China GA Report EN

TRAINING SCHOOLS AND PILOTS
Historical Pilot Supply Growth
Total Number of Pilots
Growth
60,000
50,000
40,000
+4,124
+4,376
+5,612
+4,981
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Data Source: China Civil Aviation Pilot Development Annual Report 2016
According to Wang Zhiqing, Deputy Head of the CAAC, the
difference could be as much as 10 times, while the maximum
hours of airline pilots can be 100 hours per month. In the US,
pilots working at international commercial airlines earn three
times more than turboprop pilots.
This creates a bizarre phenomenon in the China aviation sector:
Too many airline pilots but too few GA pilots. While the growth of
GA aircraft was at an explosive 16% annual growth in 2016, the
insufficient number of GA pilots is unable to support the growth.
The growth rate of total flying hours then falls behind the GA
aircraft growth rate.
There is an 8.2% difference in historical annual growth rate and
required annual growth rate of GA pilot. GA aircraft, however,
only has a 2.1% gap to meet. The difference shows that the GA
company in China has biasedly focused on purchasing aircraft to
achieve growth in general aviation without developing the most
fundamental factor in the sector, the GA pilot. To tackle the
problem, general aviation companies have started to focus more
on developing their own GA pilot to meet the demand in GA pilot.
Historical Annual Growth Rate
GA Pilots
2.9%
11.1%
2015 2016 2042
Required Annual Growth Rate
Data Source: Annual Report of Chinese Airlines Pilot
Development 2016, U.S. Department of Labour
GA Aircraft
16.1% 18.3%
Outlined in China’s 13th Five-Year Plan, the target growth rate of
GA aircraft and GA pilots is 17.5% and 15.5%, respectively. When
compared to 2016 data from the US-based General Aviation
Manufacturers Association, it would take 26 years for China
to meet the US standards of today at 11.1% and 18.3% annual
growth rate for GA pilot and aircraft.
2015 2016 2042
Data Source: CAAC, CARNOC; GAMA 2016
2017 CHINA GA REPORT
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