Help: When should I apply/Get type for SWA?

[Sundevil]

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone with a little more experience or who is intimately familiar with the process at SWA could lend me a few recommendations.
I just found out that I was approved for an early out from the Air Force effective ~1 Aug or so (could be earlier depending on how much vacation I have)
I am relatively low time, but meet the mins (~3100 TT, 1000 Turbine PIC with ~400 more to come before I get out)
My wife is currently a FA for the company (not sure how much that will help)
I have a few friends with SWA who will write letters for me.
My questions are:
1) Based on the projected big hiring numbers for '05: Should I get they type now for full price or wait another 10 months until I have the opportunity to sign up for the GI bill, saving me 60%?
2) Should I apply now or wait until I have a little more time and/or the type?
3) Will having a spouse that is employed with SWA be of any help to me in obtaining an interview?

I am really excited about the possibility of getting the ball rolling. I have seen what a great company SWA is through my wife's employment, and I want to do whatever I can to maximize my chances of getting hired. Thanks in advance for your suggestions and feel free to PM!

 

[chase]

First all, thanks for your service to our country...always a tough decision to get out.

As ot your questions:

As to getting the type now or waiting based upon saving money and the need to get more PIC time. Yes your PIC time is low to be considered for an interview based upon what has been happening lately with the crop of interviewees. Having 400 above the min is good but that number shouldn't lull you into thinking you'll get a call immediately...even if you had 2500 don't assume the call will come immediately either!!

Finances are real & without the total picture it is tough to say....you'll need the type eventually so one argument says "go get it regardless of the cost".....however, saving 40% off the type cost isn't small change to most of us so talking that decision over with your spouse is probably more critical than a bunch of anonymous hacks...you can always apply without the type anyway, who knows maybe you'll be the luckiest pilot around to be called with no type!! Yes there is a lot of hiring but having a type with just the min PIC numbers may not put you in a category that will be unique enough to get you the call. SWA does take a cross section of typed folks from all experience levels & nothing says you couldn't be the person drawn from the "typed, low PIC time, spouse at SWA, left handed" category. I'm playing both sides of th argument obviously because there isn't a right/wrong answer since the variables are pretty extreme. Either route has a lot of logic/sense to it.

An additional key factor though is you need to have some sort of flying gig lined up to go to or else all of this will be for naught....lack of currency will make you non-competitive very quickly....the PD put out currency hours in the last 3 yrs but those are mins....don't let it gap more than 6 months if you can help. Yes we have had guys hired who met the mins but why skate on thin ice if you don't need to....make that part of the equation easy....stay current.

Obviously showing enough judgement to marry a wife who works for SWA could never be construed as a bad thing it doesn't directly equate to a big bennie either in terms of influencing anyone. However, in terms of telling a story or understanding the company it can prove invaluable. YOu have first hand knowledge of the culture, have had exposure to more than just the average SWA folks & overall that is priceless in my opinion. Will it make you a shoo-in...no, could it help you in terms of understanding what they are looking for & how you can fit into the company? Absolutely, therefore, a bennie for you. Caveat: For those looking for a FA to marry to get this same advantage....consider that strategy very carefully!!!! We do have the best FAs in the industry in my humble opinion.

Hope that helps to muddy the waters a little, good luck & give the folks at HPA call to talk to them about their thoughts about it too....ask for Meghan, tell her Chase sent you....or even talk to Mark or Joe there also...they would be happy to give you their insight. Have your wife speak to the pilots she flies with for their opinions....never hurts to get a lot more valuable inputs than the folks on an anonymous board!!! Take care, & good luck

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone with a little more experience or who is intimately familiar with the process at SWA could lend me a few recommendations.
I just found out that I was approved for an early out from the Air Force effective ~1 Aug or so (could be earlier depending on how much vacation I have)
I am relatively low time, but meet the mins (~3100 TT, 1000 Turbine PIC with ~400 more to come before I get out)
My wife is currently a FA for the company (not sure how much that will help)
I have a few friends with SWA who will write letters for me.
My questions are:
1) Based on the projected big hiring numbers for '05: Should I get they type now for full price or wait another 10 months until I have the opportunity to sign up for the GI bill, saving me 60%?
2) Should I apply now or wait until I have a little more time and/or the type?
3) Will having a spouse that is employed with SWA be of any help to me in obtaining an interview?

