I cannot locate an old posting FCIF with the fleet plan, but maybe some of you with better documentation skills saved a copy or know how to retrieve it...

The 777 seems to be manned about 20 pilots per/plane. I think the domestic birds have a lower ratio. One triple going in requires more manning than one MD-10 leaving takes out. I'm pretty sure there are smarter people that me who have poured over this and can pipe in.

The MD-10s may be on their way out. However, take a look at the gain of 767s. The MD-10/767 are probably more apples/apples as far as city pairings and scheduling is concerned.

But either way...the -10/11 is a contracting fleet. We saw this with the 727 and the DC-10. If you are senior on a seat, it can be a boondoggle. If you are junior--well--you can get whipsawed. The obvious choice for a new hire or junior guy is to go ahead and embrace the VNAV life and start learning the boeing way of doing things. Airbus and -10/-11 fleets are probably about as full as they will ever be, and over time will likely contract. There may be some ambitious types who have never flown the -11 from the right seat that might want to bid straight over to the left, but I imagine the majority of upgraders on the 11 going forward will be pilots who have flown it from the right seat at least once.