If the airline industry does not act to stem the engineer shortage, "employment costs for maintenance and engineering staff will equate to those normally associated with flightcrew", the UK Civil Aviation Authority predicts. Europe and the USA face such a shortage of avionics and maintenance engineers that it will "cut to the core of many of our aviation businesses", the CAA has warned.
The UK shortage of avionics engineers is at 23% and is predicted to remain at that level; the maintenance engineer shortage is 8.6% and increasing, while the mechanical engineer shortfall is 10.2%, expected to rise to 15%, says a government study. CAA chairman Sir Malcolm Field says: "Other European countries are in the same position. It is estimated the USA needs an extra 10,000 mechanics each year to sustain predicted growth."
The CAA has announced a scholarship scheme to encourage young people into the industry.
Source: Flight International
