Ok caught up on the thread now. I see what many of you said about those time building jobs drying up. I also agree what someone else said. Bigger air frames and less airplanes means less pilots needed. We are already heading that direction.

I see this as a win for places like Riddle and UND. Instructors there can rack up that time in no time. Multi time is no issue, they pay for you to get your MEI I think. So a student could go there, get his/her ratings, credit towards their time because of their degree, get hired as an instructor, build time, become MEI, get multi time, and be out the door. That's what the instructors did when I went there. They even instructed while still being students. You could easily go there and get your time and degree in 4-5 years. Shorter if you stay for summers. So then you may ask yourself, well you need a supply of students. Well offer a bridge program or guaranteed interview, maybe a few bucks more an hour (or signing bonus), and there you go. When they start seeing all the hiring going on at the majors and jobs opening up at the regionals, people will be lining up. Hell, the airlines could even pay places like Riddle or UND, for every pilot they send them if they needed pilots that bad.

If I were in marketing at Riddle or UND, that would be my angle to get students to come. I'd also be making those kinds of deals with the airlines right now, if I were them. They may have to lower tuition too I think to get some more students.