SWA folks and 737 Typed ones who LUV them

[Mr Hat]

Hey guys,
I am shopping around for a 737 Type, SWA is my ultimate goal. From what I have read here K&S and Higher Power are the two places that most SWA wannabe's go to. Are there others out there that I am missing?
Also anyone out there who got their type at K&S or Higher Power that would like to share their experiences, I'd love to hear them.
A few questions:
1. K&S has 737-200 and -300 sims as far as I know. Does anyone know what type Higher Power has? I haven't flown steam gauges in about 7 years....I'm a little nervous.

2. K&S has Examiners on staff...does Higher Power have their own examiners or do the feds come in and do your check rides?

3. Did you feel prepared for your Entrance Exam, Oral, Check Ride in your experience with K&S/HP?

Question 3 is the most important one. I am a hard worker and I will know all the information presented to me....however I too have had bad instructors in my life where I did not feel prepaired for my ride (On my E145 FO ride I did ONE V1 cut in 5 sim sessions before my checkride....that was only one area in which I was not properly prepaired for that ride...I still made it through but it made my ride that much more stressful)

Thanks for the info in advance. I really hope I get a call from SWA after I get typed.

 

[Dave Siegel]

SWA is my ultimate goal.

Thanks for the info in advance. I really hope I get a call from SWA after I get typed.

Don't waste your time applying anywhere else. If you're a good guy, then you want to work for Southwest. If you don't want to work for Southwest, then you're not a good guy.

Everyone who reads this is either working for Southwest, or they're wishing they were. I hope I get hired before you. Mr. Hat, you can be my First Officer anytime!

 

[CF34-3B1]

Hey guys,
I am shopping around for a 737 Type, SWA is my ultimate goal. From what I have read here K&S and Higher Power are the two places that most SWA wannabe's go to. Are there others out there that I am missing?
Also anyone out there who got their type at K&S or Higher Power that would like to share their experiences, I'd love to hear them.
A few questions:
1. K&S has 737-200 and -300 sims as far as I know. Does anyone know what type Higher Power has? I haven't flown steam gauges in about 7 years....I'm a little nervous.

2. K&S has Examiners on staff...does Higher Power have their own examiners or do the feds come in and do your check rides?

3. Did you feel prepared for your Entrance Exam, Oral, Check Ride in your experience with K&S/HP?

Question 3 is the most important one. I am a hard worker and I will know all the information presented to me....however I too have had bad instructors in my life where I did not feel prepaired for my ride (On my E145 FO ride I did ONE V1 cut in 5 sim sessions before my checkride....that was only one area in which I was not properly prepaired for that ride...I still made it through but it made my ride that much more stressful)

Thanks for the info in advance. I really hope I get a call from SWA after I get typed.

I did mine at HPA, can't say enough good things about them, the training, the instructors,the staff, the whole program in general. I'll give your questions a shot.

1) HPA uses both 200 and 300 sims, you have your choice. The ground school is based on the 200, with a differences class for those who choose to fly the 300.

2) They have their own examiners.

3) We were completely prepared for the oral and checkride. Very high quality instruction, absolutely nothing to worry about if you put in some effort.

I hadn't flown steam guages in many years either, and had the same concerns as you have, which is why I chose the 300 over the 200. Really, it was no big deal, the only adjustment is having to fly your own DME Arcs and NDB approaches again. Truth be told, it's a really easy airplane to fly.

One nice thing about HPA is you can choose to fly the sims at SWA. Usually 1 or 2 slots at SWA per class. If you want to go to SWA eventually, it's a glimpse of the Promised Land

Best of luck where ever you go.

 

[saabcaptain]

1. K&S has 737-200 and -300 sims as far as I know. Does anyoneknowwhat type Higher Power has? I haven't flown steam gauges in about7years....I'm a little nervous.

2. K&S has Examiners on staff...does Higher Power have their own examiners or do the feds come in and do your check rides?

3. Did you feel prepared for your Entrance Exam, Oral, Check Ride in your experience with K&S/HP?
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1. HPA has -200/-300 for the same price... they have a NG sim which you could use but at much higher cost which no one does.

2. HPA has all their own examiners. VERY high pass rate: well over 90%.

3. Totally prepared at HPA.

Both are good but I can speak to HPA in that I have NEVER, notonesingle time, heard a critism of the type there other than that youcould get the type elsewhere for a bit less so it is pricey. Youwillnot have a bad experience at HPA for sure.

 

[328dude]

I also went to HPA and can't say a bad thing about it.

I too haven't flown steam gauges in about 5 years and it comes back to you pretty quickly. My best friend and I went together and chose the 300 because of the autopilot.

Did mine last March and I can honestly say it was the best two weeks I ever had flying and hanging out with the boys.

 

[LoveGun]

I agree with 328Dude. In fact, he talked me into going to HPA.

I went to HPA with a scepticle attitude. Two weeks later I was a HPA Kool Aid drinker. they do a great job. even if you don't get hired at SWA the HPA experience will recharge your aviation juices.

