Republic finished 2018 with 30 pilots hired at the big 3 COMBINED! 17 being military aviators, 13 pure civilians. Of the 13 pure civilians, 7 had resume boosters such as assistant chief pilot/check airman/sim instructor/union position/management pilot/etc.....
So the question people need to ask themselves is:
- are YOU going to be one of those remaining 6 out of a 2,500 pilot group hired?
That is about as far from a "pilot shortage" as it gets!