SWA pool situation and HIRING outlook

[SWAnnabee]

OK, missed the Apr 1 deadline but will still get the type/atp this summer and have my package ready to send the DAY the window opens again. Here are some straight-forward questions I am sure are of interest to many here.
1. How many are CURRENTLY in the pool waiting for a class?
2. How low will SWA drain the pool down to until they begin taking apps again?
3. When will this happen?(best guess?)
4. When they do start taking apps again, any thoughts on time until interview THEN time to class date?(months/yrs?)(This based on an app WITH TYPE and future SWA expansion/retirees)
5. Any other relevant info.

On a personal note to all those out there in the same boat as me. I'm active duty military jet instructor getting out in Summer 04. 34yrs old with wife/2 kids. I've spend the last several months seriously considering a career change IOT support my family(to what I have NO idea) and finally decided, for better or worse, to tough it out and go for SWA regardless of what the next few years hold. It is a leap of faith but with it has come a certain amount of "peace of mind" in just focusing on the goal of being a pilot with Southwest. This may mean working for Home Depot/reserves/paper-route but we will survive. As uncertain as things may seem, imagine being one who maybe got hired a few years ago with a "major" and having your livelyhood yanked out from under you and your family, probably losing that dream house and other finances in the process. All I can say is good luck to all, congrats to those who are making it happen, and God bless the troops. Hope to be in DAL soon.

 

[PTinbound]

Well, SWAnnabee, I'll harbor a guess since no one more qualified than I has. We wannabees tend to stick together and help each other out here, just as we hope to join the ranks of those who "have arrived" on the line.

Best G2 is that we had about 360 poolies to start the year. Now, the second April class will take a total of 104 from that (usually classes have been 20 each, April 21st will be 24 which we hope will be a trend). Minus a small few who have gone on to JB or FDX, and we could guess around 250 or so active poolies by the end of this month.

The last "official" prognosis I heard was that they were planning on hiring a TOTAL of 140 for 2003, which would only mean two more classes after April this year. Of course, I heard this before the war started and before 85 pilots got recalled back to the military.

As for your other questions, I'd have to defer to someone else with a better crystal ball. When SWA is in active interview mode, though, it doesn't take long. I got my 1000 PIC on Sept 21, 2001, ten days after the attacks (a fine time to be applying to an airline!) and had my stuff in the mail within a couple of days after that with 1,010 hours turbine PIC on the application. I got the call for the interview in December, and scheduled the interview for January. So it's not overnight, but it's quick enough to make you move double time if you haven't interview preped yet.

Either way, though, find some way to keep flying, even if you get out of the service. Get the 737 type and read this board frequently, and apply the second they open up the window again.
I doubt it would be much before they interview the first 600 with types, but be ready. Do all you can do and it's in God's hands after that. Good luck!

 

[SWAlifter]

Hold On a Minute

SWAnnabe,
As a past military airlifter (although it lookds like you were a fighter guy) I can certainly empathize with your decision to just "hang it up" with the military no matter what the outcome, and hope for the best. It's all a matter of timing, I got hired with SWA in Summer '01 and got out of the AF on 9/10/01. That being said, with 3000+ apps on file, 600+ with types, the app window closed and no interviews for while, it will most likely be a couple of years before you would be on campus. One important criteria in the hiring process will be your recency of flying. At the very least try to get on with a reserve or guard unit somewhere to keep that up. Although the "Home Depot" route does have some appeal after being TDY half your life, make sure you see what you're walking away from first. I would suggest (as I did) to also attend some non-flying job/ career conferences. Unless you like shift work or sales, and making A LOT less than you are in the military, it's a real eye opener in the "real world". I hope everything works out. Good Luck!

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

To SWAwannabee:

Here are a couple of other places that you may want to apply to if U can't get into SWA right away:

These cos. R currently hiring: ATA, AirTran, JetBlue, Alaska

Some others that aren't hiring at this moment, but may soon:

FedEx, UPS, Air Wisconsin
Other good regionals:
Currently hiring: Comair, Horizon
May be hiring soon: SkyWest, ASA, ACA

I'm sure you're not familiar with Air Wisconsin, as they are a "regional." Their pay and work rules are the best of any regional, and approach those majors like ATA and AirTran.

You may want to fly while waiting for SWA instead of do a ground job.

I got out of the AF, thinking I probably could get a major job. THen I applied to the regionals, and then I applied to anyone that had a plane. I couldn't get a job anywhere, and had to do ground jobs for a while. I'm back into flying, and it's lot better for us (my family).

Good luck!

