The report projects that 255,000 new airline pilots will be needed globally over the next 10 years.

The two regions driving the majority of that demand, the report says, are Asia, where 90,000 pilots need to be onboarded over the next decade — and where some 10 percent of current pilots are expats — and the Americas, where 85,000 new pilots will need to be hired.

Earlier this month, Air Cargo World reported that Ameriflight and UPS Airlines were teaming up on a new training program that was facilitated, in part by an exemption granted by the FAA that allowed pilots-in-training to operate as captains after 1,000 flight hours, with certain restrictions and increased oversight. While encouraging, that program is still in its infancy, and the sector will require broader measures to address the underlying demand.

That said, existing restrictions are still stringent, and training for most pilots can cost over $200,000, prompting many potential candidates to enter other professions with lower training costs.

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