Coinciding with the start of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, Boeing released its annual Pilot and Technician Outlook, projecting the global aviation industry will need more than 2.4 million new pilots, technicians and cabin crew members by 2045.
According to the forecast, the industry will need 674,000 new commercial pilots, 728,000 maintenance technicians, and 1,023,000 cabin crew members to fly and maintain the global commercial aviation fleet over the next 20 years.
Boeing said resilient passenger demand, fleet growth, and higher aircraft utilization continue to drive the need for trained personnel. Approximately two-thirds of the projected hiring will replace workers leaving the industry through retirement and attrition, while the remaining one-third will support expansion of the global commercial fleet.
“Our industry will keep the expanding global fleet flying safely and efficiently by investing in workforce development worldwide,” said Chris Broom, vice president of Commercial Training Solutions for Boeing Global Services. He added that immersive technologies will continue to enhance training while supporting competency-based instruction and assessment.
North America alone is expected to require 122,000 new pilots, 125,000 maintenance technicians, and 191,000 cabin crew members over the forecast period. Eurasia and China are projected to account for the largest share of new aviation personnel, while South and Southeast Asia are expected to experience the fastest workforce growth.
Compared with Boeing’s 2025 outlook, this year’s forecast reflects modest increases across all three workforce categories. Last year’s report projected demand for 660,000 pilots, 710,000 maintenance technicians, and 1 million cabin crew through 2044.
The forecast excludes business aviation and civil helicopters, focusing exclusively on the commercial airline sector.
