Report of the Expert Panel on Aviation Skills & Training June 2018

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Urgent action is needed if Australia’s aviation industry is to avoid disruptions due to the shortage of pilots and skilled maintenance engineers, a report says.

 

That is the conclusion of an expert industry panel’s review of the aviation training sector in this country.

 

“Australia is experiencing a severe shortage of aviation personnel and the situation is growing worse,” the report published on July 27 stated.

 

“The current shortage of qualified pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers is a global problem and a major issue for Australia’s aviation system. Urgent action is required if the country is to avoid major disruptions.

 

“This is not a future threat, it is a significant present challenge that is currently disrupting the industry, and actions to address it need to include immediate mitigations supported by a longer-term sustainable strategy which involves many stakeholders.”

 

The report’s publication comes as Boeing’s recently published 2018-2037 Pilot and Technician Outlook estimated the commercial airline industry will require 635,000 new pilots, 622,000 maintenance technicians and 858,000 cabin crew members over the next 20 years in response to a doubling of the fleet and record demand for air travel.

 

Asia Pacific represented the largest source of demand with 31 per cent of all new pilots, 34.1 per cent of all technicians and 36.1 per cent of all cabin crew to be recruited in the region between now and 2037.

 

The strong demand in the Asia Pacific was, in part, being met by qualified pilots from outside the region, attracted by the relatively higher wages and conditions on offer.

 

Also, Asia Pacific airlines were sending pilots to overseas aviation schools in Australia, Europe, the United States and elsewhere to gain their qualifications while establishing locally-based flight schools as part of efforts to boost aviation training capacity to meet the expected demand.

 

 

PDF copy of report in article

 

Report says Australia suffering severe shortage of pilots and engineers - Australian Aviation