Commercial airlines need 600,000 new pilots globally, but attracting talent has been a bumpy ride More people are turning to air travel and that's leading to a high demand of pilots worldwide

FILE-- The aviation industry is looking to gain 637,000 new pilots worldwide by 2036. North America alone will need 117,000 new pilots to reach the demand. FILE-- The aviation industry is looking to gain 637,000 new pilots worldwide by 2036. North America alone will need 117,000 new pilots to reach the demand. Photo: LM Otero Photo: LM Otero Image 1 of / 44 Caption Close Commercial airlines need 600,000 new pilots globally, but attracting talent has been a bumpy ride 1 / 44 Back to Gallery

As more passengers gear up for the busy travel months ahead, there's one thing that probably isn't on their checklist: Who’s going to fly the aircraft?

Last July, Boeing released a pilot outlook report stating that the aviation industry is calling for 637,000 certified pilots globally, a number they hope to fill by 2036; 117,000 will be needed in North America alone.

Carriers have long relied on military pilots to enter into commercial careers but that dependability has been an issue as the Air Force struggles to find pilots of their own.

“If you look at the number of pilots needed and divide it by the next 20 years, currently you’re looking at tens of thousands of pilots per year. I don’t think any one agency can do it all,” said Keith Cooper, vice president of training and professional services at Boeing.

Growth of aircraft production and a steady rise in passenger air travel have contributed to this demand. Statista notes that airline passenger growth from 2017 to 2036 is expected to increase by 4.7 percent.

But pilot retirement is another issue that comes into play.

“There are currently 120,000 active pilots. They’re saying that in the next 10 years, 42 percent of these pilots are going to retire,” said Dr. Fred Barez, department chair of aviation and technology at San Jose State University.

Aviation colleges, like the one at SJSU, are trying to address this need, but that’s been met with some challenges.

Barez said that typically at the start of the bachelor’s degree, 95 percent of freshmen are interested in becoming a commercial airline pilot. As time goes, that number radically drops for those that complete the program.

“The students that continue to pursue the career to become a commercial pilot is 15 percent. It’s a significant drop because of finances and the time they have to devote,” Barez said.

Tuition at SJSU’s department of aviation costs around $28,800 for all four years. On top of that, there’s an added $45,000, not included in the tuition cost, that students need to pay at flight schools to accrue 120 to 200 hours of actual flight time.

The total adds up to about $74,000 in four years.

Additionally, to become a certified commercial airline pilot, students need to accumulate a total of 1,000 hours in flight time, compared to students that enroll directly through flight schools require 1,500 hours. The difference is based on the degree earned.

Take a look at the slideshow above to see what it takes to gain your commercial airline pilot license

SJSU does offer a few scholarships to aid the cost of tuition that range from $2,000 to $10,000. Cooper thinks that despite the high cost, the career is still worth pursuing.

“Even if you accumulate a little debt going along that training path, knowing you have a position at the end where you know you could be working in a phenomenal field and ultimately have income coming in right away [is] almost worth the offset of the debt," he said.

Barez explained that once students gain their commercial airline pilot license they can eventually demand $175,000 to $200,000 annually and work at regional carriers like Surf Air, Signature Airlines, Horizon Air, and Western Airlines.

Barez believes that student interest is still there. He said that the department recently gained a boost in enrollment, thanks in part to a new ranking that placed SJSU as the fourth-best aviation college in the country.

“Things are improving. When I came in, enrollment in aviation was 190 and we have 265 students now,” Barez said.

One way Barez and Cooper want to approach the pilot demand is by stressing the importance of reaching out to students at a young age.

“We have to do a better job about getting the interest at a younger age, getting them involved in middle school and early high school activities, to show them the benefits and the greatness of what it’s like to be a pilot,” Cooper said.

Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect that the salary a commercial airline pilot can eventually make is $175,000 to $200,000.

Follow Susana Guerrero on Twitter and email her at sguerrero@sfchronicle.com