Asian airlines facing pilot shortage

Shanghai

ASIA'S aviation market is booming, but the supply of pilots isn't nearly keeping pace with the demand for flights. Airlines are already struggling with shortages in staff. Two Japanese carriers recently cut back on flights because they couldn't find pilots, and the international budget airline JetStar held off on expansion plans in the Asia-Pacific region for the same reason.

Clearly, Asia needs more people who can fly planes. The question is: who should be training them? So far, airlines and governments in the region haven't done much to prepare locals for the job. It's time for aviation companies in the West to lend them a hand.