737 type enough?

[Bigoober]

When submitting applications, is it enough to have the 737 type rating or does having hours in the plane help you out that much more?

I have done a search and found where some think it may hurt with other than SWA apps to have that rating as it seems like an out for another job. I am just wondering if having 1,000 hours in the 737 helps you that much more as compared to the type rating.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[sf260pilot]

I am not an expert by any means on SWA hireing mins......That being said....If you do not work for ATA, then you probably will not be interviewed without the type rating. That is by todays standards. There are people who are interviewing without the type but they are few. They will not officially hire anyone right now without the type rating. If you make it past DB without the type and receive an offer then you have 6 months to complete the rating. A good friend of mine was pre-hired before he got his type, that was three and a half years ago. it doesn't happen much lately. Good Luck!

 

[viper548]

The check airman that did my IOE got hired without the type. I think he started in April this year. He said guys that interviewed with the type after him were going to class before him.

 

[sf260pilot]

How long did he take to acquire the type rating?

 

[viper548]

I thought he said he got it right after he found out he had been hired.

 

[sf260pilot]

What?

 

[viper548]

The type takes about 3 weeks

 

[sf260pilot]

The type rating takes two weeks and my buddy got hired and then scheduled his type, got his type, and then went to class. Total time about three months.

 

[sf260pilot]

I meant how long after the check airman you spoke of, took, after being hired, to schedule his type rating?

 

[viper548]

I meant how long after the check airman you spoke of, took, after being hired, to schedule his type rating?

That I don't know. I think he interviewed around this time last year and started class in APR this year but I don't know how long it took him to schedule his type.

 

[Bigoober]

Sorry, probably could have been clearer. I'm able to follow with needing the type for SWA but is that good enough or would it be even better to have 1000 hours in type also.

It seems like an easy answer to me- the type plus the hours would be a huge advantage, but asking some airline friends of mine, they said it probably wouldn't matter to have the hours. The type should be enough.

I am considering taking a non-commercial 737 job with one of the pluses being getting hours in addition to the type. Buddies say that it doesn't matter about the hours. The type would be good enough with the hours I already have in other aircraft.

 

[viper548]

SWA is hiring about 1 of 5 they interview. Having time in the 737 will set you apart, i'd go for it. Not having to pay for your type would be a plus too.

 

[Bigoober]

That is what I am hoping for. There are other factors that are leading me to that job, but this just seems like a bonus. Just trying to find out if anybody else has some insight as to the same.


Thanks again.

 

[pilotpat-1]

One thing to remember is, if you buy a type a lot of other Airlines will count this against you and might not hire you. Everyone I know that interviewed with the type at SW did not get it. His group 2 out of 12 got hired.

 

[FN FAL]

One thing to remember is, if you buy a type a lot of other airlines will count this against you and might not hire you. Everyone I know that interviewed with the type did not get it. His group 2 out of 12 got hired.

Are you sure? My retired navy P-3 buddy got hired at FedEx without the type, but turned down the job offer because he didn't want to start out in the training department. Then he went and bought the 737 type and got an interview at SWA. When he recieved the no letter from SWA, he managed to get another interview at FedEX and upon getting a no letter from them at the second interview...the fractionals still hired him to be a Citation FO. People with 737 types are still marketable and kind find flying jobs after a no letter from SWA.

 

[skykid]

One thing to remember is, if you buy a type a lot of other airlines will count this against you and might not hire you.

I can't imagine that is the case. You ought to be able to explain that easily by just being honest. Something like - SWA is one of the airlines hiring the most pilots, I needed to be competitve for them because I naturally considered more than one airline. It was good training that made me a better pilot.

 

[pilotpat-1]

OK, just telling you what I have seen and heard first hand.

 

[viper548]

My retired navy P-3 buddy got hired at FedEx without the type, but turned down the job offer because he didn't want to start out in the training department.

oops!

 

[Bigoober]

Thanks for all the good info. Doesn't seem to matter about having a few hundred or maybe a thousand hours in the aircraft compared to just having the rating itself unless you are going to SWA. Thought it might matter more.

Guess I'll go with other factors in the job decision.