Sorry - have no idea, just passing on what I heard. 80 this month is great, and was told it would be like this for awhile. Hopefully that doesn’t just mean until the first class in September!

A good CKA recently told me “that was what they told me yesterday, but there’s another meeting this afternoon...” Every day things change around here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Like Cheddar said, there's no way of knowing. But if it helps at all- the training plan was to run one class of 40 in early-mid December.

Just for info. If hiring stays at 40 for the rest of the classes (plan was no second class in Dec.), the total hires will be about a dozen hires short of the 900 initial goal. If they ramp up to 45 per class, they could hit the 930 that was recently stated as a revised goal.

For reference, 2017 hiring totaled 645 pilots.

I believe the plan right now is calling for 1 class in Dec of 50. The early class in NOV should be 46, the late class is 50. They plan to hire 400+ from AUG-DEC. Target total is 930 NH’s for this year.

Any announced numbers for 2019?

They haven't determined it yet, probably will coincide with network planning for 2019, which I think releases in November? I would venture to guess as many as we can handle.

In addition to mandatory retirements, attrition, and growth there is another factor that has not had much discussion.

In a few short years there will be nearly 1,000 annual mandatory retirements. As stated here, each retirement of a Group IV Captain creates an average of 7 upgrade training events. I recognize not every retirement is of a Group IV CA.

However, ball park, maybe 5,000 training event in a year (a third of the pilots — let that sink in) plus full new hire training of 1,000+ will happen every year for several years running.

Two things. This is going to require a big increase in the Schoolhouse.

The other, which a lot have not thought about, is all those pilots in the Schoolhouse for some period of training takes them off flight status. How many extra pilots need to be hired just to cover for those going through the Schoolhouse? Hundreds of extra hires?

This is not going to be a single year event, one which can be covered by asking for additional flying at premium. It is going to be an ongoing situation for the foreseeable future. It just compounds the problem. AA is not unique in this situation, either. Delta and United will be dealing with this as well.

Food for thought...

Remember that they are getting rid of the 190, MD-80s, and 757/767. Also, 777-200s will start being replaced by 787. G4 retirements won’t cause as many cycles in the future.

Combination of D and I divisions will also streamline reserve coverage.

The company does have a few levers it’s pulling.

Don’t believe they have announced parking any 777s yet. Not saying it won’t happen but hasn’t been in any fleet updates or filings.

What divisions still need to be combined? Believe they have combined everyone but DFW and those guys don’t think it’s gonna happen.

“The 47 aircraft ordered nearly equals the amount of Airbus A330s (24) and 767s (24) that remain in the American fleet. The 787 will replace both aircraft types in American’s fleet and replace older 777 aircraft.”

I think MIA 737 and LGA 320 are split.