Southwest CJO 12/19/2016
Interviewed 12/5/2016

All Civilian
Close to 2,000 Turbine PIC
5 Type Ratings: C525S, C560, LR45, CL30, A320
3 classes away from finishing my Masters Degree (scheduled to finish Spring 2017).
Bachelors Degree
Former Part 91 Chief Pilot
Former Part 135/91K Instructor Pilot/Training Department
Current A320 First Officer
Business Owner with Lots of volunteer work

I highly recommend Centerline Interview Consulting especially for your app review which is the first major hurdle in getting an interview invite. They found things on my app I had overlooked the last couple of years and really helped clean up my application and resume. They were also very helpful in getting me ready for the interview. Their approach in helping me organize my thoughts made me feel completely comfortable throughout the entire interview process.

I feel humbled and blessed with the opportunity, good luck to everyone.

 

The retirement numbers generate crazy scenarios that we havn't seen in the past.

Upgrade and furloughs? Using Tallflyer's retirement numbers -
Assume SW stays the same size. That's about an 11 year upgrade (2027).
Assume UA hires today and furloughs 20% tomorrow and stays that size. In 4.5 yrs the last UA guy furloughed would be recalled. Upgrade would be in 2025, or two years ahead of the SW guy hired at the same time who never got furloughed.

SW getting w/b flying? AA is adding a long haul city every month. It would take forty years to achieve AA long haul city pairs and UA's count is probably higher. And how senior would any future w/b flying be at SW? A newbie probably wouldn't see it for years and years.

 

I agree, but you are also making assumptions.
Again, I'm just saying that nothing is a certainty in this industry and acting like you can predict 30 years into the future is a mistake.
It's naive.

You make good points.

 

AA's getting a new long haul city every *nine* months.

Everyone has to make estimates and predictions to make decisions about the future. It's unavoidable. I tried to impose a penalty on UA and non on SW to demonstrate the impact of retirements which is the only factor we can predicate. Age 67/68 or a performance based standard would just delay the inevitable.

I don't knock SW, they were the airline to get hired at during the 2000's and with hindsight the late 1990's, and are a good airline. But the industry is different today (consolidation, changes from BK, lack of fuel hedging leverage by SW) so much so that the industry might be the most stable it's ever been for the largest companies.

 

I'd also agree that making predictions and expecting a high degree of certainty is fraught with risk. One has to try and view the horizon the best they can and advance based on that assessment.

 

SWA

Interview: Nov 17
CJO: Dec 7

8500TT
2600TPIC
Bachelors
All Civilian
SWA job fair
One Type
121/135/91--currently at Fractional---previous Boeing time

 

Could you break down your past experience of 121/135/91? I would really like some insight. Types, hours, etc.

 

BS from ERAU
1 CE-560xl type
3 years at commuter 135
5 years of 727 time (1 yr on the panel/4 in the right seat)
15 years at NJA/10 as captain
No check airman/instructor time or military.
6 Letters of Rec

PM me if you would like more details.

 

I would give SWA serious consideration. Our work rules and your ability to control your own schedule/pickup extra flying is much easier here than the other three majors. I will finish my probationary yr this month, and will clear just over $100K for the year. Not too bad for new guy sitting reserve at one of the more senior bases. It only gets better with seniority/line holder status.

 

Got Hogan email from United this past Sat (7 Jan)...took it same day.

Now we wait....