My chance @ SWA

[SFR]

Southwest is really where I want to be. I want all of your opinions on my chances.

4000 TT
1120 PIC turbine (EMB120, SA226, CE208)
830 PIC Part 121
300 Jet
2800 Turbine total

Typed in EMB-120....soon to be 737...

By the time they start to interview again I may be an ATR or CRJ captain...if I can hold it soon!!

Thanks for any comments and info......

 

[chase]

SFR

If you meet the minimum qualifications to get an interview then you have a chance to get hired. What improves those chances are several things (in order in my opinion)

1. Fill out the application properly & truthfully. Don't worry about typing or whether to use a pen or not as much as the truthfulness part. More folks than you could imagine are eliminated somewhere in the process because they failed to be completely honest on the app. If you have a question don't hesitate to ask, there are those on here who will give it a lot of thought & get you a good answer.

2. Keep on flying. Building hours & the right kind of hours is important. You're doing that, keep it up.

3. Your background needs to be pretty clean. Does it mean you can't have any letters from the FAA on your record? No but the fewer (none is best) the better.

4. Letters of recommendation. Some simple rules such as (1) how recent are the LORs? They need to be within probably 6months - 1 year of when you're applying (2) Quality of the letters & comments about your flying & people skills. Specific examples are best. SWA references are good but an average SWA reference isn't as good as a really good one from a non-SWA pilot.

5. Interview. Definitely the biggest factor. Lots of things to do to help that process. You probably know the drill but if you don't ask here, folks will respond.

Good luck & thanks for considering SWA.

 

[PSL]

I agree with Chase 100%.

My class was 35% Military, 45% Civilian, 20% Mil/Civ.

The ages ran from 53 to 26. We had 1 with no collegiate education, 13 with 4 yr degrees and 7 with MBAs/MA/MS (Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical), Physics, Education) and 1 with a Ph.D. (Management Information Systems).

The military folks accounted for the top 85% of the seniority positions. They were evenly split between tactical and transport. They also accounted for 95% of the advanced educational achievements. A few O5s (all retired), O4s - some were still guarding as ACs and IPs and two folks who worked for Uncle Sam in civilian clothes (if you get my drift ...).

The average military flight time was approximately 2300 hrs while the civilian average time was in excess of 5000 hrs. No surprises there given the different worlds each pilot inhabited.

The 'older' civilians averaged in excess of 10K hours and were typed in something heavy (B-777, B-767, MD-11). Three pure corporate guys (DA-50, G-IV, LR-JET). The rest of the civilians had FAR-121 experience; most were flying as PIC on jets but two of the younger guys were turboprop pilots for a regional.

One thing I remember vividly from my initial class was the lack of cliques (sp?). We were a class, we acted like a class and we graduated as a class.

My notes are a bit faded, but that's what I found.

Best of luck ... it's a great place to work.

 

[SFR]

Thanks for all the replies and great info. SWA would rock!!! I am still a little nervous about spending the money on the 737 type without a job offer first (who wouldn't be), but currently I don't have another option if I want SWA. So I am going to Higher Power in March.

 

[RJones]

Get your type and don't worry about the money. Let me tell you, if I'd had my type at the interview (8/01), I'd be flying right now, however, I didn't and I'm swimming in this pee and poo, plus the vomit from all the drinking, infested pool.



RJ

 

[tredding@swa]

737 type....

Like Nike sez.... just DO it!

On another post I broke down the cost of my type by dividing the # of days I will be @ SWA into my total cost.... it came up to $1.87 per day!!

IF you really, really want to be a Southwest pilot, and that is truly what you want to be.... prepare for it like you mean it, dream about it and I am certain you will have as good a chance as everyone else.

I am an HPA grad, they do a fantastic job!! I also used a guy to prep me for the actual interview - I honestly believe that I woulod NOT be in this lovely pool water (ignore the puke reference above - he always gets sick when he drinks too much! ) had I not used Craig for the interview prep. Go to www.swaprep.com for the details!!!

Good luck with your progress, hope to see you soon @ SWA!!!

Tred

 

[chase]

SWA & HPA

I believe your on track to get here. It won't be easy & there is no guarantee you'll make it on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd try so be working on other airline opportunities also but even if you're turned down the first time you can learn from it & try it again.

One has to be honest with oneself when looking at SWA or any airline but I can only speak about SWA. Not everyone is a good fit & I've seen it myself.

Some folks don't interview well, some folks come across as bitter about past employers, some others come across as SWA "oweing them a job". I say this not to be critical but regardless of interview prep (Craig T is a great one, we met here on this website & we worked together prior to his hire date, pls tell him hi if you use his services...highly recommended), if your personality isn't a fit with SWA then no amount of prep will help.

SWA asks things of its pilots that other airlines don't & while you may get hired, you won't be happy since the job here is different than other airlines (I've never been other places so I'm no expert but those who have do say it is a different mindset.)

Glad you're signed up at HPA, great place to do it, Mark Sterns & his folks will not disappoint. They've just added a fix based simulator in their facility (last week) that will be available for additional training for all students. The SWA folks will visit also. If I'm available & I'm not flying with SWA I'll be happy to take you over to SWA for a visit & looksee. PM me & I'll pass along some contact info. Take care & you're tracking down the right road to get to SWA.

 

[thebluto]

NEW SWA RUMOR

I heard a new rumor/conjecture the other day: If you're not in the pool yet, don't expect an interview until Fall 2003 and don't expect a class date until Summer 2004. Does this sound about right?

 

[Snoopy58]

Bluto,

Those dates may be on the optimistic side. Looking at the numbers from the thread
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12714
(the guys in the pool are smarter on the numbers than I am), we probably have about 2 years worth of hiring in the pool at the moment. That means end of 04 / beginning of 05 before new (not yet "pooled") guys would show up for class, so probably mid-04 for the interviews (since the first bunch of interviews will all go to the already-typed applicants).

Wish I could offer better news... everybody is hoping for enough growth that the hiring exceeds expectations!

Snoopy

 

[T B O N E]

Holy Thread Revival Batman!