Realistically-how long from Private to right seat for Southwest?

[MauleSkinner]

All that being said, the most important thing is to have backup skills, where you can find another job if things don't work out for whatever reason.

That, to me, is also the most important issue (well, after the marriage stuff)...if you're one and only goal in aviation is flying for Southwest, great. But what will you do if, for some reason, they don't want you? Remember, for everyone who spent 10 or 20 years on their way to the right seat at Southwest, there are probably several who spent that same time and didn't make it.

Above all, Fly safe!

David

 

[WMUSIGPI]

I'll let ya know if I ever get there. Right now I'm at 6+ years and haven't seen the left seat of any flying device since my commercial multi checkride in 2000. (not counting the week spent getting my Citation type) Currently I am about to join an unemployment line for an unknown length of time. Upgrade times to get that PIC time were looking at 5 + years in the company and slowly dropping, now they are over 6 and increasing with the layoffs and downgrades.
Right now I have a better shot at doing your taxes than being your SWA first officer.

 

[414Flyer]

Do it because you want to take the journey, not because of the possible destination.

 

[MTpilot]

I think you should save your "balls to the walls" stuff for flying freight, that will be the quickest way to get your time up. Just get all your ratings as fast as you can, instruct till you get 135 mins, then take a freight job with the first dirtbag outfit that will hire you, jump ship for better airplanes and jobs whenever you can, with a little luck you could be competive in five years. Then you can get a job where you might actually see your wife every now and again. Best of luck.

 

[Swaayze]

15.5 yrs and counting....slowly

 

[NoKoolAid]

Military Options

Call me crazy, but I was hired off active duty USAF (now at FedEx) with just under 10 years of service.

If I had it to do all over again, I'd recommend Guard/Reserve and fly civilian on the side. Guard/Reserve units are very selective about who they send to pilot training, but if you make the cut you'll love the flying.

The best way to build flight time and not starve in the process is active duty military. Decent income for pilots and their families. No matter where you live, there is a housing allowance and cost of living adjustment. Health insurance extends to your whole family. Of course, you may get shot at in the process! Check Six!

Big Picture: you get to build flight time, make decent money compared to the civilian route, and the benefits are good as well. However, please don't go the military route if you are not willing to serve your country with honor and pride. We need men and women of high character, motivation, and commitment to protect our nation. The "spineless" need not apply.

Southwest is a great goal, but be realistic. I'm sure plenty of folks dreamed about flying for Delta, United, TWA, Eastern, Braniff, etc. -- you get the picture.

Good Luck.

Now get your arse down to the recruiter's office ASAP, mister!

 

[Metro752]

true, but she is the type of person that cant understand that and needs a general time frame. I know I know, but that is just one of her quirks.

She could use a good beating. Sounds like one of them anti-war wanna pullout timeline folks.

 

[Metro752]

Yes Sir Gunnery Sargeant Ermey Sir

 

[Hand Commander]

The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe.

Well you know, the man that was talking to the dog Looked at the dog and he said, Sort of staring in disbelief, "You can't say that."

FZ in '08

 

[FN FAL]

my definition of "balls to the walls" training, is training that is very focused, goal-driven and motivated to complete the tasks at hand in a timely manner...........

That's the spirit, you just have to want it more than the other guy and it will happen.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Somebody send this guy some money for his services! (I sure as hell don't have any.)

Paypal to [email protected] !

MarineGrunt,

Just wanted to say that I appreciate what you said about your commitment to your wife and kids and the priority they hold in your life (even over flying). That's becoming rare these days, and it's good to hear.

-9G

Thats what it's all about bro. A job is just a job. When I'm dead and gone, no one is going to give a s@#t who I flew for or what I did for a living. But my family will remember that I always put them first and that I cherished every minute with them. We see every day how people get their lives snuffed out in an instant. Make the most of it.

 

[USMCAirWinger]

Paypal to [email protected] !

Thats what it's all about bro. A job is just a job. When I'm dead and gone, no one is going to give a s@#t who I flew for or what I did for a living. But my family will remember that I always put them first and that I cherished every minute with them. We see every day how people get their lives snuffed out in an instant. Make the most of it.

SHACK!!!

 

[FN FAL]

...When I'm dead and gone, no one is going to give a s@#t who I flew for or what I did for a living.

Do we have to wait untill you're dead AND gone?

We can tell the original poster anything, but he's going to do what he wants to anyway. From his statement that he made about about getting tasks accomplished "on time", I'm gathering that he thinks that "excellent performance" will make him stand out. In aviation, excellent perfomance is the norm and the norm is a dime a dozen.

There's a message from a caller on my answering machine from last week. It's from a guy that I checked out to fly skydivers 9 years ago. He's recently resigned from a regional and is looking for alternative forms of aviation employment. If I'm not mistaken, he has a couple of kids and a wife back home. If you put everything you got into this industry, you still risk all the pitfalls that come with it...no matter how much you go "balls out" and "complete the tasks at hand in a timely manner".

A person looking to come into this industry is going to have to have goals and be goal oriented, but is also going to have the realistic expectation that not everything goes as planned. If you start out with the intention of making the career of flying airplanes your goal and you find yourself flying airplanes for a career, then you'll be happier over all, no matter what.

 

[lurker]

I'll be the voice of optimism here...

I'll say that with the right connections, timing, and luck, it's conceivable to go from private to SWA in 3 years. Unlikely, but conceivable.

balls to the wall, you could get required ratings in under a year. From there, a place like Lakes hires low-timers. when I was there a few years ago, my sim partner had less than 300 hours. Granted he was in intern, but still, half my class had under 500 hours and weren't interns. maybe some current lakers can update me as to what kind of time they're hiring people with these days. anyway, it's possible to get hired there with very little time instructing. Yes, the pay & QOL sucks, but the good news is you would probably upgrade at 1500 hours, which at 100+ hours a month, is only a year away. Again, at 100+ hours/month, the magic 1000 PIC could only take a year. That would get you bare-bones minimums at SWA, which would be where your connections, timing, & luck would have to come in. Yes, I know that to be competitive at the moment, you need considerably more than that, but in 3 years, who knows.

Admittedly, my 3 year guess is on the extreme optimistic end of the spectrum. In all likelihood, it'll more than twice that long. I'm just offering another perspective.

I guess my advice would be the same as you'll hear a lot around here: go to a place where you can get turbine PIC quickly. airlines don't really care if it's turboprop or jet time. don't get sucked into the SJS.

good luck!

 

[FN FAL]

I'll be the voice of optimism here...

I'll say that with the right connections, timing, and luck, it's conceivable to go from private to SWA in 3 years. Unlikely, but conceivable...

good luck!

He's going to need a lot of luck to be competitive in 3 years, 6 years or 9.

From the "how come no second chances?" thread on the majors section of this forum...

As far as being competitive... I have almost 8,000 hours, 4,000 hours of jet PIC, 3,000 of that is Part 121, and the type. If that doesn't make me "competitive", I'm not sure what will.

p.s. the 14th of Jan marked 18 months since my initial interview and I've updated every month since I hit the 12 month mark and even talked to Lindsay briefly when I called to ask her to "reactivate" my application in the system. Holding my breath, crossing fingers and toes....