Latest SWA interview Intel

[coex]

Well...Dean Melonas and Verna Kay from JB have frequented the boards, as has Rebekah Krone from SWA... I have no idea who has been on here from FedEx, but I expect some of our management occassionally peeks in. This is exactly why I sometimes remind guys to think before hitting "post reply" as you are not nearly as mysterious as you think you are.

If you really are sharing information, engaging in meaningful dialoge, and learning about the industry then this is a great tool. If you think you can spread "work action" campaigns or bad-mouth people or organizations with impunity, you are probably wrong.

I have met so many folks through these boards including some wonderful folks who encouraged me and helped me get ready when I was making my transition from the military. There is some humor, some BS, and some really good info mixed together. However--if you ever forget that there are people who "lurk" these boards that might be able to figure out who you are you might just embarass yourself every once in a while. So--post, play, and have fun--be don't be an idiot.

I run AviationInterviews.com and can assure you that posting your gouge about some companies is perfectly OK and other companies it is not acceptable. As someone said above, if you do not want anyone to know who you are when you post your gouge, you can obviously adjust the dates and flight times so you can not be identified.

 

[320AV8R]

Got a call from Kim at SWA to invite me down for an interview. I was given 5 dates to choose from, all less than one month away. I selected June 22, 2005, the second to last date available.

I had interviewed 6 years prior and had some idea of what to expect, though the LOI was new. Signed up with SWIP for help this time and started prepping. Made reservation at Renaissance Hotel ASAP and got SWA discount. Put in requests for recommendations. I was busy with work and studied as much as possible in between. The SWA packet took at least 4 days to arrive. Paperwork was pretty straightforward, but I suggest making multiple blank copies of everything in case of any errors. One form needs to be notarized. Prep takes lots of time. Stay ahead of it!

Had a mock interview with SWIP on June 13, 2005. It was extremely thorough, realistic, and helpful. Some of the answers that I thought were strong had problems that I had not seen. Got some advice for them and some positive feedback on my other answers/stories. It was money well spent. Tweaked some of my stories after the mock and prepped for the final interview. Reworked the online application for final review. Be careful with this as some things may unexpectedly change by default.

18 of us interviewed on June 22. I had LOI in the afternoon. Morning interviews were pretty much as expected. Questions are very similar to gouge with some twists (unfortunately I don’t remember the twists). If you have enough good stories you will find one that fits every time. I had backup stories to some questions that came in handy for these variations.

Any accidents, incidents, violations?
Why SWA? 2X
TMAAT you had a crew conflict?
TMAAT you were asked to do something wrong?
TMA your scariest flight.
TMAAT you learned something on a flt. 2X
TMA why someone might not like you.
TMAAT CRM could have been better.
TMAAT you counseled someone.
TMAAT you made a mistake and learned from that error.
TMAA project you were directly responsible for 1 good/1 bad.
TMAAT you made a split second decision that you later regretted.
TMAAT you were counseled by a superior for you performance.
TMAA flight you were very proud of

LOI: Enroute FL 350 from PHX to MCI. T’storms from Mexico to Wichita. Low pressure over ABQ. Two pax are fighting in the back. 117 pax aboard. About 5 minutes to prepare (not long at all).

Transferred A/C control to FO. I asked JS to go back to check on situation. He started to say he’d be back in 5 when I told him to be back in 2 minutes max. JS (as dispatch) started giving me the slow version of weather reports. I had to ask him to just read the FT for each airport to get him moving. Simultaneously, FO was giving me ETA’s to destination and alternates. JS came back and reported that things were bad in cabin. FO and JS both wanted me to divert to ABQ and land low IFR with a howling tailwind. The JS even offered to land the plane for me since I was uncomfortable with the tailwind. I asked JS for other alternates and FO for ETA’s. Weather checks of those places were all low. Made decision to return to PHX with very brief explanation. Asked for any final disagreements on my decision. None. Asked FO to change destination. He asked me for altitude going back to PHX. I said FL 340. Called Dispatch to say get ready for us at PHX. Time left was 3 seconds. You need to have things pretty well figured out with 2 minutes left. It takes that long to get it implemented. 7 minutes goes by really quick!

Short time to gather thoughts for debrief. Debriefed what came to mind. Most thoughts come to you on the flight home though. Airline guys probably know better than to send a crewmember into the cabin. I’m corporate, and the risk never occurred to me.

All in all, it was a great learning experience. The Southwest people are terrific. Hope

 

[Falconjet]

Mike: Thanks for running that website, it was very helpful to me when I was in the job hunt. (As was this site).

