<p>The new owner of U.S. Airways Group, Inc., which exited from bankruptcy proceedings two weeks ago, isn't a multi-billion dollar leveraged buyout firm or a fellow airline.</p>
<p>It's the state of Alabama's retirees.</p>
<p>Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) this past week completed a $315 million financing structure with the nation's No. 7 carrier to become its majority owner - the first time a pension fund has taken a controlling interest in a blue-chip company, according to Carl Hess, global director of asset allocation at the pension consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide.</p>