SWA Interview Calls

[Topper]

Can anyone provide insight on what type of cycle SWA is on in terms of when they make interview invitation calls? Are they continuous or do they make a "batch" of calls once per month?

 

[saabcaptain]

Based on the last few months they have made interview calls during at least 2 weeks of the month, not just at "one time."

 

[P3 Tweek]

Part of the month????

From what I have read here, from those being called for interviews, it does seem that `saabcaptain' is correct about the ~2 weeks. I haven't made a note on what part of each month the (2 week stretch) calls are going out.

Anyone have a call on that? First? Middle? or Last? It kinda seems as though they go out early each month for the next month interviews.

P3 Tweeker

PS. AGAIN, good luck to all SWA wannabes!!!!!!!!!!.......If it's meant to be.....it will happen!

 

[BRA]

Question about getting the type. I have done a search and all. What i have come up with is the type costs around plus or minus $7000. You need to study materials at home for 80 hours, then you need about two weeks where the sim is to get the type. Is the 80 hours home study accurate? How did others do this? 4 hours a day in the books? The two weeks you are in GS and sim....how much did you spend on hotels? Did you double up with anyone? Any discounted rates for this? How much money is realistic to need for this? $10,000 total? (type, plus hotel, plus food) Anything i am missing? Thanks.

 

[P3 Tweek]

80 hours minimum

Hi BRA,
I did my 737 type last summer and I would recommend that you study as much as you can squeeze in the time to do so. 80 is minimum! It's not that difficult but there is a lot of material knowledge to digest. I would study during my long waits at FBOs during the day. Let the ground school do the final polish on your knowledge for your oral exam.
My type was $7750 and when adding everything else it probably ran close to $9000.
If there is anything else I may do or answer for you, please let me know.
Tweek

 

[mach zero]

I did my type at Higher Power a couple of years ago. I was a commuter airline CA on reserve at the time. I did not have time to do 80 hours prior to showing up to class. I had the memory items and limitations down pat and could draw the electrical system (from rote memory only) prior to class. I did fine. They force feed you the rest during ground school. As long as you stay awake and have been through a systems school on a tranport / complex airplane before you are fine. IMHO 80 hours is overkill however...don't even think of showing up without the limitations / memory items down.

 

[ars225dh]

I did mine a few years ago. Study for a few weeks and drove two days to get to HP. Listened to study tapes on the drive for hours and hours, both the tapes included with the study guide and some I made myself reading off questions & answers from the materials.
Got to class and was handed a multiple question test of about 100-125 questions. Finished the test in record time without a second guess on any question.
Didn't spend 80 hrs studing. Audio tapes were effective for me.
good luck

 

[BonesF15]

If you are going to HPA (highly recommended) you don't really need to study for 60 hrs before you show up. You need to study the pre-test bank b/c you have to pass a test on the first day or you will have to pay for more ground school. Next learn all of the memory items and limits cold. Listen to the audio disks a couple of times with the cockpit posters in front of you and you will be set. The audio disks are pretty much your 737 oral verbatim. I read through the books once just for an overview but I don't think it was required. If I had to do it over again I would have looked at the flows before showing up. The 60-80 hr thing is mandated by the FAA so you can get the shortened ground school.

Good luck
pm with ?'s

Bones

 

[BRA]

Sorry to hijack the thread. These posts help out a lot. Not sure about doing it or not yet, just getting the info together. I am up for the task...just wondering how to pay for it also. I have no military background, and no rich parents. I do have good credit though. Seems it would be hard to get a loan...what would the collateral be? I don't think you can just throw it on as a student loan?

 

[falcon20driver]

Just thought I would put in another good word for Higher Power, I did my 737 type there last year, lots of good people there.

 

[wil]

Bra- I got a providian visa on 4/5/04. 8500.00 credit line and zero interest for one year! After 1 year it is fixed at 7.9%. Check out www.providian.com
They accept all credit backgrounds. Cheers, Wil

 

[P3 Tweek]

`wil' has a GOOD IDEA

0% for a year is a great deal if you can pay it off in that year. Even then their 7.9% is not bad. I borrowed against my 401K which worked well for me.

Tweek

PS. K&S did a GREAT job for me in PHX! Mike Sturgis was a SUPER 1st Class instructor.

 

[knelson]

There is a really good deal out there right now that just came out, zero percent interest too. Save every penney you can, work a little extra, get creative and pay cash for it. Then you don't have to finance something that has a zero asset value (at least until you get to SWA). I know someone will jump in here and say "I can't do it. . . I only make $X and it's just not possible". To that, I say enjoy the interest payments and welcome to the world of a little more debt. I don't make a ton of $, but I can hustle a little and make some extra $ if I have to. You can too. Enough of the motivational speech, I have very busy day of sitting on a 73 type that I didn't pay any interest on.


