Dear AIR, Inc. members and ALPC subscribers:

We just concluded our Southeast Airline Career Seminar/Forum/Job Fair in Atlanta, where 400 pilots met with 39 representatives from 15 airlines, that were or soon will be, hiring pilots. I read every critique from the eight workshops; we held four on Friday and three on Sunday plus the Saturday day-long main event. We have lots of happy members but many who attended were not members until they saw the quality and quantity of the resources AIR, Inc. has to offer—resources that will enable them to shorten their job search and improve their career decisions.

But nobody is hiring, you say, thinking “I will just wait in my current job, glad to have a job in this tough job market.” The airlines in attendance told a different story—that of the pilots they met at previous seminars that are now in class or flying the line, and of their hiring plans for the balance of 2003 and into 2004. Major airlines like ATA, FedEx, Southwest; Nationals including JetBlue, AirTran, World, Comair, and Pinnacle; Regionals were there, too—CommutAir, and AirNet—all hiring now or in the near future.

Additionally, our Airline Pilot Job Monthly newsletter is tracking nearly 200 airlines and over 80 (40 percent) are hiring. Some 350 to 600 pilots each month are getting new jobs which equates to everyone in the room at the seminar getting hired every month. While this is only about a third of what we enjoyed prior to 9/11 and the war, it is still far greater than zero. Yes, almost 9,000 pilots are on furlough but many are not actively seeking the jobs that are available. It will get a little worse before it gets better, so starting early will produce the best results.

It seems to me that good, timely information is even more important in hard times than it was during good times when jobs were more plentiful. If AIR, Inc. made the difference when it was easy to find the next better job, then we can make a bigger difference when the going is tough. We make it easy to renew with our lowest rates or attractive to rejoin with our “AIR, Inc. Wants You Back” specials. Just visit us on the Web or call 800 Jet-Jobs M-F, 9-5 EDT for more information.

Many new publications are just around the corner—revisions to the Information and Address Directory are on the Web now and the updated book should be available later this summer. The 2003-2004 Airline Pilot Salary Survey should be on the Web soon and the new Airline Fleet Directory is in the works. Our systems work best when you become a member and stay a member until you get the job from which you will retire. Jumping in and out of AIR, Inc. will cost you more and could leave you without the information and advice you need to ensure you get the job you want before the next guy.

Keep your airspeed up and your membership current to ensure a safe landing Kit Darby President & Publisher

PS. “AIR, Inc. Wants You Back Special” ends July 31, or you must renew within 30 days to keep the lowest renewal rate. The next Seminar/Airline Forum/Job Fair is in Washington, D.C., September 19-21. Join – Renew – Attend to ensure you get the job you want as soon as possible!