Ah yes, but what of the replacements for them? Ochre is right, the tide is shifting.
I spoke with an ATO the other day. He reckons that GA training is about 10% of what it was 10 years ago. Back of the envelope figures but he'd be pretty close I reckon. He also told of a bunch of mates of his in the UK. Companies in the UK still offer cadetships but have had to restructure them because it is getting to the stage where the trainees are being poached even before they've completed their training.
Bring it on baby.