FJ

 

[320AV8R]

March 8, 2004 Interview Feedback. Southwest Airlines. One lesson learned here was that it might be a good idea to tab the logbook pageswhere you started logging PIC time for each new aircraft flown.From the list one of my fellow interviewees copied, other interviewers at HQ were: Kim Howell, Ryan Hurling, Lance Wilkerson, Mary Sterling. Sonny Childers and Bill Cass were also hanging out, watching the process. And, Lilah Steen andLindsey Lang were coordinating the whole process.Questions asked: (** hadn't heard before)Why SWA? (All three asked)**TMAAT recently where you had a major schedule change and how did you deal with it.**TMAA day where you were flying and you just thought, "This is the most fun I've ever had/This is a great day".Why are you leaving the military?TMAAT where something catastrophic would have happened if you hadn't been paying attention. (A little different wording than I've heard)TMA my Scariest Flight (2 asked)**Tell me what you think a typical day is like for a SWA pilot. (2 asked)TMAAT someone either questioned your integrity or asked you to do something that was wrong. (A little different wording than I've heard) (2 asked)TMAA difficult coworker/captain/someone you didn't like. How did you deal with it? (2 asked)Tell me about a project you initiated that produced positive results. (2 asked)** TM how you prepare for a check ride.What qualities do you have that would make you a good fit at SWA?TMAAT you helped someone with flying, not as an IP.TMAAT you had to use outside help to get a job accomplished.TMAAT when fuel became a factor. (2 asked)TMAAT you were counseled on your performance. (2 asked)TMAAT you were disappointed with your CRM skills. (2 asked)TM how you got started flying.TMA your flying career.TMA highest pressure flying situation.TMAAT you had to intervene between two people having a conflict in flight.TMAAT you had to land somewhere other than planned.TMAAT you had to reprimand someone using a style you don't normally use.Fingerprinting went on between interviews.Got all twelve back together and put neon visitor stickers on. Went to fifth floor for lunch. (Grill takes the longest to get food). Short time to visit gift shop. Then, back after it.LOIMy interviewers: Lee Kinnebrew and Mark PatkunasOther team: Cathy Dees and Barnes PruettShort brief on ground rules: No walking around building unescorted. Stay in break room when not in LOI. ROE: Use jumpseater (Check Airman) and FO. Jumpseater is also FA/ATC/Dispatch/Maint/Ops/Everybody else.Two taken in at a time. On with each set of interviewers. Others wait in break room at training center. No chance to get gouge. They keep those who've done the LOI away from those who haven't yet.My scenario (I went last): Go into room with paper trainer. Only gauges that move are one with time (7 minutes) and one with fuel remaining.Handed laminated card with scenario. FL 330 in holding over Terre Haute. Second leg of day: First leg was MCI to MDW, Now going from MDW to BNA. Emergency aircraft in front of you going to BNA. FA just rang to say there was a medical emergency. Card also had max crosswind/tailwind components with differing runway conditions/ clg/vis; fuel requirements: 5k to land, 4k minfuel, 3k emergency fuel. Given 5 minutes to study card.Any questions? Does FO know what you know, or do you have to repeat? Answer: he hears everything you hear. Is the FO someone I have to really back up on instruments, etc? Answer; he's super FO, can trust him.Clock started. I first handed FO the controls, asked FA what the problem was. Customer allergic to peanuts, in and out of consciousness, trouble breathing. I asked her to see if there were any medical folks on board. Then called dispatchto get medical help (Medlink), and patch it through to F/As.Took controls back from FO. Had him get ATIS at Terre Haute, MDW, BNA. BNA: 2L half plowed, 2C fully plowed, winds favoring 2, within crosswind, 31 open and plowed. Asked him to call ATC and see nature of emergency, length of delay for us. They said 30 min delay. Also, asked me what my max holding airspeed wouldbe: Pulled 265 out of thin air, lucky guess.MDW weather and winds better. No weather at Terre Haute avail. How long to MDW? 30 mins.FA calls with update. Medical person in back says we need to get on deck ASAP.Passed controls back to FO. I ask ATC how long now with delay. Still need to wait. Time and gas ticking down to 2 mins. I ask FO what he thinks we should do. He says go to BNA. I ask Jumpseater, he says MDW. I make the decision to go to MDW. They say okay, you made a decision and then they leave the room.They come back and ask me how I want to debrief it. I say things I did good vs things I could have done better/other things to think about.Good:Called FAGot ATISAsked ATC about emerg ahead of usCalled dispatch, got Medlink initiated.Passed controls when neededInvolved FO/Jumpseater in decisionJS/Check Airman more experiencedWho knows what trouble emergency could cause usWeather not the best at BNAOther:Could have asked what type of medical facilities at each location.Need to consider liability to company if something happened to customer.Could have climbed to get better burn rate.Could have got more frequent updates from FA.Didn't ask dispatch what they suggested.Another way to get Terre Haute weather?Could have tried other airfields.Other comments I made, but can't remember. I told them I was just brainstorming, and they said I was doing some "good brainstorming".After the fact, I think I should have mentioned the possibilty of having to declare min/emerg fuel. I didn't really address that. We had 1 min 30 secs left on clock with about 6.6K.Other scenarios we traded at a bar later: One guy had a bird strike just after takeoff from Lubbock, just at takeoff mins, discussed takeoff alternates, etc. I think he passed up Amarillo and went to Dallas, due to weather. Another one sounded similar to mine but had MCI and Omaha involved.Every interviewer asked me if I had any questions. My one question for every pilot was how they ended up at SWA and what they thought of SWA. ​

 

[320AV8R]

Trip Report for Southwest Airlines Interview


18 May 2004


Received a call on 15 April from Melissa Dexter inviting me to come in and interview. Returned her call, and confirmed 18 May 2004. The previous gouge is right on. My goal is not to regurgitate the previous gouge, but to highlight some points I believe were important and perhaps illuminate some others.


