“The shortage of senior pilots could affect operations, fleet expansion plans and profitability,” says Jaideep Mirchandani

On World Pilots Day, the Chairman of aviation major Sky One, highlights the potential challenges  India’s civil aviation sector could face if this demand-supply gap  widens

Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) 2024 predicts that  South Asia's aviation market is expected to quadruple its fleet over the next two decades to meet growing passenger demand. The manufacturing major forecasts that the region will require 37,000 pilots and 38,000 maintenance technicians over the next 20 years, driven majorly by the growth of India's aviation sector. However, with many senior pilots approaching retirement age, airlines also need to focus on recruiting and training the next generation of aviators.  According to CAE Inc.'s report, currently, 38 per cent of the total civil aviation industry pilot pool is over 50 years old. This trend suggests that there will be a significant number of retirements in the next decade, probably leading to a considerable demand and supply gap.

“The potential pilot shortage may pose numerous challenges for the airlines. Primarily, they may struggle to capitalise on the increasing travel demand. Further, they may face difficulties in maintaining proper flight schedules, thereby affecting the operations, fleet expansion plans and profitability,” says Jaideep Mirchandani, group chairman of UAE-based aviation major Sky One.

In India, pilots are required to retire at the age of 65. While there have been talks about extending the retirement age for commercial pilots further, Mr Mirchandani believes that this would not serve as a long-term solution to the issue. He says that the industry should look for more viable and sustainable options. “Improving the pay scale and increased incentives would make the career more attractive to aspirants. Addressing pilot fatigue through extended weekly rest periods and encouraging more women to join the aviation sector will also help,” says Mr Mirchandani.

Another challenge facing the airlines is related to training. The process of becoming a senior pilot is lengthy and requires a significant investment in both time and resources. This also underscores the need for more airlines to partner with pilot training institutes.

The Civil Aviation Ministry earlier stated that it had taken various steps to establish more flying schools across the country to train commercial pilots. As per official data, since 2021, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has awarded 15 Flying Training Organization (FTO) slots at 10 airports of which five are operational. Currently, 34 FTOs are operating at 55 bases in the country and as of November 2023, a total of 1491 Commercial Pilot Licenses (CPLs) have been issued, indicating a substantial increase in comparison to previous years.

“The focus areas for FTOs should be on the quality of training, high standards of safety and fairness of exams. It also demands strict surveillance, as flying schools usually operate from controlled airfields and uncontrolled airstrips with hangars. Proper flight data monitoring of trainer aircraft and  flight training as well as ground training activities will also help nurture the next generation of Indian aviators,” adds Mr Mirchandani, whose Pier Seven Aviation academy is offering advanced flight simulator training to many aspiring pilots.