Kimbo
you got to town early and thats a great thing, keep seeing the opperators much as you can without p!ssing them off. If you go at it with the right attitude and they like you they should remember you more than guys that are rocking up now.
Short lists are usually drawn up long before the first guy/gal gets put on. Its never going to be easy, so if your in it for the long hall then be prepaired to slug it out for as long as it takes!!! Unfortunatley this is all part of the GA "initiation" Its not all bad it has a tendancy to sort out those who think they might like to fly to those who realise they have no other options because simply, there is nothing else worth doing!