SWA Connecting More Dots.

[chase]

HOUman

The PD ARE NOT talking about Jan. They are being very consistent to simply only state things they know & not to speculate. They are great folks but don't spend time passing along all the rumors that are put on here & other places as to when class dates may or may not start. They read the site & find it interesting I'm sure to see what folks here/say/repeat but in reality they deal only with what is real.

Please don't take my comments as demeaning or derogatory but I hope to deflect any rush for phone calls to their offices in trying to confirm/deny rumors. They'll be glad to answer other questions but suppositions are not in their job descriptions

I've never heard any of them predict with any degree of certainty firm class dates prior to actually notifying folks of classes so I would expect the same thing to happen in this case. Up until Dec sometime I'm sure they will say things aren't for sure yet but maybe look good but for hard dates, don't expect too much.

I've only heard "other pilots" talking about what they may have heard 2nd/3rd hand in training so the credibility is for you to decide. There are variables out there that may delay the process:

1. Some other disaster (God forbid)
2. SWA is implementing some new checklist procedures. The date of implementation of these is unknown but the desire was to have it in place for everyone prior to any new hires coming on board. They don't want new hires learning old procedures & then turning around 1 month later having new checklists to learn. If that is delayed then decisions would have to be made on whether delaying several weeks might be better for starting new hires. No official word so we'll see what happens.
3. Aircraft delivery schedules changing (who knows what could happen).

Not to rain on parades but the reality until you show up on the property, don't pay off any bets!! good luck

 

[HOUMAN]

No worries Chase. The last time I asked LL, or anyone from the PD, when I would be in class was over a year ago. The only time I call is when my address, phone number, e-mail, etc... changes. And even then, I never bring up the class date rumors. In fact.. I bet all of the poolies after almost 2 years of bobbing in the slog have figured out that the P.D. is only going to simply state things they know & not speculate. That is their job.

By the way Chase, have you talked with anyone at SWA to confirm that the Website is correct on the Type Rating requirement? It seems the individual base websites still reflect the previous policy of requiring the type before the interview.

 

[737tanker]

I had a sim instructor on my jumpseat this week & he said that they've been told in the training center that the Jan classes have been pushed back to Feb. He didn't know why. We had been told to expect the new checklists in Oct, however I talked with a check airman this week & he said that the check airman haven't seen the new checklist yet & Flt Ops wants their input before we start to use the new checklists. So my guess is that the classes are delayed until the new checklist are finalized. We are still planning on hiring well over 400 pilots in 2004.