I am really excited about the possibility of getting the ball rolling. I have seen what a great company SWA is through my wife's employment, and I want to do whatever I can to maximize my chances of getting hired. Thanks in advance for your suggestions and feel free to PM!

 

[Sundevil]

Thanks a lot Chase. It's always nice to see your constructive feedback and advice. As for the wife.. I knew her long before she was with SWA, so I guess it just worked out that she chose right (with the airline, that is). I know that some airlines give a priority for interviews to family members of employees, so I was just curious to see if SWA did the same. Obviously I will ultimately have to earn a position with my own merit.
And something I forgot to mention in my post... I will be transitioning to the Reserve, so no break in flying anticipated.

 

[Skyrunner]

Go For It!!!

Sparky,

In a nutshell, go for it!!! I believe this, getting the type, is one way to show LUV how dedicated you are.

Apply now with 1000PIC and update every 2 weeks.

In Aug 2001, I had a type and 1000 PIC. My ADSC, active duty service commitment, ended Nov 02. My SWA buds said to wait a year out to apply. 911 happened and I deployed a few days after the attack to a classified location without getting my app in. I couldn't even write or call home for 5 months. When I got home, I found out that everyone was applying to SWA and they had closed their app process(paper app).

I use this story as a cautionary tale with some of my friends. Things change week to week and you never know what is going to happen.

Since getting my type in April 01, I now have an interview on 6 Dec 04. It's been a long strange road to get here that could have been avoided.

Hope this helps. BTW, Higher Power is a true class act and second to none. Enjoy your time there, study hard and make friends along the way.

GO CATS, BEAT ASU,

BEAR DOWN,

SR

 

[Sundevil]

OHHH. That was such a nice post until the U of A part.

Thanks for the words of advice and Go Devils. I'll be at the game to cheer on the bowl bound team.

Good luck w/ the interview!

 

[jetpilot243]

Seniority at an airline is everything!" The faster you get the 737 type off your back and onto your resume the better your chances are of getting called as soon as you meet the "minimum" gate that SWA is looking for. If I were you, I'd spend the money now to get the type. It's about $8K including hotel and food at HPA. I have a buddy that is not getting out until Sep of '05 and he went and got his type rating about 2 months ago at HPA. He is scheduled to interview with SWA on the 6th of Dec. With your wife working there, I can't imagine SWA not giving you some sort of preferential interview. However, I can't speak for SWA!... Good luck!

 

[FliptheDuck]

My questions are:
1) Based on the projected big hiring numbers for '05: Should I get they type now for full price or wait another 10 months until I have the opportunity to sign up for the GI bill, saving me 60%?

Sundevil,

I am currently AD AF. I was able to apply for & get approval for GI Bill benefits prior to leaving active duty. I typed at K&S in Phoenix last May, and was promptly paid by the VA in June. The only catch to the benefits is that there's a time limit (18 months I believe) for using them. If you have the time, I'd highly recommend NOW.

There is a possibility that your benefit eligibility is different than mine. To find out for sure, I'd go straight to the VA.

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk any more in depth regarding the benefits, and good luck.

Flip

 

[Oh-ryan]

Since it was touched apon in this thread, I just want to dig a little deeper into it... from what I have seen/heard/read, 3000TT with 1700 PIC (give or take 100) are the current "gates" that SWA is looking for... no? If there has been anyone with less than 2500 TT and 1600 PIC that was interviewed please feel free to scream it aloud with a reply here.

thanks... 2400 TT, 1250 PIC hours and fingers crossed

 

[NEDude]

A guy at my company, who got the good news following the Oct DB, said he interviewed with a guy who had 1300 PIC, all civillian as well. So I guess it is possible to have less than 1700 PIC and get the call.

