I believe the current thinking by mgt is to have the regular bid and see how many DC-10 crewmembers bid off to other aircraft. Then you'll see an excess bid for the remaining front seats and of course the back seat. The latest plan was to bring each seat down to +/- 100 crews. There are about 120 folks in the back that are over 60 or can't hold a first class medical which means 20 or so folks going to the 727 or to pasture. As to why they continue to train guys into the back seat with the excess looming--as we used to say in the CG " that decision is way above my pay grade." According to the latest aircraft induction/conversion time table we'll be down to 14-15 DC-10s by the end of this calendar year. Either the excess will happen or we'll have LOTS of reserve and LOTS of sitting around. Not a bad way to spend football/Holiday season.