737 Type

[Ifly101]

Folks,

I am new to this forum so pardon my ignorance if this has been discussed recently. I am seriously considering paying for a 737 type and I was looking for advice on selecting schools. Of course, I am trying to do it as cheaply as possible but passing is more important. Any experiences and contact information for places that you recommend/don't recommend would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[tredding@swa]

search

perform a search on the board - use "737" and/or "type" as key words.

There are dozens of posts with all of the info you are looking for here.... I went to Higher Power in Dallas, they do a great job!

For HPAs web site and info; www.jetcrew.com

Good Luck!
Tred

 

[Midnight Mike]

tredding@swa

Good luck to you, be sure to ask the person at the training center about using WIA benefits, from what I understand, some states are running out of money, but it never hurts to ask.

Here is some contact information for you, and in no special order of quality (by the way I work for the one in the middle)

Higher Power Aviation
Ask for Gayle Wolfe
972-641-4661
972-641-5978 (fax)
[email protected]

FlightSafetyBoeing
Ask for Mike Calcagno
562-733-2165 or 562-733-2095
562-733-2102 (fax)
[email protected] or
[email protected]

K&S Aviation
Ask for Stephanie Menard
602-454-1400
602-454-0887
[email protected]

I know the people at Higher Power & K&S, nice people and will help you out, of course the people at FlightSafety are equally helpfull.

If you are a Veteran, be sure to ask about any military benefits.

 

[Avenger]

K&S Aviation B737 Type

K&S Aviation
2113 S. 48th Street Suite. 105
Tempe, Arizona 85282
(877) 748-6745


Kirk Menard is the president of this compnay and both he and his wife run this company. I believe they both are line pilots for SWA and teach the flows and the systems as they relate to SWA protocol. They also the last time I talked to them still used the SWA sims in PHX.

Link to the website. www.B737-TRAINING.com

 

[luvfan]

Higher Power

Mark S. at HPA was a major factor getting me through the interview and DB process successfully. There's a lot more to HPA than just a type rating.

Read Pegasus threads on getting help from HPA less than a month ago. Bottom line is that HPA is a great outfit.

 

[pegasus]

HPA

I strongly recommend Higher Power too. I went to Aeroservice in Miami in Nov 01. I got through unscathed but it was a no frills course (it was the cheapest available at the time).

HPA have bent over backwards to help me get current so I can attend class on Monday. They did this for no reason other than to help me out. Mark and his team were outstanding in all respects. They are a class act with some delightful people and if I had to do it again, I would definitely go there.

 

[CaptainBrazilia]

I recommend K&S. They have an outstanding program!!

 

[Ifly101]

Thanks for all the good info. Your help is much appreciated.

 

[Flex 20]

Extra Costs

Do most folks finish successfully passing the type ride with the allotted sim time and training, or are a lot of poor suckers paying $475/hour to get additional training?

I guess I'm just curious if HPA and others quote the bare-bones price which may not adequately provide the training necessary to pass the checkride.

Thanks in advance.

 

[tredding@swa]

NO

not one of the 11 in my class paid for any extra sim time... everyone passed the sim check on the 1st try. One guy had a problem with the oral, took 3 times to pass, but no extra costs were incurred by him.....

 

[English]

I went to K&S...the allotted sim time was more than adequate...no one in my class needed any additional sim time.

 

[Tweetdrvr]

I took the extra sim

I, like everyone else, can't say enough good things about Mark and Co. at Higher Power. Mark is especially versed in hoops. The only thing bad I could say about him is that he still watches the NBA and is a big Mavericks fan. When it comes to hoops, I quit watching the NBA after most of the first "dream team" retired. Now it is too many tatooed young money grubbing punks. Oh sorry, this is airline talk not ESPN.

My partner and I were lucky enough to see true paradise. We did our sims on the -300 at the glorious SWA training facility. I have seen the promised land.

