Once again the Singaporeans have demonstrated their complete lack of ability to read a situation. They think that they are being very clever by putting new pilots on National Terms. In fact they are the opposite. Sure, there will be a stampede to get a job, but SilkAir had better install a revolving door, or at least keep the hinges on the current door well and truly oiled. Guys will go there to get current and get payed while they look for a new job. Two F/Os that have been there less that 5 months have interviews with Dragon this month. There's nothing to keep these new guys there. Even the pilots on ex-pat terms aren't safe. What's to stop Silk telling them that they are on National Terms at the end of their (short 2 year) contracts. SQ cocked up ( in my opinion) also when Ansett closed down. They were desperate at that stage for pilots, so what did they do? They took a large number of guys in their late to mid fifties, one was 57, when they could have gotten dozens of guys in their late thirties early forties and had them for twenty years. I think SQ and SilkAir are being very short sighted.