Originally Posted by
GatorHog
So in a very short amount of time Southwest has gone from "you must have the type" to "please don't have the type". Wow. Starting to think I should just conveniently forget to list my type rating. (Kidding)
As a matter of fact, there have been times in the past where candidates were required to be typed to interview, not required to be typed to interview (but then have to get it once the job was offered), to type not required but preferred, to not required.
In my opinion, just over a year ago we were still filling classes with many typed pilots. The actual 737 class time was more like a recurrent course, which made it tougher for the non-type folks.
Since then, the numbers are opposite and the ground school has been changed to try and better accommodate non-typed pilots.
To say that typed pilots are a problem isn't accurate--it's a combination of factors, more accurately a dynamic shift in training requirements.
I was typed at United, and yes SWA does things a little differently from them. Each airline does--but it doesn't change the way the airplane works.