My initial preparations consisted of securing a hotel room at the Renaissance Hotel, by booking early you can get the SWA rate of $52.00/night. The coverletter you receive with your package of information from SWA serves to confirm your SWA rate with the hotel, which reservations asked me to fax to them. Renaissance was nice, they have scheduled van service to/from both Love Field and SWA training/headquarters. Highly recommend taking the 0700 bus, the 0730 was extremely full with new hires going to training and the interview team. Due to demand, it did not arrive at SWA People Dept until a few minutes after 0800. I utilized the 0730 bus to Love to catch my flight out. ​

In preparation for the interview I spoke with everyone I knew who was currently employed with SWA, and all reiterated that being yourself in the interview was essential. I would summarize their advise this way: try to put yourself in a bar/social situation, and you are telling stories to your buds, obviously without any foul pilot/sailor language or being overly flamboyant. I took this onboard and determined that SWA was looking for a fit, everyone asked to the interview has the experience. At my interview I talked with my hands, showed emotion/passion for why I was there and why I wanted to work for SWA!

Preparing for the interview I utilized the gouge questions to develop talking points on note cards. I would not recommend writing out a long story for each question.
- An example, TMAAT you had a conflict in the flight station. On my card: Commodore, Adak, Bus A.
These were all the points I needed to remember the story. My reasoning was that the interviewers could change the question slightly (WHICH THEY DID!), and thus I could frame/modify my response using the same story to the ‘slightly different’ question, such as:
TMAAT you had a conflict with a superior.
I also thought I would not come across as rehearsed or over-prepared, allowing the story to come to me as I remembered it. This is one approach. I had never interviewed for a job in my life, last interview of any significance was 25 years ago. For practice, I utilized the base’s family service program to set up a ‘mock’ interview. I provided the ‘interviewer’ with questions from the gouge. I dressed up in coat and tie, trying to get as close as I could to a dress rehearsal.
I reviewed my stories with my wife, who provided some outstanding insight as to how I came across. For one question, TMAAT you did not get along with a peer, and how did you handle it, my response was too emotional, (as I hated the guy), which came across. I changed my response to a different individual, less emotional.
A few weeks prior to your interview you will receive a package of papers from SWA. Most are print/sign your name, date, SSN etc. One requires notarization, ensure the date you have it notarized is the same date you sign it!! There are a few that require more work, specifically the contact information sheet. HIGHLY recommend making copies of every sheet that requires being filled out. If you make a mistake you still have a clean copy to try again. Regarding the contact list, most strongly recommend double-checking contact phone numbers/names. In my first interview, the SWA Captain pulled out this sheet, “If I call this number right here, will I will get this person.” I was surprised by the number of folks filling out these forms on the morning of the interview, some had made mistakes, and did not have a clean copy to reattempt.
Regarding flight time, for USN, strongly recommend breaking out your time from the logbooks. I used Excel, and was able to show how I calculated, PIC, SIC, and Part I factors. Don’t forget to break out your Instructor Time, they really appreciated that. I had a summary sheet that showed my totals and Part I factor. Lots of effort, but absolutely worth it, that part of the interview went very smoothly and was off to a good start.
You will be asked to update your on-line application a week before your interview date. They will have a copy, I made sure all my flight time matched. Some had to answer questions as to why their logs, Form 15, or whatever did not match their application. Awkward.



THE INTERVIEW:

Flew to Dallas day before, checked in. Remember everyone is your friend. Flew from BWI, recommend checking in a little early, took the ticket agent about 15 minutes to coordinate my must ride pass. From the gouge I tried to look around to see how crowded the flights were. Glad I did, they asked. Carried on all my luggage/suit, paperwork and logbooks. Recommend flying in business casual, that’s coat and tie. Never hurts to look nice as your must ride pass will indicate you are heading to Dallas for a F/O Interview.

Called the Renaissance Shuttle after arriving at Dallas Love. Checked in and signed up for the 0700 shuttle. Previous gouge said the 0730 is fine, I disagree, given the amount of new-hire training going on, and the interviews, you can easily be late. Better to be there a little early. Don’t forget to tip the driver!

Met in the lobby with the other candidates, took the shuttle to PD. Once everyone arrived we moved to the conference room and started separating our paperwork. PD folks reiterated you are not competing with everyone there, you are competing with yourself. If they like you, they will hire you. Be yourself, they only have about 45 mins/interview to get to know you. That’s your shot.

