How to get into Southwest
 

Hello everyone, Southwest pilots

I need advice from you because I'm sure you guys are older than me and you been flying for a long time. Currently, I'm instructing in King Air C90GTI, a beautiful plane. Going to Skywest Airline next year. My background is not really impressing to let me go to Southwest. of course I'm working toward a college degree. I will finish my associate degree this December. I have CFI,CFII and MEI. I just need to know what else I need to do to make my resume more attractive to the HR people in Southwest. I did not fly for the army or US Air Force or anything.

Thank you guys.

Honestly that’s the $64,000 question.
I couldn’t get the time of day even with a 737 type rating.
Start building 121 jet time and keep applying every 6 months.
Make a list of your top 3 or better your top 6 and apply twice a year.

Skywest pilots seem to do well at SWA. So fly fly fly. Update your application twice a month. Fly more. Upgrade. Fly even more.

Finish up your degree while you're building time. Night school, correspondence, Engineering, basket weaving, German Polka, who cares. Just get a degree. Fly some more. Update the app twice a month. Keep trying to get to the SWA career expo. Fly some more. After you upgrade, invest in resume review and interview prep.

While you're doing this, learn about SWA values, embrace them, live them. So if (when) SWA calls your references, the words they use to describe you are congruent with SWA values.

It's not rocket surgery but it can take some time. The good news is that we're hiring now. So build those hours, aim at 1000/yr and see how close you can get.

Type rating... Meh. If you've already got a 4 year degree and everything else is sorted already, then maybe it could help. I know some people who have *everything* except hours, so they got the type rating to help communicate their intent to stay with SWA long-term. If that's you, then consider it.

"Fly some more" hahaha.. well, looks like I'm on the right track, maybe. I will be doing online classes after I finish my 2y aviation degree so I can be flying with skywest plus online classes while i'm on reserve. I do have a lot of hours. I'm 27 with TT 2900h.
Thanks again.

For me it was:

ATP multi
7 years regional 121
8 years corporate 91
Three PIC types including 737
8000 total time
1800 PIC Turbine
Director of various stuff in the department
CFI/CFII/MEI
Community volunteer work
Bachelors Degree

Etc.

Four years ago...

Well you capitalized US Air Force and not army, so that's a good start!

I kid, I kid.

Sorry to break it to you, but that's not a lot of hours. Double that and you'll start getting close. The times have been dropping, but not that long ago 10,000 hours was pretty average for a new hire.

2900 hours... a LOT OF HOURS!!!

https://i.ibb.co/YtvW8wW/C7-D09-FE8-...-D7-B11-E2.jpg

Easy. For 27 y/o he’s got a decent amount hours. Keep on keeping on man. That said, for the love that is all holy please don’t just apply to SWA.

Your degree is the most important piece of your resume right now. Get one, and ideally get a useful one.