Air New Zealand's moving to head off an anticipated global shortage of pilots that could dramatically impact on aviation in the region.
Boeing, one of the world's largest aircraft manufacturers, estimates an additional 640,000 pilots will be needed worldwide over the next 20 years, 40 per cent of them in the Asia Pacific region.
Air New Zealand says it's working on the issue behind the scenes with the Airline Pilots Association, and there's agreement trainee pilots need better support and more funding.
Massey University Aviation School CEO Ashok Poduval agrees with the sentiment.
"If we don't produce more pilots or rather increase the supply line of suitably qualified pilots we are going to face problems in the not too distant future," Mr Poduval says.
Commercial pilot licences issued by civil aviation are in steady decline in New Zealand, down from 375 in 2012 to 230 last year.
One of the barriers to obtaining a licence is the prohibitive cost, most students graduate from Massey Aviation School with debts of more than $100,000 that's on par with med students and dentists leaving university.
"There's quite a shortfall there that the pilot has to fund themselves and we believe that's cutting out a certain sector of society," NZ Airline Pilots Association President Tim Robinson says.
The association is working to have a support plan in place by December.
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