According to AIR, Inc., airlines hired 969 pilots in September, bringing the year-to-date total to 8,319. The National carriers continued strong in September hiring 317 pilots, followed by the Majors with 217, and the Non-Jet Operators finished in third, hiring 118 new pilots for the month.

AIR, Inc. estimates that more than 11,000 new pilot jobs will be created in 2005!

Frontier Airlines is back in the pilot-hiring column of the Airline Pilot Job Monthly. The Denver-based carrier has grown from 2,332 full-time employees in July 2001 to 4,117 this past July. Frontier expects to have 6,000 employees by the end of 2008.

JetBlue Airways took delivery of its first EMB-190 in September, with seven more to follow by the end of this year. It plans to add one new aircraft every 10 days in 2006. To aid in its expansion, JetBlue announced it would be hiring a record 3,500 new employees. It currently operates of fleet of 81 A-320s, and will take delivery of three more before the end of 2005.

Mesa Air Group, parent company of Phoenix-based Mesa Airlines, announced it plans to launch an independent airline serving the Hawaiian Islands during the first quarter of 2006. Mesa said it would set up a new company backed by investors and operating under its own Hawaiian livery. The intrastate service will connect the islands of Hawaii with service to the Hilo, Honolulu, Kona, Lihue, and Maui (Kahului) markets.

AIR, Inc.'s Atlanta Job Fair is set for November 12. Airlines that have signed on to attend include Majors: AirTran, FedEx, JetBlue, UPS, Nationals: AirNet, American Eagle, ASA, Pinnacle, USA Jet,World Airways. Jet / Non-Jet Operators: Ameriflight, Amerijet, Cape Air, Flight Works, Fractionals: Bombardier Flexjet, Foreign: Cathay Pacific.

FMI: www.jet-jobs.com