Yes, Sunstate are currently short of crew, particularly Q400 Captains, with the recent amount of high sick/injury leave.
4 more Captain positions have been awarded this week, but is it too little, too late.
With Regard to:
"Not sure if they have parked jets but I can tell you that QF Mainline have been sorting out ex-RAAF Herc instructors (S/Os on the 747/744) to train guys on the Dash. This is to prevent them having to pay extra bucks for upgrades and training and losing pilots off the line.
Of course those QF mainline guys would say NO because then they would be screwing the poor guys on the Dash who would otherwise be promoted right. I mean thats what the whole whinge about Jetstar is right....."
there is no pilot external from Sunstate doing any training at Sunstate