Yup we are losing some guys to NetJets, there's some interesting insight into that, #1 the guys we lost to them are very well qualified. #2 NetJets doesn't exactly have much love for WHEELS UP and they are poaching the pilots, I say if it helps some of the guys get hired there that's good for them, they got something good out of working here. #3 EVERYONE is losing guys to NetJets, just like JetBlue is losing guys to United, which we have lost some guys to also.
In regards to the contract yes there are 3.5 years left, at the end of that time we are projected to have (assuming all options are converted) at a minimum 400 pilots in the fleet. It would cost WHEELS UP 400 X $10,000 just send the guys to recurrent (135 required pilots to train under the air carriers certificate), so they would need to spend $4,000,000 on pilot training alone, not to mention suspend operations for 6 months while everyone is trained. Or they would have to have another operator start hiring a year before the contract is up so that they could take over operations. Not to mention we have an excellent working relationship with them.
Over the last few months we have hired some of the most talented guys in the pilot group, we have lost a fair number of guys but we have been lucky in that we have been able to hire some great guys and gals to replace them. So in the end we are a better fleet for it.
I've met a few of the new hires in recent months and they are very excited to be here, they were warned about the schedule and the length of time it takes to get per diem when they were hired. For them it's an opportunity to get in early on a program that has great potential.