DUBAI - Boeing [NYSE: BA] projects that airlines in the Middle East will need nearly 100,000 new pilots and technicians to support the expanding demand for new aircraft deliveries over the next two decades. 

At the Dubai Air Show this week, Boeing released the regional projections of the 2013 Pilot and Technician Outlook, an industry forecast of aviation personnel.

With the aviation industry in the Middle East growing faster than the world average, the Boeing outlook forecasts the region will require 40,000 pilots and 53,100 technicians over the next 20 years.

Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services, said: "We're seeing a significant, urgent need for competent aviation personnel in the Middle East and across the globe due to the growth in airline fleets.

"We are working hard with airlines, regulators, independent flight schools and other industry groups to make training accessible, affordable and efficient so that anyone in the Middle East—or anywhere else in the world—who qualifies can become a pilot or maintenance technician in this high-tech industry."


"To attract a new generation of pilots and technicians, we need to train them in new ways. At Boeing, we are continually looking at innovative training methods, moving away from paper and chalkboard-based learning to incorporate tablets, eBooks, gaming technology and three-dimensional electronic modeling techniques. We need to make sure aviation is as great a career option for the world's youth as it is for us."

For the Middle East region an average of 2,000 new pilots and more than 2,600 new airline technicians will be needed each year to meet the expected demand. 

The 2013 global outlook projects significant increases in pilot demand, compared to previous forecasts, in all regions except Europe, which declined slightly over last year's outlook.

Overall, the demand is driven by steadily increasing aircraft deliveries. In the Middle East, more than 60 percent of the pilot demand will be driven by increased deliveries of twin-aisle, or widebody aircraft . 

In terms of demand for technicians, the introduction of more efficient and smarter airplanes will require fewer mechanics over time, as aging aircraft—which typically require more maintenance—are retired from service.

New aircraft technologies featuring more advanced components are likely to lead in some areas to lower maintenance requirements and corresponding lower technician demand.  

Projected demand for new pilots and technicians by region:

Region	Pilots	Technicians
Asia Pacific	192,300	215,300
Europe	99,700	108,200
North America	85,700	97,900
Latin America	48,600	47,600
Middle East	40,000	53,100
Africa	16,500	15,900
Russia and CIS	15,200	18,000