Rumors of SWA classes...

[HOUMAN]

harley,
Don't forget the 140 SWA origionally planned on training. "IF" SWA decides to train extras to make up for the 80+ call ups, then there will be more classes after MAY.
Hou

 

[firstthird]

I'm not a prognosticator on par with Pegasus or RightBettor but another thing to throw in the pile is that I've heard the summer is usually SWAs busiest season. Doing some basic reasoning, any classes that start after May/June won't be off IOE until after the summer is over. So, if the company can cover the flying with the current pilots on property they may be able to slide the next classes till next year to cover next summer and the planned A/C purchases for 04.

Not that I wouldn't love to be proved wrong seeing as I'm #95 or so in the pool and "6 classes out after April" according to my last update.

 

[DHPope93]

Re: Re: looking for the next pool keeper...

w8n4swa,

I would like to nominate a friend, poolie, and fellow UGA grad...ladies & gentleman please give a warm welcome for my 2003-2004 nomination for Flightinfo's SWA Pool Keeper:

Aplus9.

Come on DHPope93 second that nomination for me.

Yahtz

Fo' sheezy!

Seconded!


Peace,
DP

 

[HarleyGuy]

Houman-
Your suggestion that the new total for 03 might be the original 140 + the 85 callups makes sense. 225 would leave very few in the pool that weren't activated or hired elsewhere. At 50 per month, that would have training complete by by fall, so we're right back to interviews maybe starting in the fall. What do you think?
HG

 

[duckman]

Call-ups heading home

As far as counting on the 85 or so "Call-ups"...My bet is that you will see them back "on the line" very quickly..They are running out of things to bomb in Bagdad!!

 

[StopNTSing]

I'm not a prognosticator on par with Pegasus or RightBettor but another thing to throw in the pile is that I've heard the summer is usually SWAs busiest season. Doing some basic reasoning, any classes that start after May/June won't be off IOE until after the summer is over.

Don't confuse us with how AA, UAL, DAL, etc handle training of FNGs (Friggin New Guys, for those of you in Rio Linda). Six weeks in the oven and you're cut loose on the line, baby...IOE included!!

I remember a friend hired at AA a month before me was just getting his assignment for systems ground school a month after I was flying the line! Said he didn't think he'd see the line for another three months! Sitting home getting paid the whole time, of course. Guess it was good while it lasted....

 

[HOUMAN]

Talked to LL and she said things are up in the air right now due to guard and reserve guys "trickling" back to the line. What we really need to see is SWA exercise some aircraft options next week at the 1st quarter results announcement.

 

[tredding@swa]

More rumors...

Heard earlier today that there will be a May 5th AND a May 19th class.... good source - sorry can't quote him...... Hopefully we will see the calls go out VERY soon for the May 5th class!!!!

Tred

 

[Slug]

Training Timeline

DOH: Feb 3
Date IOE Complete: Mar 20

45 days to be completely qualified. Classes that start in May will be line swine by the end of June. Still plenty of summer left.

Not to be a wet blanket, but I think (my own opinion) you won't see a May class. With the war over so quickly and fighter units and carriers already headed back stateside the number of SWA folks gone will slowly decrease. Added to that (and I apologize because I can't find the documentation) the majority of this years airplane gains come late in the year. I believe it was only +2 for the first half of the year with the 9 additional planes in the second half.

Trust me, no one wants the pool drained any faster than me, and I hope my predictions are dead wrong, just my 2 cents.

At my one month point on the line all I can say is what an outstanding company to work for, what a great bunch of pilots to fly with, and every other employee I've had interaction with is superb.


Slug

 

[chazman]

From looking at a few other threads it looks like your opinion was wrong. And that is a good thing!

Chaz