A job as an A&P with SWA or Airtran

[no1pilot2000]

From past postings, I am interested in getting my A&P license and possibly getting a job with a larger carrier like SWA or Airtran. In order to apply for such a position with the maint. departments with these compaines, their require applicants to have prior maintenance experience with the type or equal aircraft in their fleets. How does someone that experience?

 

[Gryphon]

From past postings, I am interested in getting my A&P license and possibly getting a job with a larger carrier like SWA or Airtran. In order to apply for such a position with the maint. departments with these compaines, their require applicants to have prior maintenance experience with the type or equal aircraft in their fleets. How does someone that experience?[/quote]
I'm not exactly in your boat, i've been working toward my A&P with GA aircraft, but here's what i do know, and if you get your hands on a copy of the AMT/FARS it will clarify things.
1. Attend and graduate an accredited(who makes up these words anyway?) A&P school, takes approx. 18 months. Lots of cash, and figure on a low pay scale for a while until you get more experience. In most any profession, Experience = Money.
2. The long way... Work full time for a repair station under an A&P/IA for 30 months full time, be prepared to prove it. How? I'm still not sure, paystubs and an AMT logbook, properly filled out and endorsed by said A&P/IA, i think. Won't make much money, but a good hands on approach to learning and if you are mechanically inclined, so much the better.
I've know a couple of people who think they are, but in reality should stay far away from a wrench!! Hope this helps a bit, I'm more focused on my PPL right now, but i get my hands dirty with the little planes most every weekend. Good luck.

 

[no1pilot2000]

Hiring requirements

I called the recruitment department that handles the hiring for A&P mechanics for SWA. They told me that applicants for their maintenance dept. need a minimum of two years of heavy maintenance on 737 type of eqivilent aircraft. "HOW" does a person get that experience??? Airtran and Jetblue have similar hiring/experience requirements for their aircraft maintenance dept.

 

[USMCmech]

You get a job at a maintence facility that does heavy maintence on 737s. Work there for 2-3 years and submit your application.

Then wait in line.

Keep waiting.

Try to make freinds with a current SWA mech, see if he will recomend you.

Wait some more.

Minimum may be 2 years of experiance, you can bet that most of SWAs guys had a lot more than that when they started.


Most airlines contract out their heavy maintence to pt 145 MRO facilities. I work at one in SAT working on UPS, NWA, ATA, & Aloha aircraft. Plus whatever else comes in the door.

It's the same story as every other industry, you take a low paying job while you build experiance, then you move up a little, then you move up some more.

 

[Gatorman]

Here is a little snippet of information that just might help out.

Find out what school is the company sending old parts/planes to for a tax write off and get your A&P there....

AA in Tulsa is supporting a Vo-Tech school and getting their techs from the pool of students there. Yea, I know that Spartan is there (went there) and there are a very few that come from there that make it to AA.

As far as what type of aircraft you should get your training for...that will come after you get your A&P. We all got our A&P training on the same basic aircraft, Cessna 150 (or simular model). In other words, you don't get your A&P license working on a B737.

After you get your license all you can do is wait for your door to open. Once you get there dont screw up because there are not hundreds but hundreds of thousands of other techs trying to get a job at a major airline.

Editors note: I know of only one tech that was in corporate aviation that has gotten the opertunity to join SWA - it is usually the majors coming to corporate.

Good Luck!

 

[skydraulic]

I second what USMCmech said except I'd add a few more "keep waiting, hoping, and praying" lines in there. Especially now that there are thousands more mechanics with 737 experience (hangar and line) floating around from NWA, UAL, and DAL's industry trend of outsourcing. If you really, really, really want to get on with SWA as a mechanic and can afford it, I'd try to get hired by them in any position you can and go to A&P school full/ part-time. I'm pretty sure they have an apprentice mechanic program in place now. Don't know how long the internal waiting list might be but it can't be any longer than the external one.

if you're not 100% sure about doing the A&P thing, think twice. There are tons of vocational training programs in the medical field!

 

[USMCmech]

if you're not 100% sure about doing the A&P thing, think twice. There are tons of vocational training programs in the medical field!

Ditto here.

I wish I had gone to nursing school after I got out of the military. I'd be makeing a heck of a lot more money, have a lot less debt to pay off, and would be able to fly when I want to.


Average pay at the pt 145 MRO where I work, 16/hr.

Average pay for an RN in San Antonio, 25-30/hr.

 

[skydraulic]

Ditto here.

I wish I had gone to nursing school after I got out of the military. I'd be makeing a heck of a lot more money, have a lot less debt to pay off, and would be able to fly when I want to.


Average pay at the pt 145 MRO where I work, 16/hr.

Average pay for an RN in San Antonio, 25-30/hr.

no doubt. not to mention job security in a growing industry where you can find employment just about anywhere in the US you want to live.

 

[Cactus-Wrench]

I second what USMCmech said except I'd add a few more "keep waiting, hoping, and praying" lines in there. Especially now that there are thousands more mechanics with 737 experience (hangar and line) floating around from NWA, UAL, and DAL's industry trend of outsourcing. If you really, really, really want to get on with SWA as a mechanic and can afford it, I'd try to get hired by them in any position you can and go to A&P school full/ part-time. I'm pretty sure they have an apprentice mechanic program in place now. Don't know how long the internal waiting list might be but it can't be any longer than the external one.

if you're not 100% sure about doing the A&P thing, think twice. There are tons of vocational training programs in the medical field!

That's correct.. If you really want to get on with them, get a job slinging bags or cleaning planes, then look into their apprenticeship program, meaning you have no experience, no problem, we'll train you while you get your a and p. When the training is over (18months I think), you better have your a and p license, if you do you have a job as a full fledged mech. You have to test to get into the apprenticeship program so study up.
Good Luck

 

[torchred]

Well best of luck with SWA, I applied twice and of course rejected twice. So after A & P school and an apprenticeship gig I now work in marketing for a aviation firm. One has to look at alternatives and options and USMC mech has some good suggestions. Best of luck in school and finding a job to make into a career.

 

[SWA tech]

Get on with airtran go to were the 737-700 are at. Work at airtran then apply at SWA. Work at a line station for line experience or hangar for the heavy stuff but if you want to get on at swa learn the 737-700 new a/c and that's what we (swa) will be flying for a long time. Plus we will only be hiring at line stations not much in dal were the D-checks are at. And you dont want to do the apprenticeship program you wont get the other airline experience and you will want to know what it's like at the other place so you know what you got were your at. Plus all the fun stuff that you get as a new a/p at a airline or you may like airtran and may want to stay there. I would work at airtran if I was in your shoes. Then if you dont like it after 6 months appaly at swa. pm if you have and quetions.