SWA & FAA, too cozy ?

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Quote: Here's my scenario...

Mr. FAA comes in as the PIO with no clue and says he needs to fully evaluate the new hire training procedures. He sits through the ground school and moves to the sim training. He has an FAA buddy sit in on the checkride and he passes.

Mr. FAA adds the 737 type to his ticket.


The media then blows this out of proportion to make it look like SWA was buying off Mr. FAA who just got a type benefiting himself. They then make up the $15,000 price tag to pile on recent negative press.

It is very important for Mr. FAA to have a working knowledge of the aircraft and the procedures. It is totally understandable for him to go through a new hire class to educate himself. The type rating benefits his ego, not SWA.

Yes ego. Mr. FAA has a cushy government job and is extremely unlikely to bail on that to persue an airline career with his 737 type rating.

Rant off...
Dont really know much about this other than what I have read on here but I tend to agree. Really not a big deal at all IMO. I dont really like the faa or when they jumpseat on my flights (never had a negative experience, just dont like it) but like I said, not a big deal at all. The "media" is a freekin joke.
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Quote: A personal statement, maybe too harsh, I don't know.
Ok, it's just that I would have been surprised it was from a news article,that's all.
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You need people not only typed but also VERY familiar with the way a specific company operates their airplanes and how their airplanes are configured.

Long ago, when I got my FE ticket, I was schooled on on Delta procedures and the inspector had worked with Eastern. Their electrical systems were configured differently and until I showed him the manual in answer to one of his questions, he had said I was wrong and I had failed the oral.

Recently, an FAA guy rode jumpseat with a check-airman I know at airline X. The crew used a proscribed procedure to navigate to the final course in an ILS. The FAA inspector said, "Glad you didn't use LNAV to do that or I would have busted you."

First, the 'bust' attitude shows the type guy on the jumpseat and second, using LNAV to intercept the final approach course is not only acceptable, it is the preferred method.

This is just more of the residual Oberstar circus a few weeks ago. Election year antics. Little more...
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It seems to me that some in the media have an anti-Southwest bias just like some have an anti-Walmart bias. No matter what happens, some people are just not going to like Southwest or Walmart. I don't know what it would take to change their minds, because I think some have closed off their minds about a company that they naturally go negative on it. It doesn't seem to matter about facts or context... it is negative bias.

As always, if it's not a rumor or in the USAToday, a pilot doesn't know about it.
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