The pay will go up every year regardless of the outcome of the arbitration...every 10/01 the rates are increased 1.5% and every time you pass your DOH you get a 3% raise. Along with that there is an adjusted increase every 2 and 1/2 years. The next one is 03/06 and the rates will go up (very different industry increase than Eagle's, AE's is based on pay raises over the year, AWACs is based on actual hourly wages). The only company right now that meets the criteria for the adjustment that makes less on a per hour basis is Mesa, everybody else makes more per hour, including TSA (50 seat non-wholly owned 50 seat operators). Some others that qualify are Skywest, Expressjet (CAL sold their majority stake), Chautauqua, etc.

Upgrade times are less than 3 years, last award had pilots hired 08/03 and 09/03. But the previous poster is correct that will probably stagnate towards the middle to end of next year.

The 300 number of new hires next year is a budgeted number for the flight department. The actual number could be north or south of there (I am betting North). They seem to asses there needs every month when the final resignation list is available. There will be a lull in the hiring in the spring due to the transition of all of the current 146 pilots...April - May I believe.

FO