Tauranga flying school Bay Flight International is joining forces with the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology to increase the number of pilots trained each year.
The aviation training partners are being squeezed by a government's education funding cap that Bay Flight chief executive officer Laurence Barnett says is going to lead to a shortage of New Zealand pilots.

Bay Flight ceo Laurence Barnett.

Between qualifying as a commercial multi engine qualified commercial pilot and obtaining work with a major airline, pilots have to acquire about 1000 hours - or two to three years commercial flying experience.
New Zealand pilots either remain in the country as flight instructors and general aviation pilots - or go overseas.
"Pilot training is like an apprenticeship," says Laurence, "you start with nothing, and it takes about six years to get a job with an entry level airline. From there on it's onwards and upwards - excuse the pun.
"All the time they are gaining experience. It's part of what makes the New Zealand pilots very good.
"Many of our graduates are already sought-after overseas and this trend is likely to strengthen.
"We need to start thinking about how we respond to what is predicted to be a worldwide pilot shortage.
"The last thing we want to see is New Zealand aviation having to go overseas to hire pilots."
The other factor expected to put the squeeze of the pilots supply is an expected uptake of pilots by Air New Zealand.
Air New Zealand pilots used to retire at 55, but the retirement age was raised reducing the demand for pilots for the last 10 years or so. As that cohort of ageing pilots retires, Air New Zealand will begin hiring pilots from the general aviation industry, including flight schools' staff.
Put the increased New Zealand demand for pilots against the expected worldwide increase in demand for pilots, and more will have to be trained, says Laurence.
Bay Flight International trains about 20-25 New Zealand pilots each year, Laurence says they want to increase that by about 20 per cent. The NMIT group trains on average 300 pilots each year through its 11 flight schools, and that may not be enough to meet the demand.
Aviation training added $237 million to the New Zealand economy last year.