Pilot workforce planning for small & mid-sized growing airlines

Do as the large airlines do — plan your pilot workforce before you need it.

Large airlines have dedicated teams continuously aligning fleet plans, network growth and pilot resources. Growing smaller airlines face exactly the same challenge — often with fewer internal resources and less room for delay. PilotCore Global helps bridge that gap.

No cost · No commitment · 30 minutes · Fully confidential

The experience behind PilotCore Global
40+ yrsin commercial aviation — flight deck to boardroom
25 yrsin aviation staffing & pilot recruitment
25airlines supported across 5 regions

Founded on a rare combination of airline leadership, flight operations and global pilot recruitment.

Introductory offerPilot Workforce Readiness Check — a complimentary 30-minute video call. No cost, no commitment.
Book the free 30-min call
Four decades supporting airlines across five regions
What we do

We help airlines PLAN, RECRUIT and RETAIN their pilot workforce

Everything needed to support today's operation and tomorrow's growth — from workforce forecasting and recruitment strategy to long-term retention.

PLAN
Strategic pilot resource planning
  • Pilot workforce forecasting
  • Fleet expansion planning
  • Captain and First Officer requirements
  • Instructor and training capacity
  • Upgrade planning
  • Pilot workforce risk assessment
RECRUIT
Building a modern recruitment strategy
  • Pilot recruitment strategy
  • Recruitment best-practice reviews
  • International pilot sourcing
  • Captain and instructor recruitment
  • Pilot assessment and selection
RETAIN
Retention and pilot engagement
  • Pilot retention reviews
  • Confidential pilot engagement interviews
  • Management / pilot communication
  • Career and command progression
  • Retention action plans
FRACTIONAL
Head of Pilot Workforce Planning — ongoing senior capability, without a full-time hire
  • Quarterly workforce forecasts
  • Recruitment pipeline review
  • Attrition & retention monitoring
  • Fleet-change and type-introduction planning
  • Annual workforce strategy

Start with a free Pilot Workforce Readiness Check.

It's the mix — not just the number

Sustainable growth is a balance, not a headcount

The right number of pilots isn't enough. It's the balance of commanders, first officers and instructors — with a pipeline and training capacity that keep pace with the fleet — that supports an airline's optimal, long-term development.

Command pipeline

Enough captains, upgraded in time — so command capacity never limits the flying programme.

First officer intake

A steady flow of first officers feeding the pipeline sustainably, year after year.

Instructors (TRI / TRE)

Training and checking capacity that scales with the fleet — the constraint most airlines underestimate.

Own & contract pilots

The right balance of permanent and contract pilots to fill gaps during expansion — flexibility without losing stability.

Balance & retention

A stable, well-balanced mix that stays — supporting continuity and the airline's optimal development.

The experience behind the firm

Founded on experience across the flight deck, the boardroom and the market

PilotCore Global is built on a rare combination of three full careers in aviation — the foundation of how the firm advises airlines on their pilot workforce.

From the flight deck
19,000 hrs

Airline captain

Line and management pilot experience across many aircraft types including the B747-400 and B737NG, across long-haul, charter and scheduled operations.

From the boardroom
Exec

Airline leadership

Chief Pilot, airline executive and Deputy Managing Director — decisions on fleet, operations and workforce from the top table.

From the market
25 yrs

Aviation staffing

A quarter-century helping build an aviation recruitment organisation from regional activity into a global business.

Four decades, combined into one independent view of how many pilots you need, of what mix, when — and how to keep them.

Selected airline experience

Airlines supported across a career in aviation

Organisations PilotCore Global's founder has worked with in executive leadership, flight operations, pilot workforce and strategic advisory roles.

Africa
Europe
Middle East
Asia-Pacific
Caribbean

Africa

11 Airlines
Air Arabia Maroc
Air Cairo
Air Mauritius
Air Namibia
Air Peace
Air Tanzania
Airlink
Azman Air
Royal Air Maroc
RwandAir
Uganda Airlines

Europe

9 Airlines
Avion Express
Corendon Airlines
Enter Air
Finnair
Norwegian
Novair
SAS
Turkish Airlines
Wizz Air

Middle East

1 Airline
flyadeal

Asia-Pacific

3 Airlines
EVA Air
Korean Air
Malaysia Airlines

Caribbean

1 Airline
LIAT Air
Torkel Waak, Founder & Managing Director of PilotCore Global
Led by the founder

Torkel Waak

Founder & Managing Director · PilotCore Global

An aviation executive with a rare combination of airline leadership, aviation staffing expertise and extensive flight operations experience. More than 40 years in commercial aviation, over 19,000 flight hours, and 25 years helping build and expand a global aviation staffing business serving airlines across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. He founded PilotCore Global to bring that combined experience to growing airlines — an independent view grounded in operational reality.

Captain, B747-400 Chief Pilot, B737 fleet Deputy Managing Director, Airline Operations Director & Shareholder, global aviation staffing Founder & MD, PilotCore Global
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Start here

Start with a Pilot Workforce Readiness Check

No cost · No commitment · 30 minutes

A 30-minute video call with PilotCore Global, focused on one fundamental question: are your pilot workforce plans aligned with your network growth and additional aircraft plans?

Together, we take a high-level look at your current pilot resources and planned fleet and network development — identifying potential gaps in pilot numbers, recruitment lead times, command upgrades, instructor capacity, training and retention. There is no cost and no commitment; the purpose is simply to identify potential pilot workforce risks before they become operational problems.

30 minutes today could identify a pilot workforce gap 12–36 months before it affects your operation.

Prefer email? contact@pilotcore.global · NDA available on request

Book your complimentary Readiness Check

We reply within one business day. Your details stay confidential.