Unfortunately history works against any hope for the new AA to keep the same number of pilots as it has today. The "shrink to profitability" mentality among the bean counters who actually run the airline will determine that there is more money to be made by not having to pay so many pilots. They will look at the landscape and move profitable assets to consolidate in an area where they think the assets can be more profitable and abandon the already profitable operation for an SWA or some new LCC to move in and make money. AA has done this for decades and my bet is they will do it again. History is a "B."