Finally finished training at SWA (MAY 10 CLASS)

[jimEJet]

Well, just thought I'd give some info I acquired while at the schoolhouse in DAL.

First off, I had a real nice experience. ALL the people I had the pleasure to train with and under were real nice and helpful. The people in DAL are really fun and if it speaks for whom I'll be working with systemwide, it will be a real fun job for sure.

Anyhow, I learned several things for you hopefuls, speaking the obvious. The type rating was held by at least 80-90% of the people I talked to everyday coming to the interview. The interviewees were varied in every civilian and military flying position you can think of, from check flyers, corporate pilots, commuter flyers, and furloughies, from fighter jocks, bombers, U-2ers and a bunch of P-3's. They all had one thing in common when I talked to them, they stuck out there hand and were easy to talk to. I hoped each and every one of them would get hired.

As for some gouge before those of you who are lucky enough to goto class I have a couple of suggestions.

Get some B-737-300 panel posters before you go. Just do a search on the WWW like I did. I picked up some posters from AvSoft for about $22. It helped a great deal during class. The compnay will provide a 737-700 poster, however. I thought it a great deal easier to look at it during class to reference the panels while the instructor spoke. Also, get the PASS cards get the PASS cards get the PASS cards!!!! I swear to you guys. That was the ticket. I had most of the cards memorized by class and it was really all you'll need to pass the oral, really. They are that thorough. Get them. I have no affiliation to pansmith, however his cards helped a great deal.

The hotel we stay at is real nice, however. It will drive you nuts if you do not have wheels. I suggest if you live within 1000 miles and can afford the gas, drive!! It really would have made the whole ordeal much more pleasant if I had wheels to not have to wait for the shuttle everyday for an hour each way to the training center. And they WILL NOT drive you to other restaraunts or attractions. There is NOTHING around the hotel.

Other than that, it is a standard airline training environment except, everyone is much nicer

I wish all of you a great deal of luck. I could not be happier here. It really is a nice change for me.

GODSPEED

jim

 

[Smiling]

Perfect info for the flightinfo website!

Jim,
Thanks for the info--exactly what I was looking for. I am in the PASS cards right now and they are awesome! If you have the time, would you mind answering a few more questions about the training?

> Do you get any weekends off?
> What now for you?
It is IOE at your base of choice for 100 hours and then to a reserve position where ever your seniority hits?
How does the pay work while you are in training? (i.e. hotel cost, rough amount needed for uniform and luggage...)

Thanks again.

Smiling

 

[Double Shot]

What is the PASS cards...

Thanks in advance.

MC

 

[roughneck]

The hotel is paid for by the company. Uniforms vary depending on what you order. You have to order 3 pair of slacks, $79each, eppilets(sp)$12, blazer $179, leather jacket (optional, but you will want to get it) $350. Purdy Neat bags are roughly $270 and the duffel is an additional $50. You can payroll deduct the uniforms. I think it comes out to $30 per paycheck until the balance is paid off.

The first week of class you go M-S. After that it is M-F. the instructors will work with the class to let you out early on Fridays so folks can go home. (Start early and work through lunch)

BTW, you will spend more money on $1 beers at the bar than you do on anything else. Bring a spare liver and get ready for some fun. This place is great. All the food at the hotel is %50 off too.

 

[jimEJet]

Smiling...

I think Roughneck answered most of your questions already.

I will answer your what now question.

We had to bid on a temporary base while in training. It will carry us to July 31st. Obviously we were not qualified to bid systemwide for a base because we were not yet qualified. My temporary base is MDW. It worked out awesome for me. I was number 16 out of twenty-four in the classs. Most guys got the temporary base they wanted. However, I think it is more of a function of company needs than your desires. We will know our permanent base on the 27th of this month. (effective August 1st)

Well, I finished three days ago, June 18th. I start IOE out of MDW and fly a two day and a three day. Then off for four, July 2nd through July 5th. My real flying is already all built out of MDW for the month of July.