Ask 328Dude. I was a cynical bastard and am now a generally happy guy. I owe it to HPA.

 

[CRJ Driver]

You can go to FTI in Denver, 5995.00. Examiner on staff. Did mine in 11 days.
They use UA sim -200, autopilot, well thats another story. Lots of work, but fun.

 

[English]

I went to K&S. The ground school instructor (Mike!) was fabulous! Due to other commitments I had at the time, I didn't even crack a book before I showed up - no systems, memory items, no profiles - zip, zilch, nada. I kinda knew what a 737 looked like, that was about it. While I worked really hard during the first week, cramming through systems, I got through the program easily. My sim instructor was a retired SWA captain, the nicest guy (Merle!) you could ever meet and a great instructor. My sim partner was an A-10 pilot and it seemed after the first sim sessions that he'd never make it. However, by the end Merle had him flying to tolerances and with much more confidence than he displayed on day 1.

The training at K&S was significantly better than the training I received as a new hire at a 737 operator. That's saying alot, when the K&S program was only two weeks long as opposed to the airline's two month program.

I've heard great things about HPA as well. Just for the fact that HPA seems to be tied in closer to SWA, I recommend my friends also check out HPA.

 

[FlyBarneyJets]

Ditto what English said. A bunch of fine human beings at K&S!

From what's been said here, both are great establishments. I'd say look at whichever one can schedule you closer to when you want to go do it, and which one is more convenient for you to get to.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

LUV is rid of the -200. The training is now going to be focused on the -700 model. With differences training in the -300.

Does HP or K&K have the -700.

Any considerations here..or ultimatley it doesn't matter?

 

[Double Shot]

What happened to your flow through and not wanting to go to SWA. What Changed?

 

[Mr Hat]

Thanks for all the responses, it sounds like either way I go I will get a great education.

I hope I get hired before you. Mr. Hat, you can be my First Officer anytime!

Its a date Dave!

I too am curious about SWA switching to the -700 for training, I'd rather pay the extra money to keep it as close to SWA training as possible, I'm gonna put myself in debt anyway whats a grand more.
THREAD DRIFT:

What happened to your flow through and not wanting to go to SWA. What Changed?

I NEVER said I didn't want to go to SWA. Since I read "Hard Landings" back when I was a Jr New guy on the BE1900 I was very impressed with the SWA story. Being a Jersey guy, I had never heard of SWA before I was in the industry. I originally came to what was then Continental Express with the intent of flowing through to Continental...however As most know CAL has cancelled the FTA. They claim its because they sold the company off but the truth is that there was no reason to do it other than the fact that they wanted us to renegotiate it. For many years I was very narrow minded in that I was planning to Flow over to CAL but the day I was told "If you don't like it (the cancelling of the FTA) you can leave in fact I'll come over and pack your ******* bags for you" by someone very high up at ExpressJet I made up my mind to go to SWA because I knew I'd never be spoken to like that over there. Ive also since been told that "If you don't want to work for what we want to pay you then quit, I'll hire some other poor silly soul off the street to do it for what you make right now"
Who needs that? I want to work for a company that values its employees efforts. I want my pride back quite frankly. I want to help build an airline not simply punch the clock every day.

I've read "Worst to First" and "Nuts"....they are very similar however there is one very big difference.....SWA actually practices what they preach.

Now, just in case your still an Express or a CAL guy, I will mention that I do still believe that a new FTA needs to be negotiated...otherwise the Express list will stagnate big time, the junior CAL pilots won't have any job security and it will stop any in fighting over who flys the Embraer 170's/190's because management will certainly try to pit us against one another.
THREAD DRIFT OVER

Anyhoo, Back to type ratings and dreaming of the greatest airline in the world. And I already have the leather jacket.....

 

[Varmint]

1. K&S has 737-200 and -300 sims as far as I know. Does anyone know what type Higher Power has? I haven't flown steam gauges in about 7 years....I'm a little nervous.

I have been on the RJ for 5 years and had not flown steam either. Took the $500 discount and flew the -200 SIM at K&S (which has a -300 autopilot in it). No problems whatsoever. Great experience. You should not have a problem.
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2. K&S has Examiners on staff...does Higher Power have their own examiners or do the feds come in and do your check rides?

Don't know
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3. Did you feel prepared for your Entrance Exam, Oral, Check Ride in your experience with K&S/HP?

Prepping for your entrance exam is all you...yes, I felt prepared for that. The oral at K&S was done right after groundschool. Mine was moderated by the FAA while the K&S instructor (Mike) asked the questions. No problems and the FAA seemed very happy with the job K&S has been doing, as was I.

Had no problems with any of the K&S instructors. You may have someone who rubs you wrong, it could happen anywhere. The fact is, you will be well prepared prior to your checkride. ALL of the instructors are TOP notch there.

