Thursday, Dec 05, 2013
Abu Dhabi
The demand for pilots in the Middle East is soaring after industry estimates showed that 40,000 will be needed over the next 20 years, mainly because of recent orders of over 500 aircraft by some of the leading airlines in the region.
Abdullah Al Hammadi, the manager for the Pilot and National Cadet Pilot Programme at Emirates Airlines, said that earlier forecasts of the shortage had come two years ago but it continues to worsen.
“They rang the bell a long time back but no one was listening because we could not see [the shortage] but now we can see it in China, where they started grounding aircraft because they don’t have pilots,” Al Hammadi said. “Around 20-30 years back we had a lot of pilots from the military who moved into [commercial] aviation, but now we don’t find those pilots so that’s another worry. Who will fill that gap?”
Pilot training globally has not significantly improved over the last 60 years to cope with technological changes in aircraft, according to Al Hammadi. The result is having to invest in training - a process that typically takes about four years before pilots can fly the likes of a Boeing 777.
Asked how the challenge can be tackled, he suggested changes in the current pilot-training curriculum so they can fly larger planes directly without having to go through the system of earning hours.
Discussing Emirates’ strategy to overcome the shortage, Al Hammadi said the company will open a flight academy for pilots in 2015 in Dubai, which will be able to take up to 600 pilots.
With the growth in the region’s aviation sector, Al Hammadi forecast the shortage will only intensify over the next few years.
Sharjah-based budget carrier, Air Arabia, meanwhile, has already invested in establishing a flight academy in the emirate, aimed at creating job opportunities for the local talent.
An Air Arabia spokesperson told Gulf News in an emailed statement that the Middle East is leading the world in terms of new aircraft orders “and as a result, more pilots will be needed. At Air Arabia, we have taken necessary measures to serve our long-term need for pilots and will be recruiting more pilots as we receive more aircraft in the years to come.
Etihad Airways did not respond to Gulf News questions.
At the Dubai Airshow held last month, aviation experts warned of the pilot shortage saying the Middle East is down by 65 per cent compared to the demand for pilots.
US planemaker, Boeing, reported there will be a need for almost 500,000 pilots globally over the next 20 years. Experts, meanwhile, cited 14,000 pilots as the biggest number ever recruited in the industry on an annual basis.
Boeing’s Current Market Outlook 2013-2032 report described the demand for personnel to fly and maintain airplanes as “unprecedented”.
“Growth of Middle Eastern aviation outpaced the global average and will continue to do so, supported by a variety of growth strategies,” the report stated.
By Sarah Diaa Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
