BEIJING, March 1 -- China's valid licenses to fly civil aircraft grew 12.3 percent to reach 39,881 at the end of 2014, alleviating the lack of airline pilots, official data showed on Sunday.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in a report that most licensed pilots work for airlines, sports clubs or government agencies.

Female pilots increased 45.3 percent to 449 by the end of last year and 2,976 overseas pilots held valid license granted by the CAAC.

Airbus A320 and Boeing737 are the top two aircraft that licensed pilots register to fly.

China is the world's fastest growing aviation market. Mounting air traffic requires more planes and qualified pilots.