As of today, the next class is rumored to be the first week of January. Apparently the simulators and instructors are going to be too busy during December to start another new hire class. From what I have heard, there are 2 upgrade classes of 10 each right now, but that is unconfirmed.

As for future upgrades, nobody really has any idea what will occur once the merger is complete. There was supposedly a group meeting in Atlanta today to talk about how the integration will occur, but again, just a rumor. All I saw was guys in jackets and ties, and heard second hand info from somebody else saying that it was a group discussing the integration in anticipation of the ExpressJet Board of Directors vote today. Once the merger occurs, it has been speculated that it could take up to 4 years before all the integration stuff is completed and all the aircraft freezes expire resulting in a homogeneous company. Then, it's anybody's guess as to where we will be and what we will look like.

If you aren't buckled in tightly, I would go ahead and do that, because I think we are in for a ride over the next couple of years!