What happens in the LOI goes straight to the Chief Pilots — the HR rep and panel interview pilot along with the logbook pilot have no idea.

If you don’t make it to the DB, you did something in the other two interviews and those (one, two or three) people, somehow decided.

This is accurate

If they call references(internal and external), is it safe to say you made it to the DB?

Yes. Safe to say

Yes! Best of luck.

Does the DB convene in DAL each time or is it a video-conferencing event?

I believe it’s by speaker phone. It used to be in Dallas until a couple years ago.

Thanks for the information. Do the calls go out the same day(afternoon) after the DB or on the days following.

Most of the calls go out that afternoon. But times can vary. I've heard of calls going out late in the evening and once in a long while, the next morning. They spread out the calls between the Chief Pilots and they make the calls when they can I guess.

Calls went out this afternoon for the 9/12/2018 DB.