SEJONG, May 3 (Korea Bizwire) – During a cabinet meeting today, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation (MOLIT) unveiled a plan to train at least 2000 qualified pilots domestically by 2020.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the global aviation market is expected to grow by five percent annually, which in turn create job vacancies for 25,000 new pilots every year. In Korea, the expectation is that airlines will require 600 new pilots annually.
Domestic training facilities are unable to train pilots that meet the qualifications standards of major airlines.
Commercial airlines often require 250 to 1000 hours of flight experience, with a preferred requirement of jet plane experience, neither of which domestic training facilities provide.
Such circumstances have led to an average of 450 domestic pilots spending approximately 100 million won on training overseas in order to improve their resumes.
The ministry will therefore set up a new curriculum that offers prospective pilots a minimum of 100 hours of flight experience and the chance to fly jet planes. The new curriculum is expected to take effect in 2017.
Flight Training Simulator. (image: Yonhap)
In addition, in order to reduce the number of light aircraft accidents, the ministry is limiting its training operations to major airports across the country as well as prohibiting nighttime training.
It will also standardize training programs and safety standards across all training agencies.
“Once the new policies take effect, commercial airlines will be able to easily obtain qualified pilots, and pilots will have more job opportunities. We’ll also have fewer small flight accidents, which cost approximately 2.2 billion won each year,” said a MOLIT official.
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