I passed the 1000 hour PIC mark yesterday and have just spent the past few hours introducing myself to SWA via the online app. So I will eagerly be waiting for guys from SWA to break down my door tonight and drag me off to Dallas

 

[eagleb2skipper]

Since it was touched apon in this thread, I just want to dig a little deeper into it... from what I have seen/heard/read, 3000TT with 1700 PIC (give or take 100) are the current "gates" that SWA is looking for... no? If there has been anyone with less than 2500 TT and 1600 PIC that was interviewed please feel free to scream it aloud with a reply here.

thanks... 2400 TT, 1250 PIC hours and fingers crossed

2100TT, 1500 PIC......

Next!

 

[Yahtzee]

If there has been anyone with less than 2500 TT and 1600 PIC that was interviewed please feel free to scream it aloud with a reply here.

1580 PIC
3000 Total
Interviewed Mar 04

Yahtz

P.S. Congrats on the call Skyrunner!

 

[Sundevil]

I guess my numbers were misleading. I actually have 2200 PIC, just 1000 of which is in turbine A/C. I am not sure if PIC other than turbine factors in at all however.
Either way, it sounds as though it will be smarter for me to just suck it up and pay the full price to get the type and apply now. Even though I have "just" the mins it sounds like I can take a chance now and hope I get lucky and if not, keep updating as I get more hours. Think I will try K&S since I am an ASU guy. Thanks for all of the advice and good luck to all of you others who are applying/waiting for call backs.

 

[navyc9]

Get your online app in now. When you get the type update that. Update every 2 weeks or so with your additional fight time. If you are definately getting a reserve job, look into the Reserve GI bill. Ask your new units career counselor (or the Air Force equivalent). There is some good money there also, with a commitment to stay in a payed reserve billet for 6 years after you use the funds. I signed up for it and was going to use it for my 737 type, but AirTran called and I ended up in class before I used the funds. I live Atlanta and my reserve unit is in Atlanta also so it is a great fit for me.

Get your apps out NOW to everyone you even think you would want to work for. Back in 98 when I was getting out, I delayed sending my apps out about 6 months to get more PIC time and be more competive. It cost me a year of seniority. All of the Majors called me at about the same time to interview (about a year after I sent in the apps). I went with US Air (the first to call) and Delta called 2 months later. If I would have sent in my apps as soon as I met the mins, instead of trying to "be more competive" i would have gotten the call from Delta, and would probably have never been furloughed.

Look into the reserve money, and get your apps out NOW!!!

Thanks for serving and continuing to serve in the reserves (you will definately enjoy leading two different lives as an airline pilot and as a military pilot)

Navy9

 

[maxpwrset]

I second NavyC9's advice. I also got out in 98, but have remained in a flying reserve job since 99. It's really paid off being able to continue to log PIC turbine, something I can't do in my civilian job right now, and the extra money doesn't hurt either. I'm currently going through the process of using my reserve MGIB to pay for my 737 type. I'm attending HPA next month, and as I understand it, the VA will be kicking in about $4400. I think you can write off the remaining 3K so really you're down to about $2k out of pocket. Not a bad deal at all... If you can work it before you get out do it... Otherwise plop down the coin. Wells Fargo has a pretty decent career education loan program, if you don't want to spend all the money at once.

My unsolicited ill informed advice??? Apply as soon as you meet the mins, let the airline decide if you are competitive.

 

[TonyC]

I guess my numbers were misleading. I actually have 2200 PIC, just 1000 of which is in turbine A/C.


. . . I am an ASU guy. . .

Sundevil,

I notice you've got the Fred in your profile. The Memphis ANG just started picking up Freds, and they're gettin' more. I don't know if you're interested in going that route, but there's a freight outfit next to them on the ramp that's also hiring, and you won't need a 737 type.

Commuting from PHX is pretty simple on the company airplane, and having a family member with pass privileges can come in handy when you're building schedules with deadheads.

Just a thought.