Originally Posted by
AirAccra
I'm an active duty Army guy who will hang on for a few more years before retiring. I'm currently at ~1,250TT and ~450FW (all ME turbine) and can resonably expect about 300 to 400 more FW hours before I hang it up. I knocked out the ATP-CTP and written last summer, but won't be able to do the ATP checkride for another couple years due to assignment changes.
Soutwest is my target airline and I wonder if the hive mind here can provide any advice as to whether or not it might be more advantageous to knock out as many things as I can while on active duty, or if it might be smart to hold off on the ATP check so I would still qualify for D225 when I do retire.
Obviously, hiring three or so years from now is impossible to predict, but since I keep seeing how D225 cadets are the only ones moving through the pipeline, I'm starting to wonder if NOT having the full ATP might give me a leg up when the time comes (weird as that might be).
Appreciate any thoughts and thanks!
You appear to qualify for the military path of D225. You need to be within 50hrs of ATP mins with more than 100hrs of FW Turbine.
You have to be within 24 months pre to 7 years post separation date.
You'll get your ATP at a SWA partner school (15hrs) then a Part 121 transition course. This all takes 2-3 months then you'll be eligible to fly the line at SWA as an FO.... once hiring starts of course.