Japan Eyes Aid for Emergency Helicopter Pilot Training Costs

Tokyo, July 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is considering providing financial support to cover the training costs of pilots for firefighting and disaster relief helicopters as well as doctor helicopters. The plan is being considered in response to the aging pilot population and concerns that some helicopter services may be suspended in the future. The government aims to ensure a stable supply of young pilots by helping to reduce the financial burden on private operators that provide flight services under contract with local governments and other organizations. More than 1,000 hours of flight experience is required to become a captain of a firefighting and disaster relief helicopter or a medical helicopter. In Japan, the proportion of pilots aged 50 or older is about 65 pct for firefighting and disaster relief helicopters and 71 pct for medical helicopters as of April 2025. For doctor helicopters, the country may face a shortage of more than 10 pilots nationwide annually starting in 2030, people familiar with the situation said. Private operators commissioned by local governments to provide flight services have so far enabled pilots to gain flight experience through pesticide spraying and aerial photography. However, in recent years, drones have increasingly taken over these tasks, reducing opportunities for young pilots to gain flight experience. Training flights cost about 300,000 yen per hour, placing a heavy burden on the operators. Against this background, the government is considering a system under which the national and local governments would support the training costs, with details, including the amount of financial aid, to be worked out later. In addition, the government will consider the possibility of allowing simulator training time to count toward the flight experience required of pilots, while reviewing, with reference to examples from other countries, the requirements to become a captain of a firefighting and disaster relief helicopter or a medical helicopter. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]