Originally Posted by
WXS15
16600 pilots today
Add another 200 to finish out 2023
Add another 15000 (2500/yr for six years, also assumes none of those pilots hit retirement age before 2030)
Subtract 3450 retiring through 2029 (age 67 drops that number to 2050)
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28400 pilots
Of course, no one really thinks this hiring rate will continue for another half dozen years...
There aren’t that many eligible pilots in the workforce. Regionals have mostly stopped hiring FOs, so there’s a huge backlog in that department, as well.