Can this be true

[cessna_driver2]

Airlines hired 372 pilot in May
July 17 — Pilot hiring levels held their ground for the month of May as 372 new pilots were hired throughout the airline industry, according to data compiled by AIR, Inc. The most active segment of the industry was jet operators, which hired 108 pilots. Through the end of May some 2,108 pilots have been hired, and AIR, Inc. President Kit Darby projects that the industry will hire approximately 5,000 to 6,000 pilots in 2003. Meanwhile, the total number of pilots on furlough as of June 5 increased to 8,895 out of 94,571 active airline pilots, up from 8,655 as of April 30. The airlines are dealing with a soft travel market and the continued impact of the postwar period and the SARS virus, Darby said.

<from AOPA members page dated today>

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Well if you look around at those that are hiring; Comair, Airtran, ATA, Jetblue, Southwest, Aloha, Amercia West, Alaska, Horizon, etc. Even though none of them are hiring at huge numbers, they do tend to add up. Too bad they don't add up to the number of furloughs out there...

I now turn the microphone over to Bobbysamd to provide us with his obligatory Darby-bashing rant.

 

[LearLove]

Air Inc. also takes a wide birth with the term "hiring". It seems they include guy who are waiting for class, in class or in pools from time to time which may be misleading. IMHO the "hiring" numbers should only reflect the guys in said time period who have been offered class, gone thru training and MADE IT TOO THE LINE.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

...Or at least those who have started a class...