Can you believe the leading voice in the U.S. for the great "American Pilot Shortage" movement took a leap of faith across a Arizona Mesa and plunged to his untimely demise? December 21st too! At 13:22 to the second. I used to commute to my internship, in 2000, on the Boston Green Line "T" and read all of the articles in Flying Magazine about the great pilot shortage. In 2009, when I needed a job, I couldn't get one. What do these numbers really mean? Delta has been doing a really good job of making a ton of dough and not hiring many pilots. Maybe 80 since 2008? I hope all of the unhappy, well qualified, mid-seniority Jblue FO's leap at the chance to fly heavy metal for Delta and United. If that other leap possibility actually becomes reality.