1) As mentioned, there was a lull in hiring for a while in 2016. Mainly due to the 737 training choke as well as the TK being a cluster due to construction, etc. Spring/summer/fall 2016 was nothing but CPP interviews, no OTS. We weren't running classes. Then, first OTS classes with the % meter of CPP didn't start till Jan-Feb 2017 with a pool of CPP's that was almost 300 deep if I recall correctly. So many of those that were interviewed/selected 2016 went into that deep pool. But also of note was that interviews didn't go in seniority order. So maybe a junior pilot interviewed way before those senior to them, but had to wait out their turn.

2) When the hiring picked up, it was simply the slow/metered trickle and the % of CPP to OTS hires.

So many of those 2016 interviewees didn't go till 2018.

That's great news!!!!

Only took 5 years for them to straighten it out and get it right.