The issue – brought to light on Sunday, April 13, 2025, by former commercial pilot Patrick Roa in a Facebook post – highlights what he called a “heartbreaking” reality: a system that produces licensed pilots faster than the local aviation sector can absorb.
The Philippines sees hundreds of Commercial Pilot License (CPL) holders graduating each year from various flight schools, with families often financing P3-5 million in training costs. Many trainees also secure expensive type ratings for aircraft like the Airbus A320 or ATR-72, hoping to improve employability.
However, these credentials do not guarantee jobs, said Roa, a graduate of the US National Test Pilot School who now tests, demonstrates and ferries airliners for foreign carriers.
Major airlines, including Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific, set high thresholds for employment, often requiring 500 to 1,500 flight hours, advanced simulator experience, and sometimes college degrees. Fresh graduates typically log just 200 to 250 hours — insufficient to qualify.
A Catch-22 situation
“You need experience to get the job, but you need a job to gain experience,” Roa said.
To bridge the gap, some pilots become flight instructors to build flying hours. But many leave the industry entirely, burdened by debt and disillusionment, he said.
Roa also noted that some schools may overstate career prospects, leading students to invest heavily in type ratings that expire unless renewed.
The situation is complicated by cadet pilot programs run by major carriers. These structured training pipelines — now often funded through bank loans rather than scholarships — are largely closed to self-funded CPL holders. Airlines prefer to mold candidates from scratch, effectively closing off a path for those who are already licensed and type-rated.
Industry reforms needed
Roa advocated for reforms, including transition programs to help licensed pilots gain hours, greater transparency from flight schools about employment outcomes, and mentorship initiatives led by active pilots.
He also called on the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Department of Transportation to study pilot oversupply and realign training outputs with market demand.
The imbalance has broader implications. Boeing projects a need for over 800,000 pilots globally by 2045, a figure used by schools to justify current enrollment rates.
But he pointed out that local hiring has lagged, despite reported fleet expansion plans from Philippine carriers. Roa argued that type-rated pilots, already trained in industry-standard simulators, deserve serious consideration.
“Airlines are not the villains,” he wrote. “But when talent is left idle, and schools profit from unmet promises, something is broken.”
Beyond calls for policy shifts, Roa urged families to ask hard questions before investing in aviation careers. He stressed that success in flying is not limited to airline jobs and suggested alternative paths in general and business aviation.
“Every pilot deserves a fair chance to fly,” Roa concluded. “The dream is not the problem — the system is.”
— Edited by Daxim L. Lucas
