B737 Type Rating

[Farscape]

Alright folks, I am seriously considering getting the type for SWA, provided I can convince my wife that it is a good investment. She's been with me since flight instructor days over 8 years ago so you know she loves me, but the sacrifices have been preatty high for both of us. Anyway, I would be very greatful for any information on the best places to get the type (contact info, locations, financing, anything helpful) so that I can make an informed decision. Thanks!

 

[Yahtzee]

Farscape,

As a newbie to this forum, you will probably want to get aquainted with the "Search" function to find links to thousands of previously listed topics. There are dozens of links about 737 types out there. Higher Power Aviation and K&S are both highly rated by the of folks on this board.

Here's a recent link:

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=131374#post131374

There are plenty of SWA pilots on this board who will gladly answer questions you might have about their ops, but you might try doing a search on a thread first as Chase & MLBWINGBORN have posted a lot of good info.

Best Wishes!

Yahtz

P.S. By no means am I implying you shouldn't post threads on this board....just trying to help .

 

[Farscape]

search

Thanks for the advice. I had'nt noticed that feature. Thanks also for the link. It has all the information I need.

 

[ATRCAPT]

B737 Type

I would reccommend the type. I also understand the sacrifice. My wife has toughed it out with me since the CFI days too. Going on 8 years as well. I'm of the opinion that a career at SWA easily justifies the price. I can also reccommend Higher Power Aviation in DAL. They have an excellent reputation with SWA. In fact, some of the SWA recruiters come have lunch with each class to answer questions and take resumes. www.jet-crew.com
Good luck!

 

[Swiss]

Higher Power

Higher Power Rocks, it is a very professional outfit with outstanding customer service. They know exactly what is happening with SWA and will do anything to help you out. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Swerpipe]

I recommend you do....

Farscape,

Just to give you my perspective... Since 1998 I made Southwest my career goal. As soon as I had enough time and qualifications to get the type rating in the simulator ( not enough to apply to Southwest) I went and got my type rating (2002). Shortly after that I had enough time to apply and so I did. Many would think I was foolish to spend so much money when I didn't even meet the SWA minimums and given the competitive environment, maybe I wouldn't be called or SWA could change their minimums in the meantime.

Am I afraid that maybe I will not get hired and would have wasted all that money(my money not WIA money, mind you)? I am not. I can sincerely talk about my commitment and desire if I ever get the interview.

Of course, the main difference between us is that I'm single so it's only one person calling the shots.

You are problably more experienced than I am and wouldn't it be a shame that you let guys like me beat you to the interview process?(this is what your wife needs to know)

Some people have posted that the type rating cost them more than a year on the line (go ahead and use Captain's pay and stocks when you figure it out). That is probably the most expensive type rating I can think of.

Good luck to you, your family and Southwest. Best wishes...

P.S. Went to HPA and like many other folks. I can not say enough great things about them...

 

[atp160]

Higher Power has my thumbs up. I just got back from my 737 type rating in Dallas. I can not say enough about the folks, professional, friendly and will do whatever it takes for you. Yes, I convinced my wife that paying for the type would be worth it in the long run. Southwest did come to our class and talk about future hiring. It sure feels good to know that your application went from one stack to another. Hopefully interviews will start again early next year. 1-800-JETCREW.

 

[Mil-BushPilot]

Crew Pilot Training in Houston (also train in Dallas) was great. They use Continental sims that were always 100%. I think it's one of the fastest courses out there at 12 days. They also flew me standby (free to me) from Alaska to Houston and back (1st class)!! Squeeze the name together and add a .com to check them out on the internet.

 

[Rhino]

Go to K&S

Class sizes are much smaller, the instructors are great and the sim instructors are there to help you out as much as possible. They have an "in-house" FAA checkride pilot and he is not a hard ass. Straight forward and very reasonable.

I give K & S my highest recommendation!

~Rhino

 

[SilentDave]

Another vote for HP. Mark and Joe are great guys. Best hat I ever bought.

 

[texanpilot]

HPA is in a class by itself. Easy decision.

 

[chperplt]

Realistically speaking, how much difficulty will a Beech 1900 guy with no jet experience have with the type? How many days do most of the courses take?

Thanks

 

[Swerpipe]

How much experience?

Just a personal perpective:

I went to HPA with 2000 tt, about 1100 total turbine with 600 PIC turbine all in a Metro, no jet time. The 737 type ride was probably the easiest type ride so far. I prepared very well however which I am sure you would too. I would not worry about even for one second. You are now much more experienced than I was then. I found the workload on a Metro a lot higher than the workload on the 737. From what I know the 1900 and then Metro are fairly comparable aircraft.
Now, I am also typed on the Hawker series and fly as a captain and I think that flying those turboprops is a lot more challanging than flying jet aircraft. Just my opinion.
Course is 2 weeks
Good Luck.

 

[ATRCAPT]

Turboprop guys in the 737 class

Don't worry for a second about your experience level. The 737 is a surprisingly easy airplane to fly. (At least the sim is!) I didn't have any jet time either, and I was working as an FO at the time. Besides, they won't send you unless they know you'll pass. Good luck.

 

[pegasus]

Go to Higher Power!

If you run a search on type ratings you will discover that HPA are an outstanding outfit. They went so far above and beyond expectations for me (needed to be 737 current to get to SWA class) that it was unbelievable.

They have my strongest possible recommendation. If I had to do it over, I would not go anywhere else

 

[erkens]

I'll put my vote in for K&S. Great instructors, laid back checkride, SWA profiles.

 

[LJDRVR]

Another plug for K&S

Owned by super nice folks, EXCELLENT instruction, SW flows in the simulator, hotel costs included, (but not VA reimbursable) just an all around fantastic experience.

I can't overemphasize the quality of the ground instruction. I've been flying for 20 years this summer, and K&S's ground instructor (Mike) was easily the best teacher I've ever had. He didn't let the class hijack the curriculem. (No easy feat in a room of aviators all trying to tell their war stories) Knew the jet forward and backward. (Has about 5000 hours of 73 time) Was able to relate systems minutia (SP?) in a way that made everything perfectly clear. (Was the first guy to ever explain accumulators to me in a way that made sense) Keenly perceptive when someone was getting left behind, he almost had an ESP about when one of us really didn't understand what he had just explained.

I'm not easily impresssed in this department. I've had some exceptional instructors at Simuflite, but Mike is "one in a thousand."

I'm sure HPA does a great job, but if I were you I'd talk to all of the schools and make a descision. Don't be swayed by the "We train more than anybody" argument. While true, it's at a cost of class size. Ask each business how many folks will be in class with you. There were four of us at K&S.

PM me if I can help!

Good luck

 

[texanpilot]

I had about 3500 TT, 170 Jet, 2500 Turbo Prop. HPA prepares you very well if you do your part. Great program. I passed the type ride on only the 4th attempt!!!! Kidding.