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737 Type Rating

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captcrr

New member
Joined
Feb 16, 2003
Posts
2
I was wondering where people would suggest I go to get my 737 type rating. Does SWA care where applicants get it?
 
SWA does not care where you get your type rating as long it has no limitations on it.

DO NOT got to Aeroservices Inc. in Miami, FL.

Higher Power in Dallas has a very good reputation, among others.

Good Luck!
 
737 Type

K & S Aviation in Phoenix - they have my highest recommendation. Small Classes. Great Instruction. Good people.
 
737 type ratings, lets see:

K&S Aviation
Higher Power Aviation
FlightSafetyBoeing (Long Beach, California)

There are more, but these are the ones that I know of , off of the top of my head

I am writing this at home, I have the contact aviation for K&S Aviation & Higher Power in my office.
I work for FlightSafetyBoeing, but it may be to your advantage to go to the others, not sure if it would
improve your chances. My buddy went to Higher Power & enjoyed it, during training they had
somebody from Human Resources come in from SouthWest & give the boys a presentation.

If you want send me an email
[email protected]

I have the contact numbers or if you want to train at FSB, I can put you in contact with one of the contracts
people.
 
737 type

"You will never forget where you were on 9-11-01..." For me, I was taking my checkride for my 737 type. The folks at Higher Power were exceptional...coordinated for the examiner's alternative transportation to the Sim, willing to reschedule the whole thing if I wanted to, etc. All in All, HPA is first class training.

I have heard good things about K&S, but for me, anyone who wants to go to work for SWA should 1) Get their type 2) Do it at HPA. The lunch at the ballpark and the chance to visit with the SWA PD folks is worth it alone.:) I felt as though a little nervousness was removed from my interview (if thats possible) because I had at least already met some of the interviewers.

I know the $7380 (@ that time) is a huge chunk of coin, but there was only one company that I wanted to work for, and I looked at it as an investment.

Their info....

HPA
878 Greenview Dr
Grand Prairie TX 75050
www.jetcrew.com
(972) 641-4661
800 538-2739

If you would like more details, send a PM
Good luck,
Hooch
 
I did mine at Crew Pilot Training here in Houston in November. They are using the Continental -300 EFIS sim in the CAL training center. I was happy with them. Their info is www.CrewPilotTraining.com. Or, call Ray Brendle at 1-800-441-5387. Again, I think they were fine.

Now, if WN would just announce a 500 a/c order and a couple of thousand pilots to be hired, we'd all be set... :D
 
I did mine at Higher Power in Dallas. Like another mentioned, they have someone from SWA People department drop by for motivation and pictures, so they do know people there. Also, the President, Mark Stearns, is a great guy who will make sure you get great training. K & S is run by current SWA pilots I believe, so that is another great option. I still think Higher Power was right for me.
 
Higher Power

I HIGHLY recommend Higher Power, as does everyone else who's been through Mark and Joe's program.
 
Higher Power!!!!

Hey Ya'll,

I would recommend HPA. It was very professional and enjoyable. They seemed like a tight knit family that had you over for dinner.

www.jetcrew.com

See ya,

SR
 
I'll put another plug in for Crew Pilot Training. I had a great time, and they flew me from my home airport to Houston on CAL- somehow ended up in 1st class for the trip to/from also!!
 
Denver

Got mine in Denver at the United training center with a company called FLIGHT TRAINING INTERNATIONAL that contracts with United for their sims. Systems instructor was a United instructor and everyone was very fun to be around as well as professional. Contact Sheri Egan (303) 329-0999 if interested, she was very helpful.

Good luck,
Learguy
 
I was looking at either K&S or Higher Power, as they both are associated with SWA. Ended up picking K&S mostly because I can drive to Phoenix from San Diego, and the fee at K&S ($7750) includes hotel. So, basically I am saving on hotel, airfare, & rental car.

Of course the obvious benefit with Higher Power would be visiting the SWA training facility and meeting their HR folks.

I'm sure you can't go wrong either way. So far my experience with K&S has been very pleasant. I'm looking forward to my course there in a few months.

Good luck. :)
 
Training at K&S was superb. I highly recommend it. I didn't know what to expect before going, but I was thoroughly impressed. In fact, it was far more professional than other airline training I've gone thru.

Great personalized instruction, and VERY Southwest-oriented. Price was great, and considering that hotel and travel (except getting to their school initially) is included in the cost, they put us up at outstanding hotels.
 
HPA

I have to agree with all above comments concerning HPA, plus, I had a similar experience as Hooch above....

