Flight Schools, we've got a problem.
At the beginning of 2020, aviation industry leader Boeing forecast a significant pilot shortage for the next 20 years. Averaged out, they calculated we needed 85 new pilots every day to keep up with the demand. During the first quarter of 2020, COVID hit, the economy contracted and tens of thousands of pilots lost their jobs. On top of that, tens of thousands took an early retirement to relieve the airline financial burden. While forcing early retirement was an excellent short term strategy, it pulled capable pilots out of the system and has forced a long term scarcity of pilots. New forecasts are predicting a demand of 100+ new pilots a day.
Traditionally, a student begins their training, works their way through their licenses and then after 250 hours of flight experience, they become Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs). CFIs typically work (for pay) as instructors at flight schools for up to 1500 hours and then exit for the airlines. As the spring/summer of 2021 approaches, airlines are predicting a new flow of hiring and their largest recruiting pool becomes CFIs.
Industry leaders are predicting a significant CFI shortage beginning 2021. S.A.F.E. (Society of Aviation and Flight Educators) reports - The 2020-2029 Pilot Demand Outlook, published last month by large flight training provider CAE, forecasts return to the pre-pandemic need for pilots by 2022 but says that the need for high-quality instructors "will pose a challenge for years to come."
Busy flight schools lose an average of $1700 per day, $8500 per week, $34,000 per month and over $400,000 per year for each individual instructor vacancy.
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"Boeing" and "Society of Aviation and Flight Educators" are registered trademarks of their perspective companies. CFI LINK is not affiliated or associated with any of these companies. SIGN UP NOWI already have a flight school account