I will answer your question in the reverse order in which you asked it..

Will PNCL be around for a while- I think so.. They currently are still making profits every quarter, handle over 700 flights a day for NWA, and are in line to get the 15 CRJ 200's back that were taken when NW declared ch. 11. On top of the 15 we will most likely get back there is a bid for an additional 36 CRJ 900's that NW bought and will have one of its regionals fly. The other regional for NW is mesaba, which is in a very tough spot right now. I hope mesaba makes it through, but on the same front I have high hopes that PNCL will get all 51 CRJ's up for grabs! There is the lingering pilot contract ordeal but that will get settled soon enough. In answer to your question- I dont think pinnacle is going anywhere any time soon.

As for hiring- Currently hiring is for attrition. The next class is oct 30 and will be between 24-30 depending on how many show up on the first day. Once there is an announcement on a pilot contract and/or more planes from NW hiring will have to go to warp speed. PNCL operates 124 CRJ's and currently has enough pilots to staff em (barely) so even the 15 CRJ 200's we are expecting to return will need 150 pilots on the seniority list. The mins to get hired depend. 1000/200 is what is the "Stated" mins, but in my class that is still in training about half the guys have the 1000/200 range (instructors in other words) the remaining half is split between ex charter/furlough guys and ATP/academy people. The atp/acad guys have 500-600 hours and have had CRJ training so they got the job. I dont know what group you fall into but those seem to be the three ways of time for the job. Also a referral letter from a current pilot (especially a capt) is a big, big plus. Let me know if you wanna know more!