facility truly demonstrates Boeing’s leading role in enhancing Korea’s commercial aviation industry and we look forward to growing our local footprint in Korea,” says Pat Gaines, president of Boeing Korea. Once the campus is complete, Boeing will relocate its existing training support staff and equipment to the new facility.
