Originally Posted by RI830

Care to share details of the incidents?

Originally Posted by WHACKMASTER

SW crew are indeed great to DHers & JSers/non-revs, but this has nothing to do with that or being bitter or not, and everything to do with the hurried and rushed culture that permiates SW cockpits to a great extent. I've had a chance to observe it for a few years now and have also had the chance to commute on a lot of different airlines over the years sitting in many jumpseats. This is also not my first airline by far, so I feel that I have a valid opinion on the topic.

The mindset is so different than all the other 121 cockpits that I've had a chance to ride in or operate in. Not all but a lot of rushing going on whether it's the taxi speed, cutting the taxi lines, and/or just the general pace of the cockpit.

I just jumpseated on us and had to sit up front. APPALLING. No other word for it. The airport was slogged down with Wx & delays and yet the crew demonstrated the patience of a two year old when they should have slowed down and been METHODICAL considering a busy airport at night with Wx, and a tired crew. Rush, rush, rush. They started taxiing with a different flap setting than what was in the FMC and as they were about to line up and wait, I had to point out that the programmed runway was different than the one they were about to depart on.

Is it any wonder why we have all of these incidents/accidents so frequently? A decades old culture of a fast-paced operation coupled with a very large percentage of pilots that are on their first 121 rodeo and just don't know any better how a "normal" airline cockpit should be run.

Before you attack me, I'll state that I don't claim to know it all or be God's gift to aviation but I've been around the block enough to know that flt ops and the cockpit culture at SWA is royally effed up. The monthly incidents, near CFITs (RNO, HOU, LGA), and constant "fender benders" (let's not even mention the near disaster go-around in BWI), are proof that things need to get fixed in a big way. Hell, the company even realizes it now. They just poured eight million dollars into the one day "Ops Day" for all pilots because they realize that things need to change especially now that we're flying into more and more inhospitable terrain before there's a hull loss.

Originally Posted by WHACKMASTER

Not publicly. Check your PMs.

Originally Posted by Beaver Hunter

I have flown the 727, 737, 747, and the 777. Don't recall ever having to slip one in.
It's all about energy management and planning ahead��. Did I mention we are paid by the minute. What's all the rush about?

Originally Posted by Beaver Hunter

I must agree with the bad handling at SW. I never thought to slip a 737. But now I know it can be done. Thanks SW��

Originally Posted by mike734

I sat in a SW Jumpseat years ago and watched as the FO attempt a visual approach into RNO. We were hot and high so he call for Flaps 40° at 200 KIAS in a -700. The Captain said, "well, I don't think you'll get them but here you go." Of course they didn't deploy because of blow back so he used full rudder, full opposite aileron, and full speed brake to slip the jet.

As we sank like a rock I contemplated how I was going to prevent the impending crash. As we got back on glide slope, he straighten out and we crossed the threshold on GS at about +5. It worked! But it was sooo ugly. The jet bucked, shook and rattled. It was falling rather than flying. They were quite proud of themselves afterwards.

I won't even get into the part where they didn't use the auto throttles (not allowed) and how we got the buffet alert and over speed clacker several times over the Sierras. All the while they were having a farting contest. It was quite a flight.