Approximate timeline, from memory, so don't quote me.
Episode I: Phantom Menace. A long time ago in a galaxy in the middle of nowhere Larry Risley (sp?) founded mesa with a couple light twins in FMN around 1980. It grew into a prop commuter over time, acquiring a few other small commuters along the way. Larry was always a jackass but lacked the imagination to achieve world-class status.
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
JO worked for Risley for a while and then left to work for Branson and CAL. Mesa by this time was doing UAX and America West express. Mesa helped AW out of bankruptcy and got a long-term contract out of the deal. CC-air was acquired and force integrated at a much lower payscale under threat of being vaporized by the death star (provided US feed contact?). UA fires mesa in the late 90's for performance.
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Following the UA contract termination, the mesa BOD fires the founder Risley, and invites Darth OJ back as CEO. Since OJ had probably about worn out his welcome at CAL, he accepted the offer. He settles in and gets busy:
- After 9/11, is able to get the BK court to re-instate mesa as a UAX carrier, at the expense of ACA and Air Whiskey.
- Gets 900 flying for AW, founds alter-ego Freedom to whipsaw mag pilots.
- Gets concessionary contract in exchange for scope.
- Get's fired by legacy airways during their third BK, but AW and AA merge, so he's back in the fold.
- Get's some DL flying
- Opens HI branded operation, gets sued, loses most of his liquid assets.
- Opens China branded operations, loses more money, gets out.
- Gets more DL flying, but is unable to to perform, so gets fired from all of it. DL 900 and D-8 flying terminated, ERJ flying still going (lawsuit pending).
- AW Begins drawdown.
- UA begins drawdown.
- BK