VAI/MARK BENNETT


Building THE


Together, we must act to solve the shortage of pilots and maintenance technicians.


By Greg Brown and Allison McKay A 52 ROTOR MARCH 2024


S THE RECOVERY CONTINUES FROM THE pandemic that began in 2020, the aviation industry is poised for significant growth—but with a shortfall of key aviation workforce professionals, specifically pilots and main-


tenance technicians. Te Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook 2023–2042 forecasts that 649,000 new pilots and 690,000 new maintenance technicians will be needed to fly and maintain the global commercial fleet over the next 20 years. Te commercial airline industry has responded to the


worker shortage by offering significant signing bonuses, salary increases, and renegotiated contracts focused on work–life balance to recruit and retain talent. Te vertical flight industry is in competition with the airlines for this scarce talent. In


fact, the airlines have realized the value of rotorcraft pilots and maintenance technicians and have created transition programs specifically to recruit them. Moreover, the vertical aviation industry is experiencing a


wave of retirements as the Baby Boomers and even some Gen Xers age out of the workforce. Terefore, it’s vital that we in the vertical flight industry address the worker shortfall and outperform the competition from both legacy and regional airlines for vertical aviation professionals.


Developing Solutions Historically, a key way to find vertical aviation professionals was to recruit service members leaving the military. But a US Defense Department official recently reported that the US


Vertical Aviation Workforce


OF Tomorrow


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