Report: 1.5M New Aviation Professionals Needed by 2034

Hundreds of thousands of pilots, technicians, and cabin crew will be needed to replace retiring workers.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Pilots in an aircraft flight deck. [Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

CAE forecasts a global need for approximately 1.5 million new civil aviation professionals by 2034, encompassing pilots, technicians, air crew, and air traffic controllers.
This significant demand is driven by the anticipated double-digit growth in commercial and business aviation and the need to replace hundreds of thousands of retiring or departing personnel.
Key roles in high demand include 267,000 commercial pilots, 347,000 aviation maintenance technicians, 678,000 cabin crew, and 71,000 air traffic controllers over the next nine years.
The report urges carriers and regulatory bodies to proactively attract, train, and retain talent, emphasizing the necessity of effective, modern training environments to address this critical shortage and ensure the sector's safety and expansion.

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A new report suggests that about 1.5 million new aviation professionals will be needed worldwide by 2034, likely increasing pressure on airlines and regulatory bodies to recruit and effectively train workers.

CAE, a Canadian technology company specializing in flight simulators and pilot training services, projects 1,465,000 pilots, technicians, air crew, air traffic controllers, and others will be needed over the next nine years to meet rising demand for air travel and replace the hundreds of thousands of aviation professionals set to retire or leave the industry.