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.

You're doing everything right. Keep applying, keep working on that degree, and don't put all your eggs into the SWA basket. But as others have eluded to, 2900 hours is not a lot of time. So just be patient and realistic about your qualifications and experience. You'll likely need a year as 121 PIC under your belt to make up for your below average TT. I was hired with close to 10000 hours, for perspective. Also, SWA does not have an HR department. Be sure to refer to it as the People Department moving forward to show a better understanding of the company you're trying to become a part of.

Good luck!

I agree with most of what has already been said. 2900TT at 27 is more TT than I had at his age so that’s a great start. 2900TT is still not near enough to get hired by any of the Big 4 Airlines. Like Whack already said, please consider all of your options (UA, AA, DL, WN) probably in that order just based on the retirements at those top 3 carriers alone. Seniority is everything in this business and WN as a whole is a much younger Pilot group compared to the Legacies. Choose wisely, and good luck to you.

Fly as much as you can but , even more importantly, diversify your resume. SkyWest has a lot of opportunities whether it’s joining the recruiting team or check airman after you’re a captain,
Be involved, be different .

VOLUNTEER!!! Not just at Skywest or the local airport. SWA people truly have a Servants Heart, Warrior Spirit, and a Fun Luving Attitude! If this is the first time you are hearing these things I suggest you google it. Food banks, Childrens Hospital, Habitat for Humanity....take you pick but your volunteer section of your resume should be the most impressive to get SWA’s attention! Good luck and don’t forget to look around and enjoy the view today, you’ll look back on these days with fond memories!

That's impressive, you have got a lot of experience. 7 years regional pilot is about the time be upgraded to captain and check airman.

Do you think it's okay with some check ride failures?

sorry, Army.
you reminded me one of my friends, he applied to the big airline, the HR told him, well, you are wearing the wrong tie. So he did not get hired. I don't know if some airlines are so picky for even a tie color to wear for the interview.

Well, the reason I said 2900 tt is a lot because I'm comparing myself to my friends in regional airlines (we are at the same age). We all graduated at the same time and they have fewer hours than me. Also, I'm the younger King Air pilot in the company here. most of them above 50 years old. I know I need more and more hours to go to Southwest, as I said, I'm going to Skywest as FO next year. So I'm not ready to go to Southwest now.

Of course I'm not applying to Southwest now, as I said, I'm going to Skywest Airlines next year. My plan is to fly with them until I'm a captain and be a check airman if I can.

That's the plan ;)

Volunteering was not in my plan actually. I really did not think about it. Thanks:)

Smooth at FL450, Thank you for the advice. how many check ride failures makes it hard to get into SW?

This is starting to feel like a troll job.

I will take a stab at the check-ride failure question. First off, you should be able to explain the circumstances for each one without being defensive. Also the learning experience from that event. Airlines look closer at 121/135 checkride failures as opposed to those during initial flight training. I would venture to say there is no set number that would knock you out, however if you have a history of them in the airline world then it will be an uphill battle. But for sure, if you can't talk about them or you try to blame someone else for the outcome you will not be favorably considered. Best of luck.

How many do you have?

Sadly 4. But nothing 121 or 135.

What was failed?

Whoa... https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0f250513d2.jpg


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PPL, I was young and nervous. IR flight, CFI initial. then multi ad on.

Shouldn’t be a problem...once SWA exhausts their supply of applicants with three or less failures... :p

Depending, of course, on how you do when you actually do get a 121 training event...

The private isn’t a big deal. The rest need an explanation. For me, it’s a red flag.

Maybe trolling? Could be. I’m out.

4 is a lot. It’s a good thing you’re not applying any time soon.

And because you don’t really have a 121/135 history; saying “none” for 121 or 135 is not much help.

To fail a multi add on.... I smell some troll