I took the extra sim ride. The V1 cuts were giving fits. Lots of negative transfer from the Herk, I just really wanted to raise the wing on that dead engine and had a little trouble adapting to the rudder only thing in those nice swept wing Boeings. Plus a little too much time spent flying the 6,000lb JP-8 to noise converter had me out my big airplane mode. My sim partner, a Saab driver for a regional carrier, had no trouble. All the former AF -135 airframe types seem to breeze through regardless of how long it had been since flying the jet.

The training is first rate. I heard that some guys deviate slightly from their training profiles and utilize extra sim time at the end of the first two sims to do V1 cuts; first day all in VMC, maybe half VMC on day two and rest IMC. I think that approach might have benefitted me.

Bottom line, you don't want a pink slip on this one, because your recheck is with a Fed. So if you have the slightest doubt, pay the extra $$ for insurance. 95% of people think they are ready and 99% are probably ready at the end of their training program. The designated examiners they use are strictly by the book when it comes to the Pratical Test Standards.

If you go, really learn the stuff they send you to study prior to going. I slipped into a class at the last minute due to racing expiration of VA benefits. I tried to drive and learn memory items in the car, and only got 4-5 hours of sleep at night because of playing catch up learning.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Falconjet]

extra sim time

I got my type at CPT in Houston. Although I was sure I would never pick up the profiles (too much difference between Boeing terminology and switchology from the Falcon 20) in the allotted sim periods, it all came together about 2 days before the check ride. In fact, I think I peaked the day before the check and had to really work during the check. I agree that if it doesn't click by the day before the check you and (your instructors) will probably know it. They don't make money by having people fail so they will do everything they can to make sure you are ready to go. If they suggest or you feel like more time would be beneficial, I would jump on it. They are NOT in the business of selling you additional sim time (and in fact none may be available). I would also suggest as much pre-study as you can do, because the program at CPT is only 12 days and you need to be very familiar with the flows and checklist responses, even if you don't know what they mean. I made 2 tapes of the checklist, one with the challenge and the reply in real time and one with a delay for me to speak the correct reply after the challenge and played them over and over again in my car before the class and on the drive to Houston. It sounds weird but it helped. Good luck!

 

[Tweetdrvr]

Checks are done in house

HPA uses their own instructors and other designated examiners. I believe also that the Feds have to come in and do some spot checks or observations in order for the school to stay certified.

But, if you bust the sim check for the type rating, then recheck will be with a Fed. That is what they told me last year, and why I went ahead and bought the extra insurance. Did I need it? I don't know, I might have pulled a 40' 3 ptr at the buzzer or I might have clanked it off the rim. But I know I found my game in that extra overtime period and got the champagne bottle and not the pink ticket.

 

[SWA GUY]

Whatever you do, don't go to Aeroservices Inc. in Miami,FL.

The groundschool was atrocious, the instructor should have been led off and shot!

Nothing good to say about the place...and I passed on the 1st try! No thanks to Aeroservices however.

HC

 

[Flex 20]

SOE Type??

I do not meet the flight time minimums for a type rating (NOT the ATP minimums though). I'm agonizingly short on the 500 hours of multi-turbine time. This shortfall precludes me from obtaining an unrestricted type rating.

HPA has a separate program called Supervised Operating Experience (SOE) for persons like myself. HPA's literature states for the SOE program:

"Upon successful completion of this course, the applicant will be awarded a Boeing 737 type rating with a restriction as follows: 'This certificate is subject to PIC limitations for the additional rating. 25 hours SOE is required in the aircraft added.' Restriction removal will require 25 hours of Supervised Operating Experience (SOE) as PIC on the Boeing 737."

I have been told over the phone that the restriction disappears once I get the 500 hours multi-turbine. I'm not sure I believe that, although it's not a matter of trusting the HPA folks who have been quite helpful.

I am wary of spending a lot of time and money on a "psuedo" type rating.

Can anyone speak to the validity of this program? Is the training the same? How will future employers interpret this restriction (I of course realize I will not be applying for any 737 PIC positions soon)? Will my type always have an asterisk by it?

I would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.