Europe Is Out of Pilots

Executive Summary

Behind every jet order, every charter expansion, and every new air mobility concept lies the same bottleneck: not enough pilots. And in Europe, that bottleneck is about to burst.

The EASA pilot license is emerging as one of the most valuable assets in global aviation — not just for aspiring aviators, but for investors building infrastructure around the future of flight.

What’s Happening Now?

• The global pilot shortage is no longer a prediction — it’s disrupting operations across commercial and business aviation.

• EASA estimates Europe will need over 40,000 new pilots by 2035 — while training capacity remains fragmented and undercapitalized.

• Airlines and charter operators in the Middle East and Asia increasingly prefer pilots with EASA or FAA licenses for global compatibility and higher training standards.

• The Dubai Airshow 2025 confirmed the next wave of fleet growth will center around Europe-based OEMs (Airbus, Diamond, Tecnam) — but the pilots won’t come from nowhere.

What This Means for Investors

1. Pilot Training is the New Flight Asset
Aircraft are grounded without pilots. Regulatory licensing is now the biggest barrier to scale — and therefore the biggest opportunity for investors. Backed by high tuition, predictable revenue, and strong demand — aviation academies are fast becoming the SaaS of mobility.

2. EASA is the Global Standard
The EASA license is portable, respected, and versatile — covering both fixed-wing and rotary training.
Investing in EASA-focused training centers or financing programs means your capital is globally deployable, not locked into regional politics.

3. Migration + Mobility = Double Yield
HNWIs relocating to Europe often bring their children or family members with aviation dreams.
Funding their training or building integrated pilot campuses in safe, sunny countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy) ties into real estate, education, and lifestyle investment models.

4. From SAF to Staff: Sustainable Means Scalable
Green jets and net-zero targets are great headlines — but without trained pilots, sustainable aviation doesn’t scale. That’s why institutional capital is starting to pivot: from just hardware to people, pipelines, and pilot readiness.

What’s Next?

• Expect pilot education to go premium — bundled with housing, lifestyle, and job placement guarantees.

• Watch for public-private partnerships funding EASA academies across southern Europe.

• Anticipate new fund structures: asset-backed training funds, pilot loan securitization, and education-based residency models.

Why the EASA License Is Your Most Undervalued Aviation Asset

We’re structuring investment vehicles to turn tomorrow's pilot shortage into today's opportunity,
join us in the dealroom — and get early access to what others will chase too late.