Pilot Careers & Demand In Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is undergoing a massive strategic economic transition.  From relying on oil as a primary source of trade to becoming a destination in the Middle East.

Specifically, the implementation of Vision 2030 has put Saudi Arabia on a path to become one of the most sought after destinations within the Middle East.  With that development, the government has made ambitious plans to grow the aviation sector substantially over the coming years.  Currently there are 4 airlines in the Kingdom with a 5^th new airline (RIA) that was just recently announced.

All of the carriers have plans for or have already placed  orders for aircraft to be delivered over the coming years.  This is significant when evaluating the need for pilots because for each new aircraft that an airline adds to the fleet count, they need between 10-20 pilots to staff it. If that average is true for these airlines, then at a minimum 1300 new pilots would be needed as they take delivery of these aircraft. Additionally, the recently announced new national carrier (RIA), mentioned having significant growth plans. This would add even more demand for pilots in Saudi Arabia.

Within the greater Middle East region, the demand for pilots is even greater.  Both Boeing and Airbus produce a report each year that forecasts the need for new pilots over the next 20 years.  Both organizations forecast that at least 50,000 pilots will be needed in the Middle East over the next 20 year.