I imagine I'll be stuck in OAK for August and September. I should be able to hold MDW again in October. I know to other classmates below me in class who wanted MDW but were assigned PHX and BWI respectively. So, like I said, it really depends on company needs.

In my opinion, it really is no pain at all to goto OAK. I just feel lucky to be at the best place for a STABLE flying career a guy could ask for. You really will love the whole experience.

Good luck and stick with the PASS cards and you'll do just fine.

Later

jimmy

 

[Smiling]

Thanks Again!

Jim and Roughneck,
Thanks guys. Look forward to joining the team in either a July or Aug class.

Smiling

Double Shot
PASS card are flash cards with SWA limits, memory items, ops rules, etc. Go to www.pass737.com for more info. There have been many discussions in the past few months about these and other possible study aids for SWA on this website--you might want to do a search to find the threads if you want more opinions.

 

[vx9.tc]

Tidbit for SWA New Hires

For those of you guys/gals just finishing up. "This is technique only," but if you don't happen to get your first choice of base you may want to consider the following. Imagine you wanted MDW for August (because you live there), but you got OAK(because it's junior). If your schedule allowed you could try to have a MDW trip overlap as far as possible into August, causing a potential overlap problem, and potentially one less commute to OAK. This must be done sometime prior to the award of the August lines (probably 12 July).

Where do you get this MDW trip?
Ideally, if you were lucky enough to get MDW as a temporary base for July, you would attempt to use LITT to move one of your July trips as far to the right as possible.

If you're not that lucky, you'd need to pick-up (from TT/GA) in MDW. As previously mentioned the longer/higher block the trip the better. However, don't overlook the trips in GA by fellow probationary pilots. If you're able to pick-up a trip from a probationary pilot, that pilot is then open to picking up some 2nd year pay, a favor that will definitely be appreciated.

This "technique" can be used until your assigned base is your first pick. Therefore guys desiring someplace like Dallas or MCO can get alot more mileage out of this "technique" than someone wanting OAK or BWI.

 

[turn&pull]

Thanks for all the good info. Interviewed May 19 and just got a congrats go pee call today, June 22. Following the above line of questions. What can we expect to get paid while in training. Also I am inferring that BWI is still pretty junior?

Thanks

 

[Spudbud]

More Dallas Intel

Also wondering if you had access to computers to check web email at the training center or do you need to bring a lap top for the hotel. On another issue, when do health benefits for family members kick in?

Thanks for all the great intel!!

 

[PTinbound]

I got hired March 1st, and I think my first paycheck was on the 20th. About $1500 take home, but then it goes to around $1300 take home every 5th and 20th after deductions kick in. Once you are online, you can work as much as you want, plus you get 5-600 in per diem. The 20th check includes per diem and any over time from the previous month. May was my first month online earning more than training pay, so just a couple days ago I got my first payday of more than the $1300 take home. Many new hires will have to do a month in OAK like I did, but some will get BWI right out of the gates. BWI is very junior and expanding, OAK isn't really expanding. For July I could hold OAK, BWI, MDW, or PHX but not MCO, HOU, or DAL. I did the "green line" in OAK in May, just one month of reserve (15 days off) in BWI in June, and a hard line (Blank line, but a line nonetheless) in BWI with 18 days off in July.

Spudbud- There are computers in the training center you can use on breaks. You could get by without a laptop but you'd probably like it better if you had one. The hotel was starting to put high speed access into the rooms when I left in April. Bring a car if you can. Bar food is semi expensive and really slow, and you can't walk anywhere.
Medical stuff - You and your family are immediately covered on some kind of a "basic plan" from day one. I forget all the details, but it's not all that great. This goes on for 30 days. During your first month, you will fill out all your election forms for various benefits. I pretty much maxed everything to the hilt and pay around 100 bucks a month for everything. The good coverage kicks in after your first month. Hope this helps! Welcome aboard, everyone.