Aviation sector warns planes could be grounded by 2028 due to pilot shortage

The aviation sector warns it is facing workforce shortages that could see the industry become unsustainable without policy change. New research from the Aviation Industry Association (AIANZ) and the Ringa Hora Services Workforce Development Council shows that, on average, New Zealand needs an additional 100 pilots a year. This gap is anticipated to grow further without any changes to current tertiary policy settings. AIANZ said if nothing changes, aircraft will be grounded and commercial airlines will need to cut back on schedules from as soon as 2028 for small aircraft operators, by 2030 for turboprops and by 2032 for jet operators. AIANZ CE Simon Wallace said demand for pilots is increasing by about 2-3% per year and can’t be met by New Zealand’s training system due to the high cost of study locking students out. “A major disincentive at the supply end is the cap on student loan borrowing for domestic students that has been set at $35,000 per year since 2013. Back then, government agreed to review the cap but this has not occurred. “Now, with inflation and the cost of living increases, training costs have increased to as much as $120,000 for a two-year course of study. So students are expected to fund at least an additional $50,000 on top of the $70,000 student loan they are limited to. The cost is shutting out a lot of young Kiwis aspiring to become pilots. Only those with financial support from families can afford to train.” In June, Auckland Pilot Training Group (APTG) said government policies continue to dictate the number of pilots it can train, the fees it can charge and the duration of its training programmes.<br/>