Not enough pilots for the Indian skies

New Delhi: With a recent study pointing that the global airline industry will need 25,000 planes by 2025, in addition to the 17,000 planes that will already be in service, a shortage of pilots along with other key crew and support staff is a major worry for the aviation industry which is now exploring new ways to beat the looming crisis.
“The new planes will require more than 18,000 new pilots every year – 360,000 pilots over the next 20 years – on average through 2025 as well as 480,000 new mechanics during that period of time,” says Alteon Training, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Boeing company.
In India, the number of pilots will increase from about 3,000 to more than 15,000 whereas in China, airlines will need an average of more than 2,100 pilots a year or more than 43,000 in total in the next 20 years, it adds.
A report prepared by Ministry of Civil Aviation, last year states, “At an industry level requirement of 9 pilots per aircraft, India would need 5,400 pilots by the end of the 11th plan period. Thereafter, there will be a requirement of at least 150 pilots per year as replacements for retirements and other attrition, assuming an effective utilisable life-span of 40 years per pilot.
“At present, 100 pilots graduate from the 40 flying schools each year, out of which only 17 flying schools are operational. This describes well, the weak supply of pilots.”
17/07/07 Press Trust Of India/Business Standard