Nah, JB has plenty of those in MCO :D

How are you guys doing with the GTF engine issues on that thing? How much of the fleet is grounded and for how long?

That’s above my level. From investor relations grounded Aircraft (A320/220) will be mid to high teens in 2025. Taking 20 A220 in 2025 and 17 in 2026.

Here’s what went down.

About 2 weeks ago—-

The SW Flight Operations Flight Instructor job came across my indeed feed email. So I figured what the heck and applied. Within an hour I received an email from Southwest Airlines wanting an official application on their site-which I immediately filled out.

The next morning I get an invitation to schedule a MS Teams meeting with ( I’ll use his initials here “IR”), so I picked a day and time and submitted it, to which I got a confirmation email with the date and time I had picked.

I scheduled that particular day off from my full time job and dug out on of my suits which I took to the cleaners so I’d be appropriately dressed for the event. Still had my well worn copy of “Nuts” and re-read it in preparation. Sought some advice from APC, one gentleman was nice enough to offer assistance, which I was grateful for.

I have to say I was pretty excited about the prospect of landing a spot there, as it had been my #1 pick for many years.

Tuesday, I’m at work and suddenly I get a call from a 214 area code and Southwest Airlines in the caller id. It was from a lady in HR informing me that all flight ops interviews had been cancelled because they were “re-evaluating” assets. She seemed nervous and like she couldn’t wait to get off the phone. I thanked her for the opportunity and for the call. Soon after I got a text from Southwest Airlines and an email pretty much restating what the HR lady had said.

Thats the details of what happened from start to finish-about 2 weeks in total.

It stung a bit, I’ll admit that.

But I’ve been around and it’s not the first sucker punch for me, just the first one from a place that I had considered to be the best place.

If you don't mind me asking, is your plan to become a SWA pilot, or just work for SWA? (day off from full time job =/= pilot to me).

Not at all.

Southwest isn’t hiring pilots right now, but I had heard that they hire and promote from within. If I had Been able to get in the door as a flight instructor, whenever they started hiring pilots again I might could have gotten a pilot slot.

Or

If the Flight Instructor job turned out to be a good thing with a good schedule then—-

Do Flight instructor and my other hustle at the same time.


Either would have been a win for me.

I intuit your meaning about day off from full time job. I’m not currently flying, but am over qualified to be there or anywhere else. Typed/2 Degrees/thousands of 121 tpic. I just recently regained my first class medical after 3 surgeries and a long 3 year battle with the FAA. So, there’s that.

Thanks for the full reply, more than I deserve. Had a family member spend quality time with the FAA over a medical, so understand that part.
Also your reasoning for being in with SWA makes sense. I am sure you know, but the only thing I would say is that recency would probably look good on your resume... Good luck!

Thank you Sir!

They still have the program where you can instruct for 2-3 years and then you flow over to the pilot side provided you have a medical, etc. Know a couple people that've done it.

Well, things always work out for the best!

God Bless