Compensation and benefits are the leading workforce concern among U.S. Part 91 flight department leaders, with 45% identifying them as a priority over the next one to three years, Aviation Personnel International (API) has found. The survey was presented as API marked its 55th anniversary at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas, amid continued pressure to recruit and retain aviation professionals.
Recruiting qualified personnel and work-schedule expectations or work-life balance tied for second at 39%. Developing future leaders and talent followed at 38%, while 36% cited retaining current employees. Compensation and benefits were also the most frequently selected retention factor, cited by 74% of respondents, ahead of schedule predictability and time off at 54% and department culture at 44%.
API conducted the survey from 17 to 26 September, inviting more than 200 senior leaders in its contact network who oversee U.S. Part 91 flight departments. Seventy-five responded. After excluding responses that selected more than three options, the usable bases were 66 for workforce concerns and 70 for retention. The self-selected, non-random sample should not be treated as representative of the wider Part 91 sector.
API chief executive Sheryl Barden indicated that pay increases are not always the only remedy. Leaders are seeking market-pay benchmarks and assessing whether titles and salaries still reflect expanded responsibilities. Predictable schedules, time off and department culture also remain central to retention. President Jennifer E. Pickerel said leaders additionally seek guidance on issues including upcoming retirements and employee sentiment.