737 Type....Again

[SWhereicome]

I know these posts start every couple of minutes but...

Anybody know of the school in phoenix that is run by SW pilots?

All I keep hearing about is higher power. Isn't there another company?

I read previous posts, and know hp is about 7300...anybody know the costs of the other schools, specifically the one in PHX?

thanks

 

[Doug Parker]

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K+S Aviation





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[NEDude]

K&S aviation is the school in Pheonix. A friend of mine just went there and was very happy with them. I went to FTI in Denver and was very happy with them as well. I spent $6800 total for course (-200), hotel and food. I think K&S has a deal for the 737-200 type and hotel for $6750.

http://www.fti737.com

http://www.b737-training.com/

Don't think you can go wrong with Higher Power, K&S or FTI.

And don't listen to the naysayers about the type as well. If you want SWA (as I do), then get the type, enjoy the training, and don't look back.

 

[mule]

http://www.crewpilottraining.com/ in Houston is solid. As I'm sure you know, SWA doesn't care where you get the type. These guys are great. Only 4-6 people in the class. Only 11-12 days. No suits. $7,300. $50 a night for the hotel...Country Inn & Suites, 3 miles from training building.

 

[Alcatraz]

K&S Aviation is an especially good deal if you have previous 737 experience... their "short course" can be under $4000 including hotel. It can be as short as 6 days, since it's just an "upgrade" rather than a full "initial" course. The oral is on the first day, and you only get one full motion sim period before the checkride! Previous 737 time required, obviously!

When I shopped around about a year ago, the nice folks at HPA still weren't approved for a short course yet. I have several friends who have gone to HPA, and I've nothing but good things about them, too.

 

[Speed]

FTI in DEN is the least expensive Type

I got my type at FTI in DEN (newest SWA city ) in the -200. I have friends who got the type in DAL and PHX who were equally impressed with the training...the one person I know who got the trng in HOU wished he would have gone to DEN after it was too late.

I mainly chose FTI because I was borrowing against the house and needed the best bang for the buck. It's $6,000 for the type. You can stay at the Best Western for $27/night and have a 200 yard walk to the academic classroom or pay more and stay in the same building as the classroom. The ground school instructor is United's senior instructor who did several years with the Air Force as a flight engineer on the 737-200 prior to United...he is also a pilot--excellent instructor. You'll do your sim work at the United Training Center which is a 400 yard walk from the classroom and hotel. There are several restaurants and stores within a half mile radius (walking distance) so you won't need a rental car. I'm not sure how NEDude spent $6800 total, but he must have been eating well and had some fine sipping whiskey .

If you live in PHX you'll have to add $59 each way for your flight from PHX to DEN and back on SWA:beer: .

Call Shari at FTI 303-329-0999 to schedule or if you want more info...she's a sweetie.

The type is like drinking from the fire hose...but the view once you're here is worth the price you had to pay--good luck.
Cheers,
Speed

 

['72Gremlin]

If you live in PHX you'll have to add $59 each way for your flight from PHX to DEN and back on SWA:beer: .

If you live in PHX, do K&S. The quote K&S gives you, I understand, includes the hotel cost for the 2 week course.

 

[Speed]

K & S Website Price: $6750 w/o hotel; $7250 w/hotel

'72 Gremlin & Interested Parties,
Nothing against PHX...lived there for 3 years. I checked the K & S website and Gremlin is right that the $6750 w/o hotel would be cheaper than our other friends experience spending $6800. But that $6800 included meals and entertainement for the 12 days...again, I think he was living large to spend that much.

If you live in the PHX area you can do it for $6750, plus the cost of gas both ways, plus your food...so maybe you'll end up only spending $300-$600 more to sleep in your own bed with all the distractions and honey-dos (if you're married) from being at home.

I found it to be an intense course and the fact that FTI gives you a key to the classrooms and mock trainers so you can walk 200 yards from your hotel room to study each night and be totally focused for 10-12 days was valuable to me...but I'm a little slower than the average Joe and needed the extra study time.

It's a personal decision, and if $300-600 isn't important to you then I recommend a person goes with the best study environment for them. Either way, congrats on leaning forward and taking the next step in the process.
Speed

 

[slinky]

I went to K&S and it was a good experience. Merle is a great guy and the sim instructors were awesome.

 

[NEDude]

I wasn't living that large.

Actually the first week I stayed at the Raddisson which was about $20/night more. The second week I switched over to the old Best Western (I can't remember the new name). I was also there 14 nights due to availability of flights that I could catch. Figure 14 nights at an average of $38/night and you come up with $532 for hotel added to $5995 and you come up with $6527. I ended up spending about $19/day for food and other expenses. Eating out for every meal for two weeks, I figured that is not a bad average. I did go to some more expensive eateries a few times because the cheap fast food gets old real quick.

Anyhow, if I were to do it again, I would not stay at the Raddisson. Nice hotel, sure, but not worth the additional $250 more. The old Best Western isn't the greatest hotel, but similar to what I stay at with my current small commuter airline (not going to kid anyone here - we ain't a regional).

Anyhow with FTI, everything you need is right there. The class room, training center, both hotels, and a huge plaza with a buch of restraunts, Sams club and Super Wal Mart are all right there just across the street from each other. No need for a rental car or anything. Rich (the United guy) s a great ground school instructor, and my sim instructor, Mark, was great as well. Would highly recommend them to anyone getting the type.

BTW, there were only two of us in the class, and they like to keep only 2-4 in each class.

 

[ForgedBlade]

Nobody gives a $hit where you get the Type at, but if you want to spend the extra money at HPA, go for it. I personally did mine at FTI and they were a great group. FTI is the cheapest, and they do a superb job.