Cliff
GRB

 

[SWAnnabee]

I do intend to remain in the local reserve unit for flight currency and the pay, so that won't be a problem. I was just wondering if anyone had thoughts on the future hiring timelines. Thanks

 

[chase]

SWawannabe

My best guess based upon the following (I have my own predictions but these assumptions are generic):

1. All current majors survive the current fiscal crisis & are either in Chap 11 or have existed from Chap 11 at a smaller scale.

2. Iraq falls quickly (within the next month or so) & prognosis is good for stabilized oil prices & uncertainities in the market.

3. No more terrorists attacks in the US


-Interviews beginning in 1qtr '04
-App window opening around the same time.
-Approximately 2-3 more classes for the rest of this year. No more until 1qtr '04.
-175+ poolies remaining going into '04
-Less than 1000 pilots with types awaiting to be interviewed....many more w/o types awaiting call....will be a long time for them I suspect.
-2 new aircraft each month beginning in Jul going until Dec '03.

If any of the majors go Chap 7....all bets are off. Expect opportunities to increase for SWA but depending on the economics at the time, it won't be as dramatic as the move into MDW many years ago but it will be a move I suspect into locations where major carriers leave a void.

If assumption 2 or 3 occurs, the likelihood of #1 assumption not occurring is also pretty high I believe which will result in further expansion. Throughout the later part of this year & next year several other things are occurring that will enhance expansion....new gates/terminals in HOU, MDW, BWI allowing further expansion. I was told today that long range plans call for the total number of pilots at SWA to double by 2012 (currently around 4100) Including retirements (they top 100 a year beginning next year & remain that way or more for the foreseeable future) the total number of pilots that SWA will need for the next 9 years is around 5000 pilots if these predictions are true. Averaged over 8- 9 years....we can all do the math. Doesn't help put the food on the table tomorrow but the outlook longrange is superb & shorterm is "encouraging" but not earthshattering (for those wanting a job tomorrow). One persons opinion, thoughts...no secret handshakes though.

I would be applying at all the places mentioned below that are hiring to keep current & show progression in the industry. If you can live on just the military reserve stuff that is fine but I'd encourage you to taste the airline life at other places too before coming to SWA. It plays well at the interview & provides a perspective on other operations that is invaluable when you get to SWA (adds to your story base also for interview purposes).

If you have any questions on SWA or type schools don't hesitate to PM me, glad to chat. Cheers & God Bless our troops!!!

 

[Skyrunner]

Salad Days

SWAnnabe,

I feel your pain brother. Whatever decision you choose, you and your family will have to live with it. I was AD for almost 12 years and decided to wait it out in the guard. The past 5 months have been unbelieveable. Spending more time with my family has been a blessing.

If money is the problem, there are ways around that. Remember, it's only money. There are ways to cover all your costs and save a little too. Thank God for Sam's Club and USAA. I work part time and bum in the guard and things are great. My one bit of advice is to not have any or much debt when you get out.

As for interviews, I have noooooooooooooo idea when they will start again. Just wait it out, kick back, have fun with the family and enjoy life.

PM me if you have any questions about guard/res life.

Chris Bow

 

[OldTomcat]

SWAnnabe,

Tough time to get out, but looks like you have already made that decision. What make me uncomfortable is the number of furloughees that might take your interview slot. I would stay current, but try to diversify by keeping your fingers in something non-flying. "Marine for life" seems like a great job network-- you will get hits if you do a web search.

Hope you are planning to live in a low-cost area--- It could be very tough. You will find a job if you are very flexible. If you are not absolutely fed up with the military, make sure you objectively compare the benefits of service til retirement. Mil pilot pay is pretty good these days. Best of luck!

 

[Stewage]

Just a thought to SWAnnabe. I got out in Dec '02. I was pretty fed up with the AF. I ended up getting hired by my local reserve unit to keep my hands in it. I initially didn't want to have anything to do with the military, however the unit has changed my views on that - it is a great unit and a lot of fun. Crosstraining from the USMC to a AF program is no problem (we have a few). Also, I have no clue what the fighter world is like, but there are ANG/AFRES jobs in the heavy world (you may want to do that anyway to help prepare).

As I said, I was very p****d off at the Air Force and initially felt like crap going to the local unit. I couldn't have been more wrong. The unit is great and there is A LOT of work to go around (KC-135s). As far as right now, the only down side is that I am buying medical for wife and kid, but I am flying, and getting paid pretty good for it (senior O-3, hitting O-4 in Feb). No, it isn't a Captain's salary, but we are getting by and doing OK. I am holding out - like you - for the hope of SWA or Alaska.

Just a thought, best of like to you and safe flying.