The Experts Say…

Experts from the leading Approved Training Organisations give their views on the training and job market

- Judith Austin

Each year, we ask senior representatives from the ATOs a series of questions about the employment opportunities for would-be commercial pilots−both fixedwing and rotary, their training, and new developments. We also ask what advice they would give to potential students.

The first question concerns how good employment prospects are in general for commercial pilots. “The demand is so high, it could not be a better time to be a pilot,” responded Richard Gentil of Naples Air Center, Florida. Richard cited Boeing’s research showing an estimated demand for pilots between 2019 and 2038 of 804,000 (see graphic). Others agreed: Geoff van Klaveren, VP L3Harris Airline Academy said, “At our last graduation in April, 95% of the 356 pilots graduating were already flying, or had secured jobs, with leading airlines including British Airways, easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and Oman Air.” FTA-Global concurred, Alex O’Loughlin saying that “94% of the students that completed their pilot training at FTA in 2018 have secured a job as a pilot.” This was echoed by Kyle Johnston, Training & Compliance Manager at Atlantic Flight Training Academy, Ireland saying that almost all their students that completed the MEP CPL IR had been offered a job. He went on to say that AFTA had seen a slowdown in the past couple of months, due probably to the B737 Max issues, but he expects this to tick up again once the Max is reintroduced.

On the rotary-wing side, Captain Sarah Bowen, Managing Director and Head of Training at Helicentre Aviation sees growing demand for “suitably qualified helicopter pilots who have the drive, motivation and attitude to achieve long and fulfilling careers flying helicopters”. She sees comparable progression and salaries between offshore oil and gas with airlines, and a variety of onshore roles including HEMS, police and utility work.