12,766 NEW AIRLINE PILOTS HIRED IN 2001!
New all time record topping the past five record years, according to AIR, Inc.

ATLANTA, GA – Aviation Information Resources, Inc. (AIR, Inc.) the largest and most reliable source for airline pilot information, released the airline pilot hiring numbers for 2002 this month in their 2002 Airline Pilot Hiring Forecast, attached. The forecast reflects the history of US pilot hiring from 1995 through 2002E, breaking it down by the different categories: major, national, jet regional, regional, upstart, and training. According to their forecast, AIR, Inc. estimates another 6,730 new airline pilot positions for 2002

"The straight math average for the last 5 years predicts 6,000 new pilot positions for 2002, but we estimate 6,730 new positions for the year, which could go higher depending on the domestic and international economies, and two other main forces, pilot retirement*, and airline growth**", said Kit Darby, President of AIR, Inc. "In the final analysis, the actual numbers for airline pilot hiring in 2002 will fall somewhere in between 6,500 and 7,500. If we are even close to these figures, it will be another great year in hiring."

Pilot retirement will continue to increase as existing pilots reach age 60, from about 1,631 in 2002 to over 2,268 by 2008. Major passenger and freight airlines currently have over 4,680 jets and their orders total 565 with options for an additional 2,017. Roughly 40% of these new aircraft will replace existing jets, the rest are for growth and will require additional pilots.

For additional information on airline pilot hiring – past, present, or future – call AIR, Inc.

800 JET-JOBS (538-5627)
www.jet-jobs.com