Started class on Sep 10, 2001..... Mark, Joe & the staff @ HPA were unreal during such a BAD situation. They offered to refund 100% of the course cost and let anyone who was unsure to walk with NO Objections..... there were NO takers on the offer, but it showed just what type of folks they are @ HPA. They care, and they show it in many ways!!

The training was good and the sim instructors were awesome!!

Good Luck!!!

Tred
 
Aero Service

Aero Service in MIA offered the lowest cost for a type that I found at the time. It was $6500.00, and they gave you a $500.00 "housing allowance". The instructors were nice, and everyone in my class passed on the first shot. Probably not the most organized training facility, but if your on a budget, you may want to check them out. Send me a PM if you want any more info.

Swimmer
 
Thanks

I just wanted to thank everyone for their replies. It looks like I have a couple of options to explore.

Does anyone have the contact info. for K & S in PHX, and Crew Pilot Training in HOU?
 
I will jump onboard giving my highest endorsement of HPA. Great people and great program. I got my rating there and was very pleased.

I have also heard very good things about K&S.

I did a lot of research in choosing where to get the 737 type, and those two schools were at the top of my list.
 
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Endorsment for HPA

I will caveat all of this with the following facts:

1. I currently work parttime as a 737 instructor at HPA.

2. I received my type from a different school than HPA.

Not many folks can say they have seen two 737 schools up close but I have. While I won't badmouth the other school I will say unequivocally HPA is outstanding. Not because I teach there (I do very little now since there are many furlough folks who need the extra cash but I cherish my relationship with Joe, Mark & the rest of the folks there).

Mark & Joe are never happy with the status quo. When a recently troubled airline had a yard sale for different training equipment Mark & Joe rushed in & purchased a ground based simulator that is now utiilzed exclusively for folks preparing for their flows. By purchasing this & incorporating it into the syllabus all of students benefit by having a super training aid to practice their flows PRIOR to that first sim which allows for more flying time in the first few periods versus wasting valuable flying time in a "real sim" doing flows. They have also purchased some large classroom mockups of the major Boeing aircraft systems that allow for a clear visual approach to seeing how the different systems work, not just an overhead slide mind you but very useful training boards that enhance training & learning for the orals.

The other schools I'm sure are very fine also but before you make your decision please PM me so I can discuss some other advantages also. Good luck in your search.Higher Power Monthly Newsletter
 
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HPA all the way.

Mark, Joe and gang are simply outstanding. Most fun I've ever had in a training course.

If I had to do it again, I would go back to HPA. The K&S folks will probably say that as well, but K&S won't take you to "The Ballpark at Arlington" ;)

Yahtz
 
Just curious...

What is the typical class size at HPA? I did my type at K&S and the max in that class was 6.
 
Class Size

I believe I was at the biggest type rating class at HPA (according to Mark Sterns). It was about 20 people. I recommend HPA with all my heart. If you meet Mark, you just will not go anywhere else. Mark told me that classes will never be that size again. I went there with about 2000 TT 700 PIC turbine and had a very easy time on the type given the quality of the instruction and my preparation which I am sure you'll do the same.
Go to HPA, you will not regret it. You'll also get to see some of the SWA folks as they come by on Fridays. Also, we were given a tour of SWA HQ, sims and maintenance facilities by one of the instructors. Nothing beats that. Since I went there (JAN2002), HPA has improved its facilities and training tools. You just can not beat that. Trust all the folks that have posted here...GO HPA
 
Thank Swerpipe,

I as wrote, I'm already typed, went to K&S. My very good friend asked me for a recommendation as to where to go. I've talked to HPA and I already know the folks at K&S...the last unknown is the current class size, on average, at HPA.

Sounds like 20 in a class was an unusual circumstance. Can anyone share what the normal class size is at Higher Power?
 
That was great! I read the Higher Power News letter & had a good laugh! I know Gene York, he was featured on the last page, he was the pilot that turned 68 years old, poor Gene, he will never live that one down!
 
Go to Higher Power........Great instructors and a well run program. A free lunch at the Arlington stadium to boot. I also got a chance to see the mighty J.A. Tarver at this lunch, groveling among the students and panhandling for some business for her pathetic "interview assistance" scam. It was a M.O similar to the other scamster, Kit Darby. For you younger bucks, she was the lady who did the hiring at American Airlines for years, back when I was interested in working at American Airlines. She told us her other part-time business was running an ice cream truck, Oh, how the mighty have fallen,
 
Went to K&S for my type back in May. It was just me and one other guy. Needless to say, we had one-on-one instruction. I think they said the max they will take is six or eight students at a time. I thought the instruction there was top notch and I highly recommend K&S.
 

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