I think I'll start tracking the hiring projection estimates. It seems like we keep hearing of 20+ per month hiring, but then a month or two later we skip a few months' worth of classes and then we run a class of a dozen or so, etc.

I have some historical seniority lists downloaded at different times this year. I realize this method of counting won't account for attrition, but here's what's showing for the 2016 calendar year:

January -- 22 (-2)
February -- 19 (0)
March -- 16 (-2)
April -- 15 (0)
May -- 6 (-1)
June -- 17 (-1)
July -- 0 (x)
August -- 17 (n/a)
September -- 20 (n/a)

Total through September 132 pilots
Average of 14.67 per month
On track for 176 this year based on the average so far

The ( -xx) next to each month's number is how many people are missing from that class as of the October 1, 2016 seniority list.

Does anyone remember what the company projected for 2016 hiring?

I'll readily admit that this isn't scientific and it might not even be 100% accurate. I'm too lazy to go find a pair of reader glasses and my vision is a bit fuzzy this time of day so I may have mis-counted along the way. Sucks to get old.

Edit to add retirements…

So far we've had 6 people retire due to age this year. We'll have one more before the end of 2016.

2017 is showing a total of 9 age retirements on the books. 2 of the 9 scheduled to retire are currently on some sort of leave of absence.