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It is widely known that there is a pilot shortage in the United States – a view seemingly supported by the figures: by 2016 there were only around ** pilots in the U.S. from over ** in 1990. This figure has climbed slightly in recent years though, reaching ** in 2020.

U.S. pilot certification types

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certifications can be broadly divided into three categories: students, private use (generally) without compensation, which includes several license types covering sport, recreation and personal business; and licenses which allow pilots to transport passengers commercially, either with some restrictions (‘Commercial Pilot’) or without (‘Airline Transport Pilot’). Military pilots are not included, but can apply to the FAA to have their military qualifications recognized.

Reasons for the shortage

One common reason cited for the shortage in pilots is the decline in wages following the deregulation of the industry from the late 1970s. This has led to fewer recruits, with the number of student pilots falling sharply between 1990 and 2009. Although student numbers have started increasing again in recent years, there is a question over whether this will be sufficient. In 2020, the number of pilots aged over 45 was around *, while the demand for air travel has been growing strongly and consistently over the last decade. In total, it is estimated that around * additional pilots will be needed across the Americas between 2019 and 2029.