With the slow return to normalcy in progress now that vaccines for COVID-19 are being administered, flight schools across the country are finally reopening their training programs. This comes as great news to students looking to continue their aviation education in pursuit of a career as a pilot.
While almost every industry was heavily impacted by the restrictions brought about due to the coronavirus pandemic, the aviation industry was hit especially hard. Business travel was brought to a near-complete halt during the height of the pandemic, and personal travel took a dramatic dip as well. Although air travel still has yet to return to its pre-COVID heights, thought leaders in the aviation industry are still optimistic about its future. Demand for qualified pilots was high before the pandemic, with many senior pilots set to retire and create opportunities for a new generation of pilots to take their place. Combine this with the fact that most people are eager to resume traveling having spent the past year in lockdown and there is every reason to believe that this high demand for new pilots will return sooner rather than later.
Banking on this optimistic outlook for the future of aviation, most major airlines have continued training new pilots in spite of the enormous blow that COVID-19 has dealt to the industry – a very positive sign for those who were concerned that these airlines might not be able to recover anytime soon. While it may not yet be all clear skies ahead for the aviation industry and the pilots who make it possible, that hasn’t stopped student pilots all over the country from pushing ahead with their preparations for takeoff. Now that flight schools are finally reopening their doors, the path ahead for these prospective pilots is starting to look as bright as ever.
