Rising Demand for Pilots

Globally, there is paucity of pilots, particularly commercial airline captains. It is said that experienced flight crew record the highest labour mobility in the aviation industry. Chinedu Eze writes on the challenges faced by young Nigerians who aspire to be pilots and what government can do to help.

Studies show that there is always a high demand of pilots globally. This is because pilots are not growing in tandem with the number of airlines emerging every year and the number of aircraft acquired by airlines. Training of pilots follows very stringent standards and no matter which country you are training in, training as pilot costs a lot of money.

Reports indicate that global demand for pilots is exceptionally high with projection of a need of about 300, 000 new pilots over the next decade (by 2034) and over 660,000 new pilots needed over the next 20 years to support fleet expansion and replace retiring pilots.

According to the major aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, “Global air travel demand is outpacing economic growth as markets have remained resilient. Effective training and an adequate supply of personnel remain critical to maintain the health, safety and prosperity of the global aviation ecosystem. ​ Long-term demand for newly qualified personnel remains strong, as 660,000 new pilots, 710,000 new maintenance technicians, and 1,000,000 new cabin crew members will be needed to fly and maintain the global commercial aviation fleet over the next 20 years.” In Nigeria, many parents do not have money to train their children who wish to be pilots. Training as pilot entails obtaining Private Pilot License (PPL), Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), type-rating or training on the particular aircraft you wish to be flying. Before you are allowed to be a flight officer, you must have garnered some flying hours and you must have recorded between 2, 500 to 5000 of flight hours before you become a captain. Every commercial aircraft operating any kind of service must have a captain and flight officer (co-pilot). It is these stringent measures, aimed to guaranteeing safety, that make it challenging to become a pilot. Because aviation personnel training follows international standards, a pilot who is a captain on Boeing B737 in Nigeria can be engaged in another country and in another airline to operate the same aircraft type. That is why it is said that there is high brain drain or human capital flight among pilots.

The Nigerian Situation

This matter came to the fore recently in Lagos when African Aviation Group organised meeting attended by industry stakeholders and upcoming aviation professionals. Participants x-rayed the challenges, the determination and aspiration of young Nigerians who pushed their will beyond obstacles to actualise their dream of becoming pilots.

Participants agreed that pilot training is expensive. It is only youths from well off families that could pay their ways through different stages of pilot training to rise to become pilots. But those from humble background will have to depend on scholarships from local and state governments, philanthropists and relations for the funding. Some of the pilots who attended the talent hunt workshop told THISDAY that they came from low-income households but had trained as pilots and are successfully working for airlines.

A Senior First Officer with Ibom Air, Theodora Ndabai, told THISDAY that with determination one could find a way to overcome the financial challenge if one cannot source funds form one’s family.

“I know that the funding or financial aspect of pilot training is a major part. Once you overcome the financial challenge and you are willing to learn, everything is settled. Those are the two major factors. So, for money, I have been exposed to learn that a lot of state governments are funding pilots training. I don’t want to mention names, but I know that there is state bursary. You don’t give up on the first rejection, you continue to push,” she said.

The pilot said that if somebody wants to be a pilot and is determined, help could come from least expected quarters.

“You can go to your state government. State governments actually sponsor people. A lot of people that are flying today were sponsored either by relatives, church members, you know. We’ve had people who run errands for somebody on the street and you’re like, okay, young boy, you finish secondary school, what do you want to do? And then the person was sponsored, you know. There are stories like that. And then sometimes even when somebody wants to assist you financially, you don’t expect all the funds will come from one person. A closed mouth is a closed destiny. I have learned that over the years because I self-sponsored myself. People should talk and request what they need. You never know where help will come from,” Ndabai said.

She added that staying close to the industry could strengthen a young person’s aspiration and create an opening for him to secure sponsorship. Many pilots and cabin crew officers said that living close to the airport or working at the airport inspired them to become aviators.

