by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 6:03 PM ET, Wed August 9, 2017
Becoming an airline pilot may be the safest career choice during the next two decades.
A new report from Boeing projects a demand for more than 637,000 pilots in the next 20 years, which translates into about 87 new pilots entering the work force everyday.
While that's good news for job seekers, it's not necessarily great news for travelers.
There's likely to be a staggering shortage of commercial pilots, CNN reported. This is due to the combined factors of pilots aging out of the workforce and an overwhelming need for new pilots to fly the 41,000 new airliners that passenger and cargo companies are expected to buy between 2017 and 2036.
Starting in 2021, the number of retiring pilots increases dramatically, as many reach the mandated retirement age of 65. More than 42 percent of U.S. airline pilots will leave the workforce over the next 10 years, CNN reported.
A pilot shortage would have a variety of impacts.
It could lead to higher salaries for a group of people who are already among the most well-compensated groups in the country, according to Forbes. The staffing challenge may also force airlines to reduce or drop routes if there's no one to fly them.
[READMORE]Read More:Would You Take a Pilotless Flight?[/READMORE]
Broken down by region, the report says 117,000 new pilots will be needed in North America over the next 20 years. The figure is second only to the Asia-Pacific region, which will require 253,000 new pilots during the same time.
Boeing also noted that, between 2017 and 2036, the world's commercial aviation industry will require approximately 648,000 new commercial airline maintenance technicians and 839,000 new cabin crew members.
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