The other factors for pilot hiring: Overseas.
-A thread was just posted on this website about how Chinese airlines just got permission for 74? new routes. They are expanding thier intra-Chinese flying and their regional feed.
-Emirates just had a roadshow in Singapore, to recruit new pilots, and ZERO pilots showed up.
Also, I think that AA/UAL and DAL will all end up with fairly strong flow-thru type agreements for many of their regional pilots. If that happens, then there is a lower chance that those pilots will want to go to Atlas, or other non-Big 3 carriers, and lose their flow-thru to their major.
I also hope that this developing pilot shortage helps us get better T&Cs at Atlas. Just flew with a guy who told us of his fellow Atlas pilot: He completed indoc at one of the Big 3, then left for a "better" Big 3 position. I had also heard previously of an Atlas guy who had a class date at all three of the Big 3 airlines, and was trying to figure out which two he was going to turn down.
There has been a LOT of open time lately, and it seems more flying.