Many aviation professionals and I include myself in this group benefited from both deregulation and EAS. I believe if deregulation never occurred many professional aviators working now would have never been hired because of the structure in the 1970's. Most of the pilots hired were military. I personally know of three pilots hired by major airlines with no military flight experience doing that period. Commuter airlines required more experience in the 1970's than whats required now. I do not want to see re-regulation of the airline industry, instead allow the free market place to work through the elimination of the EAS monies in the lower 48 states. If the government would like to start cutting budgets, start with EAS!