Who's Flying?
| TABLE 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| ESTIMATED ACTIVE AIRMEN CERTIFICATES HELD | ||||||||||||||||
| as of DECEMBER 31 | ||||||||||||||||
| CATEGORY | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | ||||||
| Pilot--Total | 590,039 | 593,499 | 599,086 | 610,576 | 617,128 | 627,588 | 594,285 | 613,746 | 590,349 | 597,109 | ||||||
| Student 1/ | 122,729 | 120,546 | 120,285 | 119,946 | 118,657 | 119,119 | 72,280 | 80,989 | 84,339 | 84,866 | ||||||
| Recreational (only) | 190 | 220 | 238 | 218 | 227 | 212 | 234 | 252 | 239 | 239 | ||||||
| Sport (only) | 5,482 | 5,157 | 4,824 | 4,493 | 4,066 | 3,682 | 3,248 | 2,623 | 2,031 | 939 | ||||||
| Airplane 2/ | ||||||||||||||||
| Private | 170,718 | 174,883 | 180,214 | 188,001 | 194,441 | 202,020 | 211,619 | 222,596 | 211,096 | 219,233 | ||||||
| Commercial | 101,164 | 104,322 | 108,206 | 116,400 | 120,865 | 123,705 | 125,738 | 124,746 | 115,127 | 117,610 | ||||||
| Airline Transport | 154,730 | 152,933 | 149,824 | 145,590 | 142,511 | 142,198 | 144,600 | 146,838 | 143,953 | 141,935 | ||||||
| Rotorcraft (only) 3/ | 15,566 | 15,511 | 15,114 | 15,126 | 15,220 | 15,377 | 15,298 | 14,647 | 12,290 | 10,690 | ||||||
| Glider (only ) 4,5/ | 19,460 | 19,927 | 20,381 | 20,802 | 21,141 | 21,275 | 21,268 | 21,055 | 21,274 | 21,597 | ||||||
| Flight Instructor Certificates 6/ | 102,628 | 100,993 | 98,842 | 98,328 | 97,409 | 96,473 | 94,863 | 93,202 | 92,175 | 91,343 | ||||||
| Instrument Ratings 6,7/ | 304,329 | 306,066 | 307,120 | 311,952 | 314,122 | 318,001 | 323,495 | 325,247 | 309,865 | 309,333 | ||||||
| Non Pilot--Total 8/ | 728,329 | 717,399 | 707,155 | 701,291 | 695,515 | 686,717 | 682,315 | 678,181 | 666,559 | 656,227 | ||||||
| Mechanic 8/ | 342,528 | 341,409 | 338,844 | 337,775 | 335,431 | 331,989 | 329,027 | 326,276 | 322,852 | 323,097 | ||||||
| Repairmen 8/ | 39,363 | 39,566 | 39,952 | 40,444 | 40,802 | 41,267 | 41,389 | 41,056 | 40,277 | 40,329 | ||||||
| Parachute Rigger 8/ | 8,846 | 8,702 | 8,491 | 8,474 | 8,491 | 8,407 | 8,362 | 8,248 | 8,186 | 8,252 | ||||||
| Ground Instructor 8/ | 70,957 | 71,755 | 72,493 | 73,599 | 74,586 | 75,205 | 75,461 | 74,983 | 74,544 | 74,849 | ||||||
| Dispatcher 8/ | 23,754 | 23,113 | 22,401 | 21,862 | 21,363 | 20,691 | 20,132 | 19,590 | 19,043 | 18,610 | ||||||
| Flight Navigator | 102 | 115 | 126 | 141 | 146 | 174 | 181 | 222 | 250 | 264 | ||||||
| Flight Attendant 9/ | 200,319 | 188,936 | 179,531 | 172,357 | 167,037 | 159,946 | 156,741 | 154,671 | 147,013 | 134,874 | ||||||
| Flight Engineer | 42,460 | 43,803 | 45,317 | 46,639 | 47,659 | 49,038 | 51,022 | 53,135 | 54,394 | 55,952 | ||||||
| Note: The term airmen includes men and women certified as pilots, mechanics or other aviation technicians. | ||||||||||||||||
| 1/ In July 2010, the FAA issued a rule that increased the duration of validity for student pilot certificates for pilots under the age of 40 from 36 to 60 months. | ||||||||||||||||
| This resulted in the increase in active student pilots to 119,119 from 72,280 at the end of 2009. | ||||||||||||||||
| 2/ Includes pilots with an airplane only certificate. Also includes those with an airplane and a helicopter and/or glider certificate. Prior to 1995, | ||||||||||||||||
| these pilots were categorized as private, commercial, or airline transport, based on their airplane certificate. In 1995 and after, they are | ||||||||||||||||
| categorized based on their highest certificate. For example, if a pilots holds a private airplane certificate and a commercial helicopter | ||||||||||||||||
| certificate, prior 1995, the pilot would be categorized as private; 1995 and after as commercial. | ||||||||||||||||
| 3/ See table 7 for the total number of pilots with a helicopter certificate. | ||||||||||||||||
| 4/ See table 8 for the total number of pilots with a glider certificate. | ||||||||||||||||
| 5/ Glider pilots are not required to have a medical examination. Beginning with 2002, glider pilots with another rating but no | ||||||||||||||||
| current medical are counted as "Glider (only)." | ||||||||||||||||
| 6/ Not included in total. | ||||||||||||||||
| 7/ Special ratings shown on pilot certificates, do not indicate additional certificates. | ||||||||||||||||
| 8/ Numbers represent all certificates on record. No medical examination required. Data for 1996 and 1997 are limited to certificates | ||||||||||||||||
| held by those under 70 years of age. | ||||||||||||||||
| 9/ First available for the Registry in 2005. | ||||||||||||||||
| NA Not available. Prior to 1995 repairmen were included in the mechanic category. Recreational certificate first issued in 1990. | ||||||||||||||||
| Sport certificate first issued in 2005. | ||||||||||||||||
Source: https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/
