Bhanu Choudhrie, founder and executive director of Alpha Aviation Group shares his thoughts on why championing women in the cockpit is critical to mitigate future pilot shortages
Air travel has been one of the hardest-hit industries during the pandemic.With flights cancelled, fleets grounded and airports closed, many pilots were put on furlough or made redundant during the crisis.
However, while the number of active pilots decreased significantly during 2020, according to the 2020-2029 CAE Pilot Demand Outlook, growing consumer demand and the ongoing challenge of age-based retirement are expected to drive a resurgence in demand for pilots. In fact, the report suggests that the global civil aviation industry could still require 27,000 new pilots by the end of 2021 and 264,000 over the coming decade.
Now, with the aviation industry looking to re-build as international air travel re-opens, airlines and cargo operators need to re-think their pilot training strategy and innovate to ensure that they can meet the demand for new cohorts of pilots who strive to excel.