Feel free to post your "paper numbers" that bring you to your conclusion. I am looking at our documented numbers and you're wrong.

Currently for December there are 4929 required positions. By the end of this month there will around 5100 or less pilots on the list. Also retirements will continue each month bringing our numbers down even more.) The difference between 4929 and 5100 isnt an overstaffing since the 5100 total pilots includes all pilots on Medical leave, Long term sick, voluntary furlough, military, mgmt, etc.

Sure there are variables are how many more will leave before DCC but the facts are last month 115 people applied for PERPs during the 30 day period and ONLY 50 were awarded by the company for whatever reason and that was just for the narrowbody guys.

SuperPilot, Please post the number of aircraft in NWA's fleet as of 1 Jan 08. Now post the planned number as of 1 Jan 09 and 1 Jan 10. The info I posted came from someone involved in the process of determining how many pilots to hire and how to handle the requirements of both airlines. He stated NWA anticipates a surplus of pilots. Why would they be offering the early outs if they did not? This is not rocket science. Its simple numbers. The surplus is expected to be tempory while NWA transitions to the new contract. That will take time however. If enough early outs as I mention occur that could offset the surplus.

The January bid will publish next month. I dont have those numbers yet since this bid was for DEC. Every month that goes by we lose more and more pilots. For instance in 2005 the NWA list had 6000+ pilots on it. Now we have 5100. This is a result of retirements. NWA hired only 190 people since 2001 and retirements outnumber all the hiring we have done. The flying report we just got said that the early 2009 flying will be be unchanged from the fall until the Spring ramp up. There is no plans on reducing any further as of now. In fact they said they plan on doing the same amount of flying with what seems to be less total aircraft. So i assume that means increasing the utilization rates of the aircraft more like DAL does. So staffing isnt solely based on aircraft numbers, its based on block hours. Time will tell but as of NOW there is no "surplus" in fact every time you talk to scheduling they talk about how short staffed they are on the Airbus and the widebodies.

Bottom line everything right now is speculation for 2009. Alot will change once this merger is finalized, especially when NWA is brought up to the DAL staffing models. That by itself would require us to hire.

FWIW, I think that the JPWA states that NWA does not need to be in compliance with DAL's PBS staffing model for 36 months.

I could be wrong, but that is what sticks out in my mind.

My point is that everything points to not being overstaffed like Sailing likes to portray.

Fact is that both companies are over staffed. DAL is overstaffed by about 500 pilots. With all of the training and what not going on it is easier to keep everyone around in the winter months.

Does that take into consideration the rest of the 737's and 777 that have yet to be staffed as they come?

No the projections do not account for those.

Are you sure? Take a look at the reserve levels for the -88. Short everyday in Sept.