WASHINGTON/CHICAGO – Mesa Air Group (NASDAQ) Chief Executive Jonathan Ornstein said to a U.S. Senate Panel on Friday that Mesa Air Group had lost nearly 5% in pilots as bigger carriers hired from smaller regional airlines.

Ornstein stated in writing that the pilot staff lost almost 5% last month as operators of larger aircraft and major airlines hired them. This was in advance of Friday’s hearing in Arizona.

There are not enough pilots because of the substantial increase in time and cost required to be a pilot.