Kevin

 

[Swerpipe]

3-4 weeks out

Topper,

From what I understand, SWA calls candidates about 3-4 weeks before their interview date. Therefore they are calling basically all month long setting up the next month schedule for interviews. I don't know if they have started calling for October yet but maybe we'll find out soon. I believe Chase had posted something on this before. Waiting is difficult but after all, as a 135 driver, I make a living doing so. Good luck!

 

[chase]

Southwest in the past (except for this month) has interviewed for 3 weeks during the month. Whether it is the first 3 or the last 3 weeks of the month I can't recall. Normally they conduct the interviews for 4 days of the week. As the demand goes up this may change but I believe that is the historical picture. Calls have in the past gone out 3 weeks prior to the first week of interviews. Assuming 4 Oct is the first week of interviews I would hazard a guess the first calls for Oct will go out sometime next week. If in fact the first group of interviews is 11 Oct, delay that by a week. Good luck & be prepared!!!!

 

[Speed]

Bang for the Buck

BRA,
I feel your pain on forking out the $8-9K on the Type. I've heard nothing but great things about HPA and K&S, but I also had heard that a Type is a Type...so why not get it at as an affordable price as possible. I saw the ad on this web site for Flight Training International in Denver, Colorado to get a Type for $5,995...so I checked it out. I liked what I heard and later found a buddy who was very happy with their program, so I got the type through them. I don't have any affiliiation with FTI...so dont' think this is a paid, political announcement.

Here are some details to consider:
-- The class was 10 days long total--fast and furious.
-- They have two hotels they can put you up at right next to the training facilitiy and Sim building. Several restaurants and stores within short walking distance. Chepest hotel rate was $27/night for a Best Western...so tac on ~$300...now the cost of your Type is up to $6,300. You have to eat anyway and can buy food from the Super Wal Mart, so can eat on a budget if you need to also.
-- You train at the United training center...nice facility.
-- The Senior 737 ground school trainer from United runs the ground school--simply one of the best instructors I have ever had. You are extremely well prepared for your oral exam.
-- You train & check in a 737-200 sim (not a -300 or -500 like you might somewhere else and SWA should have their -200s retired by the end of the year...but again, if money is an issue then consider that a Type is the Type). This was a concern of mine, but they went ahead and gave me the -300/500 manuels and systems videos to keep and study before my SWA class starts.
-- They give you a key to the building and let you study your flows and systems charts 24/7.
-- They did send study ahead materials and I concur with previous posts...the more you study ahead of time the better off you'll be...but as long as you focus and work hard during your time there--you'll pass.

Again BRA, I don't have a "dog in the fight" for the type rating wars...but if you are like me and don't have the extra grand or two to through at this thing, then maybe check out FTI. There phone is 800 233-0050--Sheri should answer and she'll take care of you (STS).

Good Luck & Fly Safe!
Speed

 

[BRA]

Very helpful post speed. Thanks a lot. So would renting a car not be needed? Sounds like it is all within walking distance. Is the checkride train to proficiency...or do you have to get it all perfect on the first try? I already have an ATP. Am i climbing a huge hill only having beech 1900 time, or is the 737 doable with hard work? Also, does anyone know of any 1900 only drivers getting hired at SWA within the last 3 years? I know that they take anyone with the right personality and the mins, but what about lately?

 

[Jolly Roger]

Tweek,

I second that.... Mike Sturgis rocks! He was a great instructor, K&S is lucky to have him!

 

[Swerpipe]

about 1900 only time

Bra,

I know a few ex-Great Lakes pilots at SWA that had only 1900 time. Don't sweat the type rating with only turboprop time. I got mine with only Metroliner time about 2 1/2 years ago with about 700 PIC turbine and it was no big deal (however I studied prior to showing up). It seems that the big metric for inviting you for the interview is total PIC turbine time. If you just have the min 1000 pic turbine, it may take a little more time to get called. I have over 2000 hours pic turbine and still waiting and know others that are as well. No matter what, having the type rating will get you there quicker than otherwise. Good luck with the type rating...

 

[Speed]

BRA,
You definitely don't need a rental car--everything is within walking distance and they give you info to take a shuttle from DIA to the hotel/training center.

They will not send you to the oral exam or the check unless you are ready to pass. It's like any checkride...some deviations are ok just as long as you recognize and correct in a timely manner. Don't sweat it...they'll make sure you are ready.

Swerpipe had the inside line on the 1900 time--thanks. I can tell you that there was a guy hired by a foreign airline that was getting his 737-300 type and he only had 500 prior hours. It was more of a struggle for him and he did have to buy some extra sim time, but they got him up to speed and he passed his check just fine.

My best recommendations are to keep building your PIC time, get your Type if you want to be on the short list, and follow Chase's advice about making sure you're ready when the call comes. Best of luck...but remember, Chance favors the prepared mind!
Speed