I don't, nor have I ever, knocked RAH or its pilot group.

I've said on more than one occasion that I know literally hundreds of RAH pilots and that I applied there all of 2006. Despite being a former intern (who busted my butt for CHQ and got good reviews) who kept in contact with folks there and being current on the CL-65 I couldn't get an interview. I wanted to work there because I lived in IND and wanted it or SDF as a domicile, and would have left AWAC without hesitation improve my quality of life. I eventually moved out east and when I did RAH quickly faded from my employment radar.

I know that RAH has a good pilot contract and I know the circumstances around its ratification better than most, likely including yourself. I support you folks 100% in your negotiations and will walk a picket line with you if it comes to it...but your own EXCO Chairman has stated he doesn't think you'll get trip and duty rigs and doesn't want to spend negotiating capital to get them. That, combined with pilots who think their compensation will cause the company to shrink, does not bode well for your negotiations. With as much leverage as your pilot group has with the E-jet product, I hope my doubts are proven WAAAAY wrong.

Besides, the playing field is NOT level between my company and yours. RAH is a publicly traded company while AWAC is privately held. The returns required to make a private investment worthwhile are far greater than those required to keep shareholders satisfied.

This isn't a "my company is better than yours!" argument, so don't make it out to be such.