More than two million jobs are projected for pilots, maintenance personnel and air traffic controllers as a result of the retirement of qualified professionals and the anticipated growth of commercial air transport to the year 2030.

According to a study just published by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) - Global and Regional 20-year Forecasts - Pilots, Maintenance Personnel and Air Traffic Controllers, ICAO estimates the number of commercially-operated aircraft will have jumped from 61,833 in 2010 to 151,565 between 2010 and 2030, and the number of departures from around 26 million to almost 52 million. This would more than double the current number of pilots, maintenance personnel and air traffic controllers worldwide.

The ICAO study compares the average number of professionals worldwide that will need to be trained annually with the training capacity of existing facilities. This reveals a shortfall of training capacity equivalent to 160,000 pilots, 360,000 maintenance personnel, and 40,000 air traffic controllers.

Personnel category	Current population (2010)	Population needed (2030)	Training needs *	Training capacity *	Shorage *
Pilots	463,386	980,799	52,506	44,360	8,146
Maintenance	580,926	1,164,969	70,331	52,260	18,071
Controllers	67,024	139,796	8,718	6,740	1,978

    * estimated on an average annual basis

"If no action to increase training capacity is initiated early, shortages in qualified aviation personnel are likely. Thanks to this latest ICAO study, the extent and locations of such shortages can now be better identified and effectively addressed by Member States, industry and other concerned stakeholders," said Raymond Benjamin, ICAO Secretary General.

As part of its mission to maintain the safety of the global air transport system, ICAO is providing leadership in the development of solutions aimed at ensuring that sufficient competent personnel are available. A Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Symposium convened last year by ICAO outlined a strategy for the recruitment, education, training and retention of aviation professionals. A follow up event is planned for April 2012.