At the recent Bloomberg Canadian Finance Conference 2024, Marc Parent, President & CEO of CAE, shared insights on the company’s commitment to innovation in global aviation safety. In a discussion with Bloomberg’s Derek DeCloet, Parent highlighted CAE’s pivotal role in pilot training and simulator technology, emphasizing that the company operates as a unified entity dedicated to training pilots across both civil aviation and defense sectors.

Parent outlined that CAE is a leader in the aviation training industry, holding the top position globally in simulator sales. With approximately 60% of its revenue generated from civil aviation and 40% from defense, CAE is strategically positioned to meet the growing demand for qualified pilots.

Despite current supply chain challenges in the aviation industry, Parent expressed optimism about future growth, driven by an expected increase in the number of commercial aircraft. Boeing predicts the global fleet of civil airliners will double over the next 20 years, which translates to a need for approximately 284,000 new pilots in the next decade to meet retirements and demand. Notably, half of these prospective pilots have yet to begin their training.

As global travel demand continues to surge, particularly in emerging markets like India and China, CAE is poised to expand its training facilities and services. Parent highlighted the necessity of local training centers, ensuring accessibility for airlines and their pilots worldwide.

Watch the Bloomberg interview here.

Source: CAE and Bloomberg