 

[320AV8R]

Trip Report for Southwest Airlines Interview ​

18 May 2004
THE INTERVIEW:

Flew to Dallas day before, checked in. Remember everyone is your friend. Flew from BWI, recommend checking in a little early, took the ticket agent about 15 minutes to coordinate my must ride pass. From the gouge I tried to look around to see how crowded the flights were. Glad I did, they asked. Carried on all my luggage/suit, paperwork and logbooks. Recommend flying in business casual, that’s coat and tie. Never hurts to look nice as your must ride pass will indicate you are heading to Dallas for a F/O Interview.

Called the Renaissance Shuttle after arriving at Dallas Love. Checked in and signed up for the 0700 shuttle. Previous gouge said the 0730 is fine, I disagree, given the amount of new-hire training going on, and the interviews, you can easily be late. Better to be there a little early. Don’t forget to tip the driver!

Met in the lobby with the other candidates, took the shuttle to PD. Once everyone arrived we moved to the conference room and started separating our paperwork. PD folks reiterated you are not competing with everyone there, you are competing with yourself. If they like you, they will hire you. Be yourself, they only have about 45 mins/interview to get to know you. That’s your shot.
Half went off to do their LOIs in the morning while the rest stayed for the interview. All the gouge applies, 2 SWA captains, 1 PD person.

First interview was with SWA Captain, first item, went over my logbooks and flight time. Having all my time broken out, easy to follow I believe was a great benefit. Then to the contact list. Everyone at SWA worked very hard to ensure we were as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Very sincere. Questions were:

Why SWA x2.
Why Hire you x2.
TMAAT you took the controls away from a qualified pilot (not as an Instructor)
Why are you leaving the military x2?
TMAAT you had to divert.

First Interview lasted 20 mins max. He told me not to be concerned with how long/short each interview was. All his interviews were fairly quick.

Second interview was PD. Longest of the three. Again very concerned that I was relaxed. Questions in addition to those above:
TMAAT you went over and above in your job.
TMAAT someone questioned your integrity.
TMAAT you had a conflict with a co-worker.
TMAAT you broke a rule.
TMAAT your scariest flight.
TMAAT you were reprimanded by your supervisor/CO.

The PD interview was the most ‘cut and dry’. Very much as I suspected an interview would be.

Third interview was with female SWA Captain. Remember shooting the breeze with her more than any particular questions. Very easy (too easy) to forget that you are interviewing with a SWA Captain. She was very nice and profession, again concerned that I was relaxed as much as possible. Was routinely reminding myself not to let my ‘interview guard’ down.

TMAAT you saw something in the cockpit that could have been
disastrous if you had not seen it.
TMAAT your performance was not as good as it could have been.
TMAAT you had a conflict with a superior. (Not in the cockpit)
TMAAT you flew with someone you did not get along with.

She asked me the fewest questions, we were running behind to capture the folks going to lunch.

Lunch was great. Be sure to bring a few extra bucks in case your $7.00 coupon does not cover everything. Excellent food and view. Everyone eats as a group. There was one dude who was eating with some buds that had started in the new hire class. It seemed awkward him sitting away from everyone else. Don’t recommend it.

LOI was after lunch. All the previous gouge applies. The scenario I had was flying from MSY to Tampa, over water with a line of thunderstorms between my aircraft and Tampa, and hot military warning areas to the north.
Return to MSY, go over 50 nm offshore, bingo to Birmingham etc. I had seen this scenario in the gouge, in fact had used it as practice to develop my thought processes for the LOI. I decided to play it straight up, and pretend I had not seen the scenario before, asked lots of questions, gave the F/O control, spoke with ATC, dispatch etc. Interestingly the 7 minute clock was inoperative, and when I looked down it indicated I was out of time. I think it had only been in the LOI about 3-4 minutes, little surprised to see the clock at 7. I wrapped up my thoughts, gave them my decision and they left. When they returned they asked me if I had felt rushed. They indicated the clock had malfunctioned. I took this opportunity to review with them why I decided to return to MSY (my ultimate decision), to ensure that they understood my thought process. That was it. Critically debrief yourself. SWA has never hired the perfect pilot, and they understand that it is a condensed timeframe.

