Question for Southwest Guys

[SammyG]

Are Southwest drivers assigned to a particular version of the 73? Or do you guys fly the -300, -500, and -700 all the time, so as to make it possible for a crew to fly the -300 on one leg, the -500 on the next, and the -700 on the next?

Just curious, thanks.

 

[Hoke]

Yes. We do fly them all. On a typical 3 day trip you will fly at least two variants, usually -300 & -700 here in MDW. It's been a while since I've flown a little -500. I think they are doing most of our Texas intrastate flying nowadays.

 

[SammyG]

Interesting, thanks! I guess that keeps you guys on your toes eh? Especially with the -300 and -500, since not all of them yet have the glass moving map modification, right? Or do they all have that now?

 

[Hoke]

No glass in -300 or -500 yet. It was talked about around 2 years ago, then that plan was scrapped however, I believe we're considering it again (am I right on this guys)?
There has also been on again off again talk on retrofitting the classic fleet with winglets.

Fleet totals as off 12/20/05 are 445 aircraft comprising

25 737-500
194 737-300
226 737-700

 

[SWA GUY]

Hoke you are correct about the glass for the -300's, they are talking about it. Don't know if and when it'll happen though.

We WN folks used to fly four variants, -200/-500/-300/-700. I always thought it was funny when we were supposed to get a -700 and a -200 showed up at the gate. When a -200 showed up instead of a -700, I'd be thinking to myself, 'time to engage the grey matter".

The -200's were VOR and ADF only, no groundspeed read out either.

 

[IAHERJ]

We're the same at Continental. We fly the 300(roundial), 500,700,800,900 and you can see all 5 in a 4 day trip. Seems strange I know but the weight differences between our 757/767 drivers is much more prenounced. A 756 guy can fly one leg in a 757-200 then the next day be in a 767-400.

IAHERJ

 

[SammyG]

We're the same at Continental. We fly the 300(roundial), 500,700,800,900 and you can see all 5 in a 4 day trip. Seems strange I know but the weight differences between our 757/767 drivers is much more prenounced. A 756 guy can fly one leg in a 757-200 then the next day be in a 767-400.

IAHERJ

That's funny about "engaging the grey matter." It's gotta be such a let down feeling, eh?

That seems unusual about the 756 guys. From what I understand, Delta's 764 drivers fly only the 764 and don't jump between the 75 and 762/763. Is this still true, has it changed, or did I get bad info?

That's cool that Continental 73 guys have all those variants, bet that keeps you guys on your toes too.

 

[SWA tech]

The newer -300 are going to get reskinned and winglets and some talk of putting glass cockpits in them also. Boeing is going to help SWA with the cost for the skin mods.

 

[Archie Bunker]

From what I understand, Delta's 764 drivers fly only the 764 and don't jump between the 75 and 762/763. Is this still true, has it changed, or did I get bad info?

Still true. The 767-400s are a different category. For example, the 767-400 guys based in LAX are considered "international," even though they mainly fly to Hawaii. Domestic 767 guys (LAX, SLC, CVG, and ATL based) can fly the 757, the 767-200, -300, and -300 ER aircraft all over the continental US, to include Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. The true international 767 pilots (NYC and ATL based) fly the 767-300ER mainly, and fly to Europe and South America. Clear as mud? At Delta, we strive for simplicity.

 

[Tripower455]

No glass in -300 or -500 yet. It was talked about around 2 years ago, then that plan was scrapped however, I believe we're considering it again (am I right on this guys)?
There has also been on again off again talk on retrofitting the classic fleet with winglets.

Fleet totals as off 12/20/05 are 445 aircraft comprising

25 737-500
194 737-300
226 737-700

They've been talking about the glass in the 300s at least as long as we've had 700s, and IIRC, they discussed it in my new hire class 10 years ago.......

When it's cheaper to have glass in the 300s, we'll have it.

BTW, it's no big deal going from the "classics" to the NG stuff, even when we had the 200s.