SWA class rumors

[Tbone]

One of my buddies is in the July 15 class and said that the word being put out at training is that SWA is not sure if they will have anymore classes this year.

I know that things in this industry change minute to minute, and I hope this is one that will change too.

I guess I will just keep drown-proofing! And remembering that I am lucking to be on a list.

Tbone.

 

[OakRBust]

I am with you.... We are all still very fortunate to be in the pool!!!!!




Oak

 

[Slug]

In the pool, but

Looks like I might have to go find a real job instead of waiting it out. Oh well.

 

[OakRBust]

Slug...


I'd bet one billllllllion doooollars that you'll be in Dallas by September.

Hang in there man!!!


Oak

 

[Cropduster]

Slug...


I totally agree with Oak. Its the calm before the storm. Hang on man, its setting up to be a head spinning ride for the competition!!!

 

[tredding@swa]

AUG 19TH...

Let us not forget that in 15 DAYS the SWAPA vote will be done on the contract extension.

The officers/management are "required" to do a good job for the shareholders of LUV (I am one of these too!).

Pressure from management in the form of bad news, bad economy, rising costs, increased competition (JBLU), misinformation, etc., etc., are all part of the game.

I could be 100% wrong about this.... but I would like to have some hope that I will be out of the pool before a hard freeze sets in.... swimming with an ice pick could be hazardous!!!!!

Happy to be tredding - Tredding

 

[pegasus]

A friend of mine currently employed with SWA was flying w/a CP last week and he was told that there will most likely be 1 class in late August.

I like good rumors!

 

[Slug]

Thanks fellas (or gals)

Thanks for the pick me up. I think I'll be in class before October, too. It was just a bad post to read on a slow weekend with the inlaws in town. As the vast majority of ya'll know this Mr. Mom thing is great I'm just ready to get on with the rest of the ballgame, so to speak. Anyway, the family and I are packing up and heading to Panama City Beach for some R&R and its good to head out on a good note. Peace and love

Slug

 

[keeb]

pool info

I called at the end of last week for my monthly checkin. Same news of no classes planned just yet but things change. I asked about how many classes there will have to be for me to start. Answer 6-7 depending upon class size. I am # 60 something in the pool so we might have about 50% of the actual people in the pool. Just more info to pass the time.

Keeb

 

[w8n4swa]

more info and thoughts...

I stumbled across a SWA newsletter dated March 2002 that said there are currently 275 pilots in the pool...this is a published fact on a swa website. Let's say this was dated March 1 and we subtract 20 people per class from Mar 14, Mar 27, Apr 25 & Jul 15. That's 80 less people in the pool from March 1st. Now that figure is 195. Our latest unofficial list has 160 folks as of March 1st meaning we're off by 35 people for that date. Now, let's say that newsletter was taken on March 31st and we only subtract the classes of Apr 25 & Jul 15....40 less of 275 leaves 235 people in the pool on March 31. Our latest unofficial list has 192 poolies for this date leaving a difference of 43 folks. Either case, I believe the class predictions by southwest are very conservative and the actual number of classes before we go are lower than we're hearing.

Just my thoughts....I could be wrong.

 

[InHot]

Checkin

Hey Guys,

I just called this morning for my check-in. When I called JB's number I got a recording telling me to call Lindsey Lang's number. JB has gotten a promotion - a position in the training dept. Congrats JB! Lindsey is handling the poolies for the time being

LL gave me the standard response to the class situaton...nothing planned, could be 2003 before we have any more classes, however this could change - we will evaluate on a monthly basis.

I asked LL (is this a superman story?) about pilot staffing per airplane and she confirmed they look at 11-12 pilots per jet.

LL said they had already hired around 200 so far, so any more classes would be the result of additional aircraft orders. She then said that SWA had said in Jan 02 they would need hire about 250 pilots for the year.

That "250" number has been widely reported and jives with our speculation on this board. 17 net aircraft gain = 204 pilots + about 50 planned pilot retirements for the year 2002.

If that is the case and there really are 50 pilot reirements for the year then SWA will need two more classes to staff the fleet.

I also asked LL about where I stood in the quque. She said they would have to have a "handful" of classes before they got to me, she then said that would be 5-6 classes, depending on class size (I'm #68 on our list).

I just checked the SWA web site and came away with 370 jets on the property by year's end. At 12 per jet that comes to 4440 pilots. Anybody have the number of pilots currently on the SWA seniority list?

Maybe we could get an idea of whether they need any more classes based on the number on the seniority list and the 4440 pilots needed to staff the 370 jets.

Well, that's my input for the month. I'm going back to drown proofing.

Seeya

 

[fly26]

Is the SWA pool "competitive" or is it "first in - first out"?

Thanks.

 

[tredding@swa]

priority

I believe that FIFO is the oreder that we are extracted from the pool.... However - those who interviewed WITH a type rating are given a higher priority than those who interviewed w/o the type.

A buddy of mine (Craig Thornton @ SWAPrep.com) prepped a guy last year who interviewed on Oct.23,2001(with a type). He is IN the July 15th class. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out by looking at the interview/type dates to see that he is in class before some others on the list who interviewed prior (some months before) but had no 737 type.... I think having the type before interviewing is weighted BIG in your favor.


WHO knows what "really" happens - I am STILL just happy to be tredding!!!

Regards fellow poolies! Tredding

 

[SentryIP]

LL

InHot,

I think Superman's girl was Lois Lang. By the way, what is LL's phone number?



Rut roh...try one more time...it's Lois Lane...

 

[wnt2fly4swa]

214-792-5446

 

[Maynard]

Numbers

I talked to a friend who is in the July 15th class, and the day that they had breakfast with Colleen, they were told that the total number in the pool is 361. First "official" number that I have heard.

 

[SilentDave]

I talked to LL the other day as well for my monthly check-up. She passed along the same info. as was mentioned in previous posts. She said that I was about 8 to 9 classes away (I'm #72 on our latest list). Yikes!

 

[InHot]

Re: LL

InHot,

I think Superman's girl was Lois Lang. By the way, what is LL's phone number?

Lindsey lang 214 792-5446. Lois Lane!!! - and every women in Superman's life has the initials LL. Guess I'm showing my age!

 

[tredding@swa]

stands to reason...

LL, Superman.... I see the connection here,

poor Lindsey has 100s of "Supermen" (ok, ok AND "Superwomen") who she must deal with!

Tough job, being a lifeguard for such a FULL pool!?!?! Good luck Lindsey, nice to have you back on duty!!

Regards - Tredding

 

[MLBWINGBORN]

The current SWAPA list has 4092 pilots.

Mike
MLBWINGBORN