Airlines worldwide face a pilot shortage, with about 650,000 pilots needed over the next 20 years, according to the Emirates Flight Training Academy (Efta).
"There is a big shortage of flight instructors globally," said Abdulla Al Hammadi, vice-president of Efta.
Mr Al Hammadi said the market for experienced pilots is highly competitive as airlines are hiring instructors from private aviation schools. The lack of instructors has resulted in fewer pilot graduates.
He said the pilot shortage was also attributed to several incidents in recent decades, such as the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the 2008 financial crisis and the pandemic, which discouraged people from choosing this career.
Other challenges include changing perceptions among younger generations, as many do not view the job as prestigious, unlike previous generations, said Mr Al Hammadi. They are seeking other careers that offer more income, leading to fewer cadets entering the aviation industry.
While many airlines attract pilots by increasing salaries, many of them want a balanced life with appropriate working hours, which was rare in the past, he said.
Despite the growing trend and development of single-pilot aircraft, Mr Al Hammadi said he believes passengers are not confident about these jets.
The overall aviation and airport infrastructure around the world is also unprepared to serve passenger flights for unmanned aircraft or single-pilot aircraft in the near future, he said.
Utilising bigger aircraft that can carry more passengers may also enable airlines to reduce the number of pilots needed, said Mr Al Hammadi.
To avoid these stumbling blocks, he said flight training academies may need to offer job guarantees for trainees.
Mr Al Hammadi said Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) has produced about 110 cadet graduates who work for airlines globally.
Mr Al Hammadi predicted more airlines will offer training bonds for both experienced and inexperienced pilots to obtain a specific rating, then require them to work for the airlines to repay the bonds.
Many airlines also signed contracts with several aviation schools to hire cadets, but he said this arrangement is unsustainable because of the inability to control standards.
Amid the pilot shortage, schools have raised tuition fees, causing airlines to invest more to secure graduates.
Emirates established Efta in 2017 to ensure a controllable quality standard for pilots, said Mr Al Hammadi. The academy has produced 110 cadet graduates who work for airlines globally.
Efta operates a fleet of 30 training aircraft on a 1,800-metre runway, with a maintenance hangar and private air traffic control towers. The academy can graduate 100 cadets a year and plans to expand to 250 a year within six years.
