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-   -   New hire study methods? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/southwest/140585-new-hire-study-methods.html)

Duke Beamer 12-03-2022 09:17 PM

You'll have 9 days in Dallas doing a lot of "indoc" type stuff. You'll have 2 instructors come by and give you a briefing on what to expect for your first big hurdle which is systems. Systems is a 4 day block with quite a bit of information thrown at you, followed by a few self study days, a 'Pre Oral" and then your actual Oral. That seems to be the most stressful period of training, everything else seems easier as you go along. They should send out material to new hire pilots before they show up for Day 1. I'd say taking a look at the systems material ahead of training makes the 4 days of Systems go a lot smoother.

CA1900 12-03-2022 10:41 PM


Originally Posted by ROFF (Post 3542855)
They will hold your hand.

suggest using other hand to hold your beer.

Exactly. :D

It's five weeks of training spread over eight weeks. Plenty of study time when you're there, truly.

Nordic 12-04-2022 02:10 PM

Thanks everyone. I'm excited to get started!

luv757 12-05-2022 09:42 AM

Welcome! I’ll echo the above responses, you’ll get all the material you need once you get to class so enjoy the next few weeks off! As far as when you get to class for the first 2 weeks don’t worry about airplane stuff, focus on the Indoc stuff and getting through that. When you are done with that and moving onto your fleet specific training don’t ram dump everything from indoc, it still applies! Second, obviously everyone learns differently but I’ve generally found that if you have a good grasp of flows (read the normals section as many times as needed!) everything else becomes much easier. If you know what you are looking for indication-wise the system makes more sense when you are discussing it with the technical instructor.

The instructors will go to the end of the earth for you but don’t expect to be spoon fed! Study and prepare for each session so if you don’t understand something you’re prepared with questions!

Genericaviation 12-06-2022 02:52 PM

Is the “737-700/800 Type rating prep” APP by Aircraft apps llc accurate as far as Southwest limitations/memory items go?

sampj1995 05-12-2023 07:02 PM


Originally Posted by Captain Jeff (Post 3542162)
I couldn't sit back and wait for them to "tell me what I need to know". Here is what I know. Systems training is really brief. I went through along time ago and it was 3 days. The oral was start at the top left of the overhead and tell me what this switch does. SW is not really into in-depth system knowledge. There is a 1600 page manual for everything on the ipad. (yes, really) The search feature doesn't work. If you can find a little flip book called "lights and switches" guide that is really the level of knowledge that is expected. The training is not hard, but SW does things differently, just to be different. Never ask "why". No one knows. It is is just "the way we do it."

So just the overhead panel? They didn't ask you anything on the rest of the panels? Also how did you utilize the "Light & switches guide", did you make flash cards out of it? Also other than the systems validation what would say was the next hardest part of the training? Any general tips for training would be appreciated!

sampj1995 05-12-2023 07:12 PM


Originally Posted by luv757 (Post 3544192)
Welcome! I’ll echo the above responses, you’ll get all the material you need once you get to class so enjoy the next few weeks off! As far as when you get to class for the first 2 weeks don’t worry about airplane stuff, focus on the Indoc stuff and getting through that. When you are done with that and moving onto your fleet specific training don’t ram dump everything from indoc, it still applies! Second, obviously everyone learns differently but I’ve generally found that if you have a good grasp of flows (read the normals section as many times as needed!) everything else becomes much easier. If you know what you are looking for indication-wise the system makes more sense when you are discussing it with the technical instructor.

The instructors will go to the end of the earth for you but don’t expect to be spoon fed! Study and prepare for each session so if you don’t understand something you’re prepared with questions!

I was wondering could you expand on the Indoc a little bit? Was there a written test at the end of it? How did you prepare for it?

tm602 05-14-2023 10:22 PM


Originally Posted by sampj1995 (Post 3635909)
I was wondering could you expand on the Indoc a little bit? Was there a written test at the end of it? How did you prepare for it?

Seriously, relax. This is my 3rd carrier and my 9th type school. They do things a little weird here but never have I seen any group of instructors and check airmen who are so committed to getting you through as I did here. They want you to succeed and this is a very low stress training event.
If you put forth any reasonable amount of effort, you'll be fine. Enjoy the cheap drinks and fried chicken at the Anatole. Use their instructional lingo, and talk to the class ahead of you at the hotel. SWA is definitely not a training mentality of trying to get rid of people. No tricks, no surprises. They just need to do a little better on days off during the event, you end up using those days off for OBS flights and that's a drag.
Welcome aboard, great people here.

realbarryb 05-16-2023 04:59 AM

Anybody know how far in advance of your class date they send training materials? Start date of late June and looking to get ahead of the curve a bit.

Grumpyaviator 05-16-2023 08:18 AM


Originally Posted by sampj1995 (Post 3635905)
So just the overhead panel? They didn't ask you anything on the rest of the panels? Also how did you utilize the "Light & switches guide", did you make flash cards out of it? Also other than the systems validation what would say was the next hardest part of the training? Any general tips for training would be appreciated!

They'll start with the overhead and go right down through the center console.

Here is the type-oral presentation. I memorized it for the oral. Hopefully the link works. This is three hours, but as you demonstrate your knowledge the FCP will move things along.

The oral was about an hour.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j9tt6xydb4...0Oral.m4a?dl=0


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