SWA Application Problems... Help.

[flyingchicago]

Having problems with the SWA online app which I finally filled out today. I filled in all section except employment history and aircraft history. I have sinced returned to fill out those sections but keep running into a major problem. After the first 2 to 3 items in each section, any additional "adds" I make to the section appear in the summary list but disappear when I look at another section and return to the summary.

For example I have placed 2 aircraft time info successful into the app. When I add my 3rd it works fine and appears in the summary list but then later it just disappears. The same thing happens when filling out my employment history, I can get 4 items to show but then beyond that I can't get my changes/ads to remain. I am stumped and totally unable to enter my complete aircraft and employment history now.

Also in another questions:

1) How do you fill in the employment history when you were a self employed instructor for a period of time? Do I just list a contact who can verify it, or do I list myself and my home address etc.?

2) I know this has been debated endlessly but what is the final answer when filling out individual airplane times... what is the "higher" rank, Captain or Check Airman?

3) When filling out time in an aircraft in which you performed CFI duties like a C-172, do you select "Instructor Pilot"?

4) Is there a phone number / email address you can call the PD at SWA at? Without angering them with trival questions?

Thanks...

 

[TheDogsBollocks]

Hey Dude,

You have my sympathies, I went down to the local library to update my application, I had to add some additional aircraft flown- I inputed the info and then logged off the site. then I logged back on the site to review my application, my profile looked exactly as though I had done nothing!

I resubmitted the information to no avail - I'm going f***ing bananas! This whole experience merely re-affirms my contempt for the online application process that all the airlines are switching to.

I am going to try again but I don't hold my breath, I've made too may calls to the SWA people dept, I don't wish to wear out my welcome on this one.

Best of luck to you.

 

[flyingchicago]

that is exactly what is happening to me. i add aircraft or employment details, it appears in the main summary like normal... but then either after i attempt to amend a different section, or logout and log back in... the additions have vanished.

perhaps it is a temporary problem going on this weekend... anyone else seeing this behavior?

anyone have any input on my other questions?

thanks...

 

[Snoopy58]

For 2), if you can be a Check Airman before you become a Captain, list Captain as higher. If, however, Check Airman is a qualification that you can only obtain AFTER you are ALREADY a Captain, then Check Airman is the higher qual.

Similarly, Instructor is above Captain (unless you were flying as an "Instructor Copilot"), and Check Airman/Evaluator is above Instructor.

Remember those logic puzzles, "If all men are brave, and Allen is a man, and some dogs are brown, and the man to Mary's left is eating chicken, what color is Susan's dress?" Well, if all Check Airmen are Instructors, and all Instructors are Captains, and all Captains are pilots, then which would be the smallest (most select) group, if not EVERY pilot is a captain, nor every captain an instructor, nor every instructor a check airman?

Check Airmen
Instructors
Captains
Pilots. In that order, highest to lowest.

Questions?

 

[flyingchicago]

ok I understand the logic in your answer but how does SWA know if my company has check airman that are FOs (it doesn't) making check airman higher ranking than captain? since this is computerized i am wondering if anyone called the SWA PD and asked what is ranked higher when it is processed. i don't want SWA to think i was never a check airman because i put "Captain" and by the same token i don't want them to think i wasn't a captain because i put "Check Airman." i did click yes for the Yes/No button for were you a check airman/equiv under the military fighter/jet category which apparently also included civilian related questions.

i think the online app system is fantastic, but i imagine it will be refined overtime as SWA sees the various areas that perhaps are confusing.

 

[flyingchicago]

just tried again, was able to enter 5 new aircraft but then after i logged out and logged back in, all 5 had vanished. maybe tommorow.

 

[Skyrunner]

Try this

Howdy Ya'll,

I think I know what you may be doing. This isn't gospel.

1) You have to fill out the entire application for any of it to save. Your account identity info will save no matter what you do, but the rest of the form has to be completely filled out to save any info.

