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Author: Davis, Scott

OUT OF BANKRUPTCY a mere year and a half, Phoenix-based America West just unveiled an ambitious two-year plan to increase revenues to $2 billion from $1.6 billion last year. Leading the charge is Scott Davis, 29, the airline's new vice president of market planning. He selects routes, schedules flights, sets prices and manages alliances with other carriers. ``We're the headwater of the airline,'' says Davis.

With a 1991 M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University, Davis spent four years in finance at American Airlines before a brief stint at Texas Pacific Group, an investment fund with stakes in America West and Continental.

At America West since October, Davis will be deploying the carrier's planned 21 new two-engine jets to new destinations like San Antonio, Miami and Anchorage. He'll also spend $10 million on forecast-demand software. ``We're not going to get the cart before the horse this time,'' says Davis, ``and grow before we can execute.''

PHOTO (COLOR): America West's Scott Davis. Piloting a growth plan.

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Edited by Nancy Rotenier