LESSON’S LEARNED/RECOMMENDATIONS:

-- Believe prepping for the interview is essential, but look out for being overly prepared. I think this has bitten a few folks. Don’t write out long, detailed answers.
-- Most strongly recommend spending some $$ on a well tailored suit. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. I stuck with the Navy Blue suit, White shirt, red tie thing.
-- Many folks recommended I head down to the bar the night before your interview, perhaps meet some of the interview team. I chose not to do this. I did not want the ‘interview’ to start until I was ready, in my new suit, best appearance. Last thing I needed was to accidentally spill a beer in someone’s lap. This is an individual thing.
-- Take the 0700 bus to the interview.
-- If you are in the military, leave the rank at home. I ensured my stories did not contain SGT Jones or Petty Officer Smith. I referred to them by aircrew position.
-- I emphasized teamwork in my stories. They know I got the credit for a job well done, I wanted to highlight how people helped me, how much I appreciated their efforts, the differences it made, into my responses. Believe this to be a fundamental pillar at SWA.
-- I read the first 3 chapters of NUTS. The first two are worthwhile, the rest is a regurgitation of the same thing and my opinion a waste of time. I did have a good working knowledge of SWA’s financial history, published plans of aircraft accessions, and financial standing. All of this off the web, most from the SWA website. I knew 10 facts about the company and 10 facts about the airline industry. Makes the, why SWA, answer pretty easy.
-- Make a copy of your SWA package you receive prior to the interview to fill out in case you make a mistake.
-- Pay particular close attention to the contact list, ensure the phone numbers are accurate.
-- Make sure all your flight time on your application, logbooks etc., matches up. Lots of awkward stories here. Recommend breaking out your flight time if not done so already, including instructor time.
-- Recommend arriving day before interview. Many showed up the morning of. I also departed day after, as to not worry about missing a flight. Hand carry all your documents/suit on the aircraft.
-- Recommend obtaining LORs from people who know you well and can personally speak to your flying abilities. I did have some from dudes who worked at SWA but the majority were not. I had nine LORs, 5 of which were from non-SWA dudes, and some were called. Folks in my interview group seemed focused on only having SWA pilots writing them LORs. SWA pilots can provide online recommendations.
-- Last but most important, try as best you can to relax and to be yourself.

I was contacted on July 18th with the fortunate news that I had successfully completed the interview process. Have completed my drug screen and background check, awaiting my class date. Best of luck to everyone.

 

[320AV8R]

Southwest Trip Report – 6 July 04​

Ryan Hurling came out and herded us into the conference room. Basically gave us the ROE for the day, and emphasized that we were not competing with each other – they could hire all of us or none of us. Melissa Dexter had us gather our paperwork into 2 piles – if you have fancy binders, tabs, etc, they’re a waste of time, since you’ll pull what they need out anyways. Ryan listed for us who would be in the a.m. interview group, and who would go to the LOI first. I happened to be on the a.m. interview – just luck of the draw I think.

Interviewers (may not be complete list):
Ryan Hurling
Dan Schuman (spelling?)
Jay Bellar
Kevin Cagle
Jim Tomalo
Mike Piscitelli
Rebekah Krone
Tad Corgill
Melissa Dexter
Craig Henrichsen
That’s all I can remember. All of them were really nice, seemed interested in getting to know all of us.

My interviews:

First was with Mike Piscitelli. Former Eagle guy from Langley and KC-135 Reserves, so we talked a bit about that. Gave me the ROE, even showed me one of their interview sheets. Each of them has a packet of about 7-10 papers. Each paper has 3 questions from which they can choose, with the bottom 2/3 of it having sections for them to write the HEART format (basically Situation, Action, Result as briefed in other reports) from your answers.

-TMA a person who frustrated you
-TMAAT a supervisor had a policy you did not agree with/what did you do about it?
-Why Southwest?
-TMAAT something catastrophic would have happened had you not intervened.
-TMAAT you initiated something on your own, without being asked?
-TMA your scariest flight?

Next interview was with Tad Corgill, a senior SWA Captain. He also did my logbook review. Had a spreadsheet that showed how I got to my numbers, included instructor and evaluator time. He asked me about some of the times, and then wrote those on his sheet. -Logbook questions did not need a SAR format:
-Ever hooked a checkride?
-Ever had FAA violation?
-DUI?
Etc.
Interview questions:
-TMA the flight where you worked the hardest and felt the greatest sense of accomplishment?
-TMAAT you got a group of people to work together. I asked if a non-flying example was alright, and he was fine with that.
-TMAAT while flying you thought “this is great”
-TMAAT you went against the FARS/ATC.
-There are 7000+ people trying to get to this interview. What 3 things do you bring to SWA that show why we should hire you?
-TMAAT a supervisor asked you to do something wrong?
-What 3 things do you like about SWA?
-TMAAT you changed a policy/initiated a policy and what were the results?
-TMAAT a flight did not go as planned?

Final interview was with Rebekah Krone, an HR employee.
-TMAAT you got between 2 people?
-TMAAT you went above and beyond?
-TMAAT a flight did not go as planned?
-TMAAT you initiated something not in accordance with company policy?
-TMA your most pressure packed flight?
-What did you do to prepare for this interview? (***had not heard this one)
-What do you like most and least about your current job? (***had not heard this one)
-Why SWA?

At the end of each interview, they all asked if I had any questions – just mentioned that “if I haven’t already expressed this, I really want to be part of SWA....”