2) When adding additional aircraft, residences etc...you have to hit add at the end of your last input. This will save the last input and bring up an empty page for additional aircraft, residences etc. You then can hit next or done to move on with the application.

Hope this helps. Take care and fly safe,

SR

 

[flyingchicago]

your descriptions are based on the initial application process. once you finish the application and come back to it at a later time there are no "DONE" or "END" buttons. Only "CHANGE" and "SUBMIT".

I was able to successfully enter all of my personal info, overall flight times, YES/NO buttons for violations etc. I left only the Aircraft and Employment history incomplete. I have since returned to complete those sections. In each section I click "ADD" then enter the data and then click "SUBMIT". The data then appears correctly in the summary page, however other than the first 2-3 enteries in section which have seemed to stick around, all additional enteries (my aircraft list needs to be 8 total, my employment around 8 also) disappear when I logout and login again.

There is no final "DONE" or "NEXT" or "END" buttons to lock in the changes, it appears the "SUBMIT" button does that but then doesn't actually hold the data once you logout.

Considering I was successful with the process for the first 2-3 changes then have been prevented from modification I assume at this point the site is having trouble. I will give it a couple of days and then perhaps on Tuesday I will call the SWA PD which I hate to do if I don't have to.

 

[Snoopy58]

Chi-town,

I don't think ANYBODY has check-airmen F/O's! There are check-airmen FE's, but that's not the issue here.

If you were a 727 FE, check airman FE, F/O, then Captain, but never a pilot check airman, then I'd agree that you need to put down Captain as your highest qual in the aircraft, rather than the "higher" check airman... but unless that's your situation, use the ranking I gave earlier (F/O < Capt < IP < C/A). Since SWA is specific that FE time doesn't count in their calculations, I'd leave aside that branch of the "what if" tree.

If you put down that you were an instructor or check airman, it will be understood that you were first a captain in that aircraft. If you put down that you were a captain, nobody can assume that (if) you were an instructor and/or check airman. If the suggestion in another thread that "Captain is the highest" were true, virtually NOBODY would ever show themselves as instructors or check airmen, which would defeat the point of offering those options.

Clear as mud?

Snoopy

 

[BlackCoffee]

Is instructor in a 172 higher than Capt in a turbo prop?

 

[embraerdriver]

 

[BlackCoffee]

What I mean is what instructor time do they consider "higher" than Capt time. Everyone keeps saying "instructor" time is weighed greater than Capt time on page 2 of the app. Just trying to figure it out.

 

[Snoopy58]

... in the same airplane.

Flying in a -172 is fine, but instructing in it is worth more. Flying an ATR, or CRJ, or 757, or whatever, is good; upgrading to captain is much better; upgrading to instructor or evaluator is better still. Having been an instructor in a few of your turbine aircraft is better than never having been an instructor. Likewise evaluator. Instructing in a Cessna is good; instructing in a CRJ in a -121 environment shows more demonstrated leadership -- some airline thought enough of you to trust you to train their f/o's and captains.

As a guess, I'd imagine that this is what SWA is looking to capture with the application.

 

[BlackCoffee]

Thanks Snoop,

The question they ask is general though. It says "what is the highest position you reached in an a/c". Then options are Capt, inst, check airman etc. It just seems phrased in that general way It could be interperted different ways. Thanks

 

[TheDogsBollocks]

Hey Guys,

In regards to the Instructor Pilot, Commander/Captain, Check Airman questions out there. I think too much is being read into the question at hand on this part of the application, just put down the appropriate answer regardless of equipment being flown-all can be explained at the interview.

In regards to the application, can someone come up with an explanation of why you cannot get updated information that you input into your profile to stay in your profile?, once again when I try to add additional A/C, after pressing the "submit" button the information is shown on my profile - however once I log off and then log on the updated information is missing.

On line apps' drive me nuts-If it wasn't for the fact I am using a computer at the local library to update my app' my wife's computer would have a few holes in it from my .45!