Airline pilots have weathered the ups and downs of the industry -- from the 2001 terrorist attacks that resulted in many pilot furloughs to the impact of the recession in 2008, when major airlines put hiring on hold. The chart shows hiring data for major airlines (including FedEx and UPS) tallied by Future & Active Pilot Advisors . At the 11 major airlines in the U.S., 35,000 of their pilots are expected to retire in the next decade while 15,000 will be hired, according to Future & Active Pilot Advisors, which tracks pilot jobs and hiring.