More than a year into contract negotiations, American Airlines Inc. and its pilot union are as far apart on the issues as they've ever been.

The discussions between the Allied Pilots Association and airline have been sporadic, and increasingly bitter, since they began in June 2006.

On Tuesday, the union presented the company a proposal on pay and benefits. It outlined a plan for pay "restoration," which would index pilots' pay to inflation dating back to 1992. The pilots' proposal would raise pay by 2.68 percent compounded each year for each of the past 16 years, or a total of roughly 53 percent.

The pilots decided to go back 15 years because their pay rates then were similar to today's rates.

"The pay rates in 1992 were slightly more than our current pay rates," APA spokesman Karl Schricker said. "We're operating under pay rates essentially identical."

A 12-year captain on the MD-80 made $159.73 an hour in August 1992. A 12-year captain on the same aircraft as of May this year made $158.85 an hour.