We are in actual fact increasing the fleet by an additional A321 next year with a view to being (finally) all Airbus next year. A small trickle of pilots is expected next year despite the ACMI changes. The company is suggesting they wish to expand presence at the main bases. If this is true, then the overall number of pilots required doesn't change. The bases closing to pilots have a huge seasonal variation with November through to March generally having no more than an average of 3 flights per week. This is the primary justification for the closures. At the moment the company are denying or not answering questions about year round ACMI operations. If we see ACMI during the winters when our SH pilots are genrally less busy, this will be a very bad sign indeed. However, it hasn't been done/announced yet and personally I dont think it will.