The interview team then took us to the Landing for lunch – as briefed, and they give you a $7 voucher. Great food and a great view. VERY busy place, with all the classes, checkrides, etc going on. Pretty exciting atmosphere.

Next we went over to the sim building for the LOI. 2 sets of 2 interviewers took us one at a time. Everything as briefed previously. One interesting question – they asked if I had a cell phone on me – apparently someone may have tried to “phone a friend” during an LOI recently, and they wanted to make sure we didn’t do the same.

LOI scenario:
OMA to MDW – you are enroute, when ATC tells you that MDW is closed due to unforecast thunderstorms, gives you a hold at Bradford VOR at FL 250 with an EFC of 45 minutes due to the storms and arrival traffic. Current fuel is 11k. Alternate is IND, arrival fuel is 5k. The storms have not yet hit IND, and current wx at IND is basically VFR with 3000’ ceilings. Min fuel is 4k, emer fuel is 3k. They ask if you have any questions. The questions I had (where’s the T-storms that haven’t hit IND yet, and what is our fuel flow) they said I should wait till the timer starts to ask.
They leave for about 5 minutes. You have a small white board to jot down anything you want.
Once they came back in, timer and fuel countdown started. I gave the jet to the FO, asked him to talk to center, comply with our holding instructions. He asked what our holding airspeed should be. I told him 265 should work. Next I asked him what our fuel flow has been at 250 – he said approx 5k per hour. Next I “typed” in the FMC Indy to see how long to get there – approx 30 minutes. Did some quick math in public, figured 2.5k to get there, arrival fuel is 5k, padded by 1.5 k, and told the FO as a going in game plan to look for 9 k on the gas to start our divert to IND. Next, called dispatch and asked the wx at IND, both current and forecast, as well as wx at OMA. IND was still forecast to be alright, OMA was perfect VFR. Asked ATC about the line of T-storms – was it between my location and IND? Have you been able to vector guys thru, are there good holes? There weren’t – they just said they’ve been able to squeeze some people thru. I asked dispatch how fast that storm looked to be moving toward Indy, they said it was about 50 miles away and closing. Then told Dispatch our situation, asked them where they preferred for us to go. Dispatch said hold until about 6500 lbs, and they wanted me to arrive at IND w/3k. Yeah right. Now the clock is showing about 1 minute left. Asked the FO his opinion on what to do. He said he thought storms would be in IND by the time we got there. Asked jumpseater if he had seen this before, what he would do. He said last time he landed at a Podunk field, and he thought OMA sounded best. I said “that’s exactly what I was thinking.” I told FA’s that we were on way back to OMA. Called dispatch and told them to rebook all 137 pax from OMA again, asked FO to call ATC and request direct OMA. Basically said we were going back to OMA as time ran out.
They leave for 5 minutes, come back and you debrief them. I had a lot of things I thought of that I could have done better. They don’t give you any feedback, so not sure on this one.

It was a great day, and overall pretty fun. Went back to PD, got my bags, and got on the next shuttle back to the airport, where they changed my flight to get home earlier! Good luck – be yourself! Apparently if they start calling your contacts a week later you made it through the 3 interviews, and then you’ll hear the DB results in 4-6 weeks.

.​

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[320AV8R]

Southwest Trip Report - 12 July 04
Standard ops as stated in previous reports on the intro and paperwork drill. The interview team consisted of Ryan Hurling, Cliff Polson, Troy Parlin, John Dalton, Tex Mascot, and Leslie Bellar. The training center team for the LOI was Lee Kinnebrew, Don Buford, and Jay Bellar. I had the AM interviews with Ryan, then Troy, followed by John, which included the logbook review. That was a snap since I had the spreadsheet all laid out and it made everything easy for him. I forgot to add a conversion factor to my IP and EP time so he came up with some numbers and added them in for me. I thanked him for that!

Here were my questions,
TMA how you became interested in flying
TMAAT you had to deal with a difficult boss
TMAAT you had to take the controls (not as an IP)
TMAAT you had to deal with a difficult transition
TMAAT you had an emergency
TMAAT there was a breakdown in CRM
TMA your scariest flight
TMA a flight that was really busy
TMAAT you bent a rule/policy/procedure
TMAAT you motivated someone to perform to a higher level
TMAAT you counseled someone
TMAAT you were pressured by a supervisor to do something wrong
TMAAT you were counseled on your flying
TMAAT you had to sell something that wasn’t yours and didn’t believe in
TMAAT you had a divert
Did you bust a checkride? What happened?
Have you ever had an FAA violation?
Have you ever been convicted of a felony?

2 questions I thought for sure I would be asked was “Why SWA?” and/or “Why would you be a good fit for SWA?” I didn’t get asked either one.

Each interviewer was very relaxed in a friendly atmosphere. I had to remind myself several times I was doing a real interview! The moral: don’t let down your guard! That could happen easily if you’re not careful.

We were escorted for a fabulous lunch up top, where we could chat with some of the interviewers and/or meet with old friends going through training. Then you can browse around the gift shop.