“So sometimes coming close to the industry helps. Starting somewhere in the industry. I currently know someone who is a flight dispatcher. She’s now in South Africa. She’s doing her pilot training. She was a flight dispatcher. I know her. She was my colleague in United Nigeria Airlines. She had already gone through. So sometimes coming close to the industry helps. If you know you have the capability, you know, you don’t have the funding, start from somewhere in the sector,” she said.

Government support

Ndabai and others who spoke to THISDAY emphasised that the state government in Nigeria should institute permanent scholarship for the training of pilots and aeronautical engineers because the world needs them and they are always in short supply. By giving such support to youths, the state governments must have created opportunities for Nigerian citizens trained by state government to work anywhere in the world. He could be a pilot in Dubai, in London, in Seoul or in Nigeria. It must be a thing of pride to that state and the pilot will help put his family in good situation financially. 

The participants said raining for Private Pilot License and Commercial Pilot Licence could cost from N60 million to N150 million

“We are talking about $100, 000 as cost of training,” Ndabai said.

Airlines Training Pilots

Captain Callistus Ifeanyi is a pilot who flies Embraer E195-E2 for Air Peace. He is also certified for Embraer E170/175/190 and Boeing B737-300/500. His opportunity to become a pilot fell on his lap. The opportunity came to him and he seized it. Coming from a humble background, others funded his pilot training.

“Like my story always goes, I have never seen an aircraft before. I have never been to an airport before. But when I was growing up, I always had that mind-set that if a human being can do it, I can do it. So, when the opportunity called, Dr Allen Onyema, the Air Peace Chairman asked me that question, ‘would you like to be a pilot?’ First of all, I was surprised. ‘A pilot?’ I remembered him saying, ‘I’m talking about pilot flying an aeroplane.’ I have never thought of me entering an aircraft before, not to talk of flying one. I just finished school; I was just interested in getting a job. But I told myself that if any human being can do it, then I can do it. That was the answer I gave him. If human beings are doing it, I can do it. That was how it started. I now developed the interest while I was on the journey,” he said. He spoke about the funding difficulties, which has contributed in the paucity of pilots in the world.

“Becoming a pilot is a capital-intensive venture, but I was privileged to be among those that were sponsored. I got a sponsorship through our Chairman and CEO, Allen Onyema. So, I give him kudos on that and I appreciate this any day, any time. My parents were not financially buoyant but they made sure I did not give up on my dreams of getting good education. I didn’t have expensive possessions or enough food while growing up.  At some point, I had to save some money to buy my first motor cycle to start Okada riding business. I knew I did not come from a rich family, so I worked hard just to survive. The money I made from Okada riding helped with pocket money in school. I also did other small businesses. 

“During my university days, I was the Student Union Association President for my community. So, in the middle of that, I had the opportunity to be at the right place at the right time when I met with Allen Onyema who asked me if I was interested in studying as a pilot. So, it was intentional from him and I also positioned myself by being at the right place, at the right time. I had already finished my university. He was the grand patron of the association at the time in our community. We just went to meet him and in the course of our discussion, he came up with this offer. That was how it all happened. Because everybody who is a pilot, has this initial drive, because it’s not an easy area, there are a lot of challenges,” he said.

Failed Bonding Agreement

THISAY learnt that Nigerian airlines have become disinclined to training pilots these days because after training them they do not work for long for that airline that trained them before other airlines would poach them with increased incentives, including salary emolument. Some airline CEOs said that they just wait for another airline to train pilots and they will go and poach them. The airlines tried to bond pilots, which is an agreement that says, if I fund for your training, you will work for me for some number of years before you could move to another airline, if you wish. But pilots renege on the agreement, which has discouraged airlines from training more pilots.

During the meeting, the Convener and Founder of African Aviation Group, Chidozie Uzoezie, emphasised the transformative power of aviation and why it must be supported by government.

“There is something extraordinary about aviation. It is one of the few industries where dreams literally take flight,” he said.

The state and local government in Nigeria can adopt it as policy to train aviators and empower the youths.