The pilot hiring rate this year by fractional ownership operators is slightly lower than last year’s rates, according to figures compiled by AIR Inc. The Atlanta-based employment services company reported that six fractional operators had hired 607 pilots this year through July, compared with 844 hired by five operators in the same period last year. Nearly 1,400 frax pilots were hired during all of last year, compared with just 581 in 1999. AIR tracks the hiring statistics of Flexjet, CitationShares, Corporate Aircraft Partners, NetJets, Flight Options and Travel Air.