Photo: 123RF
Airlines pilots say the workforce isn’t growing because of the lack of smaller commercial aircraft for pilots to gain experience in, not the training available.
Yesterday, the Aviation Industry Association released research showing 100 more pilots are needed each year than are currently being trained, and without government intervention the sector faces a massive shortfall.
President of the Airline Pilots Association, Andrew McKeen, says the bigger issue is the inability for graduates to amass enough flying hours.
They say fewer airlines are running smaller planes, and apart from the new Air New Zealand cadet programme, graduates have no choice but to earn their hours overseas, and once they leave it is difficult to get them back.
