By many indications, the airline industry is setting up for another wave of robust hiring in 2025 and 2026. This has an effect on the flight training community, in that many of the CFIs that flight training providers will be hired and move from flight instruction positions to professional pilot positions at airlines or other jobs. Flight training providers are familiar with how these exodus of certified flight instructors (CFIs) times affect their employee base. With major U.S. airlines expecting to hire over 1,800 pilots in the first half of the year alone, the ripple effects will be felt at the grassroots level of aviation education. Many CFIs who are currently working have already accumulated the 1,500 flight hours (or less for restricted-ATP qualified candidates) required for their Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and will move quickly to higher-paying roles at regional airlines. This turnover can disrupt the continuity of training programs if they aren’t prepared for it.
As training businesses grapple with this instructor drain, strategic planning becomes essential to backfill or even pre-fill positions while preserving institutional knowledge and training standards. There are actionable strategies flight training providers can leverage to mitigate disruptions to their CFI staffing solutions
The last year has seen reduced hiring by many airlines, do not expect this to continue into 2025, 2026, and beyond. It may not be the same fevered hiring that happened in 2022 and 2023 especially, but it will be measured and active. According to CAE’s 2025 Aviation Talent Forecast, the industry will require 1.465 million new professionals over the next decade to accommodate fleet expansions and retirements. Boeing’s long-term outlook projects a need for 674,000 new pilots globally over the next 20 years. In the U.S., while hiring has normalized from the post-COVID surge, projections indicate over 10,000 vacancies in 2025, driven by retirements and increasing air travel demand. A couple of major airlines have already started hiring for large classes in the end of 2025 and are moving toward active hiring in 2026. This will trickle down to regional airlines, who will hire actively from our industry’s CFI pool. This environment lures CFIs away, as regional airlines offer competitive salaries—often much higher than instructor pay—and benefits like signing bonuses and improved schedules.
For training providers, the implications are profound. A sudden loss of experienced instructors can lead to scheduling bottlenecks, increased student wait times, and potential revenue dips. Moreover, maintaining consistency in training is critical to student success and safety. Without proactive measures, providers risk losing their competitive edge in a market where students demand efficient, tech-integrated training.
Expect turnover of CFIs.
In one analysis of data from CFI’s resumes on Zippia showed that many CFIs do not stay in their positions very long. In the analysis, it showed the following:
Length of CFI Time in Job
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<1 year 23%
1-2 years 37%
3-4 years 13%
5-7 years 13%
8-10 years 4%
11+ years 10%
This shows 60% of CFIs have tenures under 2 years, underscoring the rapid turnover cycle. Continue reading →