We all met outside the gift shop at 1330 then walked to the training center, where we got a nice tour of the facility. A lot of happy people there. I’m looking forward to it! We were then corralled into a room and were briefed on LOI ROEs. Once done, I was the lucky first one to be called.

I was escorted to the cardboard trainer and handed the scenario card. It was a birdstrike after takeoff at MAF and caused the number 2 engine to vibrate heavily. The destination was DAL. Wx at MAF was below mins, ELP was the takeoff alternate. The FO got into the imaginary QRH and said it would stay in limits and be OK to leave running at low power settings. I said go ahead with that but still employ single engine procedures for the recovery. I then transferred control then started gathering wx and airfield status for ELP, AMA, SAT, and LUB. I also asked the FA if there were any visual cues outside with the engine. There was nothing. Due to thunderstorms, LUB and SAT were closed, AMA was clear but had 35G40 kt crosswinds (35 is the limit). Wx at ELP was 400/2 with a VOR approach. I asked the FO first, he said ELP. The jumpseater wanted AMA. I opted for ELP and advised dispatch as such to take care of the pax and FA to give them a heads up. Landing weight was no factor. I had about 15-20 seconds left on the clock. Lee said, “OK you made a decision” and they left me alone for ~5 minutes for me to gather my thoughts for the debrief. When they returned I said I thought the areas for improvement were to consider Wx trend info (getting better? worse?), possibly some more destinations (DAL? AUS?). Good stuff was including all the players to include the FA with the visual part of the FEVER check.

They thanked me repeatedly for coming out and I took the opportunity to thank them for an overall great day and the chance to interview, which was warmly received. I was escorted to the door with a “good luck” and I was done by 1400. I returned to the Renaissance and chatted with some of my fellow interviewees (and we DIDN’T talk about any interview specifics) at the bar in the evening. Once home, I dropped a Thank You note to Melissa Dexter thanking her and my interviewers by name in the mail the next morning. It was a fantastic experience that leaves you feeling that you wouldn’t want to even consider working for anyone else! With the kind of work environment and overall positive attitude at SWA, why would I want to?? I sincerely hope my fellow interviewees and I all get good news in the weeks ahead. Best of luck!!

 

[320AV8R]

SWA Trip Report for 21 Jun 04
- They split us into 2 groups of 6…one group goes for interviews while the other group goes to the SIM building for LOI’s. Rejoin at 1145 for lunch with the second push across “Student Gap” with roles swapped at 1255. They do not build groups based on alphabetical order…so plan on being at SWA till ~1545. I interviewed first then LOI’d, finished with whole thing by 1400. (i.e. Do not make travel arrangements before a 1645 departure time, otherwise plan to spend the night). The whole process took about 7-8 hours so be ready and stay in your circle.
- Each Interviewer asked 7-8 questions, very straight forward:
o Why SWA x 2
o Why should SWA hire you/list three characteristics that make you a good fit with SWA
o TMA your DUI (over16 yrs ago)
o TMA your most challenging flight
o TMAAT you initiated a new program and what were the positive results
o TMAAT you had low fuel/fuel was critical
o TMAAT you diverted
o TMA how you help mentor someone outside of being an IP
o TMAAT information was presented to you as factual and you knew it not to be true (new one for me!) – had to come back to it
o TMAAT you noticed/monitored something in the cockpit to prevent something bad from happening
o How did you get interested in flying
o TMAAT you had a conflict in flight and how did you resolve it
o TMAAT You went above and beyond to do your job
o TMAAT you disagreed with a policy and/or procedure and what did you do about it
o TMAAT you intentionally violated a policy/procedure and why
o TMAAT you had to take the aircraft from another pilot
o When was the last time you asked for outside help/advice for a project
o TMAAT you had…an in-flight emergency…situation you weren’t expecting

They briefed us at the beginning of our interview that you can use the same story more than once if it answers the question asked by different interviewers. Also, they want to hear experiences as Captain, Flt Lead, and IP. Not as a Copilot or wingman.

Logbook Review: Use the attached sheet to help show the breakdown in your flight time. Scanned the entire interview package and used WORD to fill in the paperwork. The interviewer commented on the quality of the paperwork during the logbook review and greatly appreciated the use of the spreadsheet to breakout the AF Form 5.

