Plight of the navigators

How is the shortage of qualified pilots affecting the Middle East's freight industry? Air Cargo Middle East & India's survey of regional operators reveals the current state of affairs.

With the upheavals currently being experienced in the air transport industry, and with the massive growth witnessed, both in terms of the passenger and cargo sectors in the Middle East and India, it was hardly surprising that IATA joined forces with the US-based Flight Safety Foundation in February this year to try and tackle the increasing shortage of pilots.

According to IATA, the global airline fleet is estimated to grow by 17,000 aircraft by 2020, and if current training procedures are not revamped, the industry will face a shortage of more than 42,000 pilots.

So what action can regional operators take to ward off the ensuing crisis? Air Cargo Middle East & India has asked a cross-section of the aviation industry, from recruitment professionals to all-cargo units to flag carriers, about their current procedures for employing skilled personnel and their hopes and fears
for the future.

Freight transport is seen by some as being less glamorous than passenger flights or non-scheduled general aviation (GA), and this would appear to put the freight industry at the bottom of the pile when it comes to recruiting and maintaining its pilot roster.

However, regional operators seem to be coping robustly with a phenomenon that is affecting other parts of the world more severely. A proactive recruitment policy to match the increasing number of frequencies and destinations being added to schedules has certainly helped, as have carefully monitored salary and benefits policies.

Such strategies, when effective, can help to alleviate the most pressing concern felt both by airlines and the general public: that of flight safety.

"When you consider that the two major airframers are producing in excess of 3500 aircraft each year, without the additional regionals, GA and rotary - added to the fact that aircraft are staying in service longer to absorb capacity - the net result is that more aircraft need to be piloted, crewed, maintained and serviced," says Phil Newton, head of sales and marketing at UK-based air personnel recruitment firm Touch Aviation.

In terms of the areas most at risk from a pilot shortage, Newton sees the Middle East and Asia, particularly India, as being particularly susceptible.

"Certainly the Middle East has risk, by virtue of the fact that the region has so many aircraft on order, and so does India, where the growth is phenomenal, but where there is very little indigenous experience," he remarks.

However, the recruitment processes at the major carriers seem strong enough to withstand the skills drain being felt in other regions, at the very least in the short term.

Emirates Airline, the parent of Emirates SkyCargo is, in particular, benefiting from the consolidation in the US aviation industry, as 50% of the applicants to its recruitment process are from the States.

"US-based first officers are having to wait a long time to receive their command; they are aware they can get this a lot quicker at Emirates," says Capt Alan Stealey, the divisional senior vice-president of flight operations at Emirates.

"In addition, we have also run a three-year cadet programme for locals for the last 15 years, which is only open to UAE nationals. As of 31 March, there were 136 Emirati pilots working for Emirates who have qualified through our cadet programme," he adds.

The giant has spread a wide net when it comes to amassing staff; there are 83 different nationalities on its pilot roster, with the majority of these hailing from Britain, Australia, Canada, South Africa, the United States and the UAE.

Whereas Emirates currently employs just under 2000 pilots to navigate its ever-increasing fleet, smaller cargo-only operators have a fraction of that number.

Abu Dhabi-based Maximus Air Cargo has 21 pilots flying its Hercules and Airbus A300-600RF freighters and 13 Ukrainian pilots operating its Antonov and Ilyushin fleet under a foreign AOC.

All pilots are hired with type rating and experience, and the company is currently planning a full type rating course with Lufthansa.

Turkish airfreight operator ACT Airlines has a total of 45 pilots on its books, all of whom are Turkish; a quarter of these are trained to type rating standard by the company, and three quarters are already qualified and are recruited from elsewhere.

For all airlines, there is inevitably a heavy focus on the package that will lure new personnel and retain them.

For Emirates, enticements include the prospect of flying a young and wholly international fleet, at an airline where junior pilots will attain command status faster than elsewhere by virtue of the fact that the carrier is expanding so quickly.

On top of free accommodation, its pilots also receive an education allowance for their children, interest-free loans, discounted flights and currency protection.

We are not complacent; we monitor annually and monthly the pilots' remuneration to ensure they are getting a good package, because if a pilot leaves it is a loss of investment for us," says Capt Stealey.

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