Future Pilot Requirement

In 2018 Boeing delivered 806 new commercial aircraft. Airbus delivered 800.
Boeing forecast a future pilot requirement of 790,000 by 2037.
Airbus forecast a future pilot requirement of 450,000 by 2035.
What is YOUR answer to the imminent pilot shortage?
With more than 100 airliners per month being built how will the airline companies address the requirement to crew these aircraft?

Times have changed. We old-timers want to be reassured that when we shuffle up to the aircraft steps the guys up there on the flight deck are dedicated, highly trained, highly motivated, highly intelligent, well-balanced, confident individuals with the right stuff. But where will they come from?

Click here if you are interested in getting started with the basics.

Haven't Posted For a While

I have just checked ClustrMaps to find that there is still a lot of interest in my flying blog. For this I am very grateful. As I am about to pass three-quarters of a century on this wonderful planet, much of which I have seen from an aircraft cockpit, I reflect on where aviation is going in the future.

Royal Airforce Force 1967 - Primary Flying Training at Church Fenton

A 'Perfect Storm' Pilot Shortage Threatens Global Aviation according to Marisa Garcia contributor to Aerospace and Defense. There has never been a better time to get your pilot's licence. According to Boeing aviation will need 790,000 new pilots by 2037. Airbus estimate demand at 450,000 pilots by 2035. Patently the gap between supply and demand is vast. 

RAF Leeming Basic Flying Training 1968

Boeing and Airbus are building more than 100 single aisle aircraft per month - just the 737 and A320 models. Of course these mega-corporations are also building 787s, 777xs, 747s, A330s, A350s and A380S not to mention the ex-Bombardier A220. Embraer,  Sukhoi and the Russo-Chinese cooperation are also coming on stream. AND we haven't even mentioned Gulfstream, Pilatus, Cessna, Dassault, Honda and helicopters and Tilt-Rotor aircraft and many other types.

RAF Bristol Britannia 1969 Lyneham

Obviously there has been a lot of change since the days when I flew the aircraft featured here. From 1992 to 1996 I was very fortunate in getting to fly up to date and state of the art glass cockpit fly-by-wire aircraft. My company (Excalibur Airways) sent me to Lufthansa for Airbus A320 training.

Lufthansa A320

 DC10-30

Trained by United Airlines Denver, Colorado

Very enjoyable it was too. In 1996 I was sent to United Airlines in Denver, Colorado to train to fly the DC10-30. Back to round-dial, fly-by-cable - but wonderful. But I like to think that the tenets and principles inferred in the many pages of my aerofile blog still apply.

These days THIS is my aeroplane!

BMWR1150GSA

Watch this space for thoughts and comments from an old dinosaur. Would love to hear from  you.