Just FYI...occasionally the PHX cheif pilots visit the K&S classes. This doesn't occur as regularly as the People Dept visiting HPA in DAL, but I think it would if K&S was also located in DAL (as someone else said in another post).

K&S uses SWA procedures and flows while I believe HPA is Boeing procedures. I could be wrong there about HPA though, but that is what I have heard. As far as using a 737-200 vs a 737-700, I wouldn't worry about that unless you have an extra 5 or 10 grand to shell out just to fly the exact series you would in training at SWA. They are the same airplane and use, for the most part, the same procedures with minor limitations and memory item differences for the -200. Good luck and have fun with the training. I used all my vacation last year to do the type and have no regrets..it was a GREAT experience.

 

[Mr Hat]

I just contacted the people at Higher power, I was quite impressed to say the least. Very friendly and asked a whole bunch of questions just to make sure I actually qualified for SWA beforehand. For others who are also interested, I also contacted the Wells Fargo Career education dept that is listed on HP's site under financing. They have a pretty sweet deal with financing and I was able to borrow not only the price of the type but also the money for the hotel (HP doesn't include hotel, K&S does). Basically you tell them how much you need, which is nice being a poor poor ExpressJet pilot. Repayment is defered for 6 months so I have to get hired before that time ends
They actually made it sound fun, I am looking forward to this....imagine that, actually looking forward to training...eeeewwww~
I think I've completly lost it, must be the Canyon Blue!

 

[johnny taliban]

Being a Jersey guy, I had never heard of SWA before I was in the industry

.


SWA does'nt hire wise guys!

 

[CF34-3B1]

You'll have a great time.

You'll also gain a few pounds, there's so much food lying around.

 

[Mr Hat]

GREAT!! Working for ExpressJet, I ain't eaten a thing in months!!

 

[snoopy_1]

HPA graduate here, great school and the best people in the world there.
You should check this out, http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.php?t=34045 it's a free 737-200 instrument panel and plane download for Microsoft Flightsim 2004, the instrument panel is identical to the 737-200 and the autopilot and flight director work exactly like the Level C sim.
http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.php?t=34045

 

[canyonblue]

Both HP and K&S are great choices. A plus with HP is you could meet up with Chase, and the man is a class act. And I admit I am not.

 

[johnnyV]

Don't waste your time applying anywhere else. If you're a good guy, then you want to work for Southwest. If you don't want to work for Southwest, then you're not a good guy.

Everyone who reads this is either working for Southwest, or they're wishing they were. I hope I get hired before you. Mr. Hat, you can be my First Officer anytime!

What a Jacka$$

 

[328dude]

Johnny:

I'm not sure why you think he's a jacka$$, but if you only have your sights set on one company, does that make you a jacka$$. If I don't get hired, then I'll re evaluate my options and go from there.

Still waiting for the call.

 

[jetlink130]

Mr. Hat,
Check your PM's.

 

[Mr Hat]

Alrighty, decisions made. I talked to my good friend who is also an Express guy and we have decided to hit up HP in April (which is as soon as possible). Things just seem to be falling into place and I fully believe that this is the best possible thing to do and SWA is absolutly the best place to go.

Thanks to all who have helped, Express guys and Ex-Express current SWA guys have been coming out of the wood work to help Mike and I out. I hope to be sitting reserve on Christmas Day in BWI this year!

 

[CA1900]

I was just handed my new certificate with a 737 type from HPA a couple of hours ago. Overall, an absolutely terrific outfit, and I'd go back to them in a heartbeat. I can't recommend them enough.

It's a LOT of work, and you'll need to put a lot into it to do well, but the program is first-rate. They're not the cheapest, but I completely feel I got my money's worth. Now I need a nap.

FYI, classes are filling up fast, so once you're sure of the date you can start, call up and check the date and send that deposit in. That'll also get the books on the way, so you won't have to cram in the required home-study program.

 

[328dude]

Congrats on the type CA. Did you do the 200 or 300?

 

[CA1900]

Thanks!

I requested the 200 just because I wanted things as close to what I'd learned in ground school, but ended up being assigned the -300. Honestly, I'm glad I got it, despite a bit of a learning curve regarding the autoflight panel (which is very different -- and very basic -- on the 200) and the FMS, neither of which I'd used before.

If you have prior experience with a modern autopilot and already know how to use it, I'd definitely recommend the -300. You can use it for the bulk of the ride, and it helps the workload tremendously, especially when you're in an emergency.

For those who are planning on going there, they'll give you a sheet where you can put your preferences and the order of priority. I asked for afternoon sims and got a 4pm-8pm schedule every day, which was perfect. A couple of guys got midnight to 4 sims; that's a little rough. I'd put schedule ahead of which model -- I'd much rather be awake in a 200 than falling asleep in the 300.

 

[English]

Higher Power has midnight sim sessions?

 

[328dude]

Yep. They use about 3 diffrent sim facilities, are there are some midnight sims.


I did my sim stuff at Alteon. Not sure if they run that on the red eye or not. I had the 10 am to 2 session when I was there.