Questions for SWA pilots
Hi All,
I recently interviewed with SWA in Dallas. Overall for me it was a very enjoyable experience without any surprises. SWA interviewed a total of 16 pilot candidates on that day and they are looking to hire 140 with classes starting in early January 2012. The hiring board is scheduled to meet on November 29 with calls going out the first week of December. This was my first interview with them; however several in my group of 8 it was their second round. It was a very diverse group with many different aviation backgrounds. I am a furloughed part 121 pilot with fifteen years experience. I am currently working in the defense industry, keeping current in a GA SEL aircraft. I have a 737 type and no time in type. My stats: total time 7,000+, turbine 6,000+, PIC turbine 1,200.
If I am fortune to be offered a class date and in order to do some advance planning if several relatively junior SWA FOs could chime in on these few questions I would be grateful. I realize that this industry changes at the drop of a hat and the Airtran merger will throw a wild card into the answers.
1. What is the “junior” base and how long before I can hold BWI? MDW?
2. As a junior reserve line holder, is there much flexibility in modifying your line via trading? Can you trade reserve days from different crew bases or are the trades only available at your crew base?
3. If you “fly your reserve line” what is the average credit hours for the month? How often are you used?
4. Are there different levels of reserve call out, i.e. a long or short call out? How is the order of call out is decided, is it first in first out or is it seniority based system? Is “sick if necessary” available?
5. Roughly how long is training? Are there any breaks in the program, i.e. from ground school to sims, or sims to IOE? Could you briefly describe the training process?
6. If I am commuting, can I obtain an airport employee parking pass for my home town airport? Who covers the cost?
Thanks in advance for your answers. Good luck to all who have interview or are going to interview. I sincerely hope we all make it on to the property.