With the deadline fast approaching for the US Congress to pass legislation reauthorising the FAA, it appears increasingly likely that lawmakers will approve another short-term extension for the agency, according to a source familiar with the matter. In theory, if Sen. John Thune—the chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee—can keep the bill clean of controversial amendments, it would still be possible for the Senate to pass the bill quickly. The Senate and House would then have to reconcile their respective bills before the Sept. 30 deadline, but since differences between the two are relatively minor, this could also be a fast process, according to the source. For weeks, the Senate has been wading through a host of amendments that could be added to the bill, a process that is believed to be close to concluding. Just last week, committee chairman Thune said he hoped to avoid another short-term extension, saying “It’s not in anybody’s best interest” to put it off. But with the Senate Republican leadership eager to confirm Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh before mid-term elections in November, the chances are increasing that Congress will opt for another short-term extension. The agency has been operating on temporary extensions since its last reauthorisation bill expired in September 2015.<br/>
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Boeing has again warned of a looming pilot shortage with projections that airlines worldwide will need some 635,000 new pilots in the next 20 years. The company's 2018 Pilot & Technician Outlook also predicts airlines will need some 622,000 more aircraft technicians by 2037. "The pilot labour shortage has continued to tighten amidst strong global air traffic growth," says Boeing's outlook. "Fleet growth rates have been especially high in emerging markets that have a comparatively small pilot pool. This has created regional supply challenges." Demand will be strongest in the Asia-Pacific region, where carriers will need some 240,000 pilots in 20 years, followed by North America, where Boeing projects demand for 127,000 new pilots. European carriers will need some 118,000 new pilots, Latin American airlines will need 43,000 pilots and Middle East carriers will need 60,000 new pilots, Boeing says. The figures in the 2018 outlook declined slightly from Boeing's 2017 report, which forecast need for 637,000 new pilots over 20 years. Though pilot unions have long attributed any pilot shortage to low pay, Boeing says significant training costs have contributed to insufficient new recruits.<br/>