Lilly Vitorovich
(Australian Associated Press)

More than 500,000 new commercial airline pilots and technicians will be needed across the Asia-Pacific region in the next two decades to support growing demand for new planes, US aircraft maker Boeing says.

The mix is expected to consist of about 248,000 new pilots and 268,000 new technicians through to 2035, according to Boeing’s 2016 pilot and technician outlook for the Asia-Pacific.

Demand for new pilots is mainly due to delivery of new planes and changing fleets, while technician demand is primarily driven by fleet growth, the company said.

The bulk of the growth is expected to come in China, with Boeing forecasting the country will need 111,000 new pilots and 119,00 new technicians over the two decades.

The Oceania region is expected to need 13,000 new pilots and 17,000 new technicians.

The Asia-Pacific region leads the demand for new commercial airplane deliveries over the next 20 years, making up 40 per cent of global demand due to fleet growth in the single-aisle market, driven by budget carriers.

The region will need some 15,130 new planes in the next 20 years, valued at $US2.35 trillion, according to Boeing.