LOI

Same setup that everyone should know by now so I won’t go into that detail. There are too many scenarios to really get too gouged up so do what you would normally do in any checkride and take it to a logical conclusion. Remember to use all the available resources to include FO, Jumpseater, Flight Attendants, Dispatch, ATC, etc. Seven minutes goes by very quickly so stay on top of the clock situation. My scenario was the Midway to Nashville flight with holding at Terre Haute FL330. (He asked what speed to hold at…I said 265 kts) Then a 29 year old girls gets a reaction from eating peanuts, doctor on board says we gotta land now…and oh by the way a plane went off the runway at Nashville and the airport is closed for 30 minutes… “What will you do?”
1. Maintain A/C Control (I flew/maintained in the hold)
2. Analyze the Situation (Used Jumpseater to query situation from FA and used FO to query dispatch for Nashville status/alternate status)
3. Take Proper Action (Query for alternatives once you have presented your solution and then, You decide and stick to your guns)
Both the FO and Jumpseater asked purposely-distracting questions to eat up time and see how you handle the situation. I politely refocused their efforts on the situation at hand.
Best thing you can do for your LOI, is to read through each initial set up from the various gouges. Then set your microwave clock to count down from 7:00 and roll play out the questions you would ask, and decision you would make based on the info that would flow. Do that for each scenario. Keep a SWA napkin in your pocket to know of which other SWA landing sites you have to choose from to check weather or consider for “viable” options. Try to get your pacing down to the 5:00 to 6:00 minute window (some use much less time). This will help you get ready, and not be surprised how fast 7:00 minutes goes by. After you get your LOI situation, you will have a 14” x 10” white erase board to write questions on to use during the LOI…then you can put your debrief points on it after the LOI is over. I cover those things I thought I did well, and those things I thought I did poorly/could have done better.

Make a decision. Stick to your decision.

The SWA interview team folks were awesome which made the interview process as pleasant as it could possibly be.

OH Yeah…

It pays to keep your head on a swivel…we were talking in the shuttle on the way from the SIM building to the airport. After we had been discussing our experiences for a while, a pilot seated behind us spoke up and asked us about our experience. The pilot was Bill “Mama” Cass, in Charge of Pilot Hiring. You just don’t know who is going to show up or pop up from around a corner, so for me the interview started when I left my home and ended when I got back in my car at the airport. I wore a suit traveling to the interview and remained in my interview suit for the trip home. Be pleasant and courteous. You have prepped hard for the last month or more, you have earned the right to go sell yourself, just relax and be the person everyone likes in the squadron…GOOD LUCK!

 

[320AV8R]

Trip Report
Jul 04

I stayed at the Renaissance – great place to meet up with others in your interview group & SWA employees. I definitely recommend it. Go to the bar and look for the 30-40 yr old age group wearing slacks and a nice shirt – that’s your interview buddies. The guys wearing jeans and a golf shirt are a few months ahead of you . . . . (i.e they’re in the new hire class!) Quoted a higher rate, but it was changed to $52 as advertised when I showed up. Took the 7am shuttle & was at HQ by 7:30 ready to go. We had a good mix, about half civilian and half military. 12 Agent Smiths - only about 3 or 4 in the red power tie, though . . .

Remember to smile and try to enjoy your time there.

Paperwork drill was standard. BTW, most people are filling out paperwork by hand, typewriters are virtually dead. Remember to get your transcripts ordered early or you will be pulling your diploma off the office wall to carry in. Get the NDR notarized.
2 HR reps and 4 pilots. LOI is done by different group of pilots.
LOI was per other trip reports. Sick passenger, weather sucks . . . Use all available resources to make a decision – such as FO, jumpseater, doctor if available, MedLink, Dispatch, checklists and/or company policy/operating procedures. Get weather & notams from dispatch and their preference if applicable – may depend on the nature of the passenger or emergency. FO and jumpseater will likely offer differing opinions, requiring you to make a choice that possibly neither one agrees with. 7 minutes goes by fast when you’re trying to get as much information as possible – remember to delegate duties, such as having the jumpseater get all the info from dispatch and having the FO fly and talk to ATC. Make your decision based on the info & stick with it! You will have time to debrief your scenario afterwards – this counts toward your LOI deal, so be sure to bring up anything that you forgot or could have done better. Nobody’s perfect . . . be willing to admit to mistakes or what you could have done better, and show that you learn quickly by briefing those afterwards.

Logbook review was done in the first interview. No surprises here. All interviews were pleasant, with friendly pilots and HR who are trying to get to know you – if you didn’t have the experience they are looking for, you wouldn’t be there. So remember to sell yourself – they are hiring you based on your personality, enthusiasm, “cultural fit,” etc. That doesn’t mean you have to be a comedian, but you should be more interesting and a little more personable than the desk between you and your interviewer. Be sure to read “Nuts!” It is a great overview of the company and the type of people they are looking for.

Interview Questions:
Why SWA? (3 times)
TMAAT that fuel was a factor.
TMA your scariest flight (x2)
TMAAT you broke a rule or policy.
TMA your most memorable flight.
TMAAT a peer that frustrated you.
TMA a project you initiated and the results.
TMAAT you were counseled for something good.
TMA a co-worker who had trouble “fitting in.”
TMAAT you had to divert.
TMAAT a supervisor asked you to do something wrong.


Finished about 4pm – still smiling but totally wiped out walking out the door, mostly from all the anticipation beforehand. They told us that about half were being hired . . . so now the anticipation builds again! Good luck!