[LoadMasterC141]

Just as an outsider looking in, it does seem that things are a bit slower to start than this time last year, but there are still plenty of regionals hiring.

Speaking from 33 years of experience in this economy, downturns come and downturns go. Are we headed for a downturn? Of course. We are already there. It will pass. My prediction is that we will be headed in the opposite direction this time next year, when the political front has stabilized. A downturn is fairly common with an election year anyway. Add-in a money sucking stagnated war front, and it is inevitable.

The Age 65 rule has only postponed things. Many have argued on here that it may not be postponing them as much as one would think either; Doug shared the top of his seniority list and showed those out on medical before age 60. Also, alot of these folks planned on getting out at 60, even with the furloughs and pay cuts, so they probably still will. (just the opinion of some guy who's only experience is reading virtually every post at JC and a few other sites.)

The nail in the coffin this year, to me, would be the mergers of major airlines, which seem to be coming quickly. It seems to me that the consolidations will be the bane of aspiring wannabes like myself way before the rest of the factors mentioned. (just the opinion of some guy who's only experience is reading virtually every post at JC and a few other sites.)

I am a wet commercial licensed pilot who just quit his cushy desk job to make a 1/3rd of his original pay(HOPEFULLY!) at a regional. That makes me nervous. If I can get in a regional right now at 400 hours, heck 300, it is awful tempting. I'd rather be there than sitting on the sidelines while the minimums go way up and hiring slows to a crawl, as is being prophesized here. Do I care if some of you take offense to that? I could give a flying you know whatskie. Some of you talked me out of taking a large loan that would already have me in an airline with probably a year to go to upgrade. So don't talk to me about how your way is the right way. I am sick of it. Your way worked for you. It is nice to share, but stop coming on here and condemning those that go another route. As long as they are not affecting your job by things such as PFJ.

The funny part of all this? Coming on here and foretelling of the end of this hiring spree is only going to make people like me speed our plans up. Think about it: If things are indeed slowing down, then I need to speed my plans up to get a chair, any chair, before the music stops. So instead of taking my time, getting some experience instructing, getting the hours needed to get on with a choice regional, I am going to bumrush the door to get in somewhere rather than nowhere.