Southwest Advise

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dsyborn2fly

New Member
I wanted to see if anyone had any advise as far as a route to Southwest Airlines. I am preparing for an interview with Express Jet and live in Vegas. Scenic Air flies out of North Las Vegas and ugrade time to Capt is 6-9 months with a 1 year Capt contract. Express Jet's upgrade time is looking at 3-4 years currently. Southwest requires 1000 Turbine PIC to apply. Does Southwest prefer that there pilots have jet time to prop? Is there even a better way of entering? I appreciate any advise or words of wisdom.
 
Well, I'm no expert but it sounds like Scenic would keep you in LAS, if that's where you want to be. Plus, the PIC time would come sooner. On the other hand, maybe XJT will offer you a job and Scenic won't. Not much of a choice if it happens that way.

I have a friend who is a check airman on the RJ at Mesa. He just paid for a 737 type rating and seems to think that most of the guys who did their type at that place (not sure of the name) could get an interview.

So...get your 1000 PIC turbine ASAP and then go get the type.
 
Hey,

If you have a current "flying job" you should be good. my buddy just interviewed with express jet and was turned down cause he didn't have a current flying job even tho he flies a couple times a week...... good luck. like they got him all the way to the interview and then told him that when he got there........pretty stupid


good luck
 
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I wanted to see if anyone had any advi[c]e as far as a route to Southwest Airlines.

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Sign up for TAKEOFF: Southwest Airlines Pilot Mentor Program. For information, contact Takeoff@wnco.com
 
Ditto the above. If it were me, I'd try to get with Scenic. SWA looks at the PIC turbine more than just the turbine time. My goal is to get back to SWA as quickly as possible. I spent 2 1/2 years there as a ramper, and it's by far one of the best companies I've worked for. The mentor pilot is good, and I met a LOT of guys in MCO that are happy to help up-and-comers. Another thing to think about is maybe a Caravan gig. It's single engine, but it's still PIC turbine. I know of at least two FOs that went from Mountain Air to SWA that way.
 
1000 turbine PIC ain't gonna cut it. More like 1500-2000 TPIC AND some kind of "leadership" position, like check airman, or maybe instructor of some sort.
 
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1000 turbine PIC ain't gonna cut it. More like 1500-2000 TPIC AND some kind of "leadership" position, like check airman, or maybe instructor of some sort.

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Most of the guys I know were instructors at some point, but very few were check airmen. Plus, there's a lot of ex-Mesa people at SWA now. I doubt any of them were check airmen.
 
Also check out Ameriflight.Upgrades to turbine equipment is around 6 months and they have an outstation in Vegas.
 
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I wanted to see if anyone had any advise as far as a route to Southwest Airlines. I am preparing for an interview with Express Jet and live in Vegas. Scenic Air flies out of North Las Vegas and ugrade time to Capt is 6-9 months with a 1 year Capt contract. Express Jet's upgrade time is looking at 3-4 years currently. Southwest requires 1000 Turbine PIC to apply. Does Southwest prefer that there pilots have jet time to prop? Is there even a better way of entering? I appreciate any advise or words of wisdom.

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My advice is to focus on the choices you have in front of you now, rather than a choice that may (or may not) be in front of you at some point in the nebulous future. You have the choice of becoming a pilot for Continental Express Airlines or Scenic Airlines. Which one will make you happier if it turns out to be the place you retire from?
 
Be careful about the aircraft not weighing more than 20,000lbs MTOW. I keep reading about airlines getting more and mroe strict about you getting your PIC turbine time in something that weighs less.
 
Second what mrivc211 said and will also add that a lot of airlines would definitely prefer jet time and glass time on the resume. It may not be a necessity now but the competition two or three years from now (the earliest you might be able to apply to SWA) will have that experience on their resume. Also consider where you will be happier long term. You have to consider that you might not get hired as soon as you reach 1000 turbine PIC (which is probably the case realistically). If it were me, I'd rather be at ExpressJet flying a jet around the US, Canada, and Mexico than a turbo prop making short runs around the southwest but that's a personal preference and different for everyone. I feel that experience will open up more options down the road. It's difficult to be picky in this career. Also, how old are you? Slow down, enjoy what you are doing at the momment and don't be in such a hurry to get to the next step...it'll come when it comes. Trust me you'll be a lot happier if you approach this career that way. Above all else, good luck with both interviews. The good news is that either option is a potentially good one. I think XJT will impress you while you're in Houston. PM me if you have any questions and I'll atleast share my experiences as a XJT FO so far.
 
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Be careful about the aircraft not weighing more than 20,000lbs MTOW. I keep reading about airlines getting more and mroe strict about you getting your PIC turbine time in something that weighs less.

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Where have you heard this?

I find it weird that you say this when JetBlue requires at least 1000 hours in an aircraft weighing at least 20,000 lbs at MTOW. So why would others want smaller aircraft time?

Only reasons I can think of is some may not have autopilot, and less automation, which requires you to basically just fly.
 
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Be careful about the aircraft not weighing more than 20,000lbs MTOW. I keep reading about airlines getting more and mroe strict about you getting your PIC turbine time in something that weighs less.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where have you heard this?

I find it weird that you say this when JetBlue requires at least 1000 hours in an aircraft weighing at least 20,000 lbs at MTOW. So why would others want smaller aircraft time?

Only reasons I can think of is some may not have autopilot, and less automation, which requires you to basically just fly.

[/ QUOTE ]I think that's what he meant --- that airlines want to see time in heavier (not lighter) aircraft.
 
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I think that's what he meant --- that airlines want to see time in heavier (not lighter) aircraft.

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Just wondering where else you can get Turbine PIC time(MTOW 20,000lbs or more)?


Adreamer
 
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Just wondering where else you can get Turbine PIC time(MTOW 20,000lbs or more)?

[/ QUOTE ]Most (if not all) commercial jets and several of the larger turboprops are over 20,000 lbs. MTOW.
 
I meant beside being FO at regional wait for about 3 ~ 4 years upgrade time. Where else you can get PIC turbine time with 20000 MTOW aircrafts?


adreamer
 
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I meant beside being FO at regional wait for about 3 ~ 4 years upgrade time. Where else you can get PIC turbine time with 20000 MTOW aircrafts?


adreamer

[/ QUOTE ]My bad. That's a good question. I can't really think of a quicker way to large turbine a/c PIC. Unless, of course, you can afford to buy a 747.
grin.gif
 
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Be careful about the aircraft not weighing more than 20,000lbs MTOW. I keep reading about airlines getting more and more strict about you getting your PIC turbine time in something that weighs less.

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At present, SWA does not impose a weight limit for the turbine PIC time. (If they did, would that disqualify a great many military fighter pilots? What are the weights in those planes anyway?)

I know a SWA captain who was hired with all 1,000 PIC turbine logged in a Caravan flying skydivers. Of course at the time they were hired they were flying the Jetstream for Eagle, (but not as a captain) and had logged all their PIC time prior to going into a 121 operation.
 
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I meant beside being FO at regional wait for about 3 ~ 4 years upgrade time. Where else you can get PIC turbine time with 20000 MTOW aircrafts?


adreamer

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Many ways. Brasillia, Saab etc. Airlines that operate these aircraft usually don't have 3 or 4 year upgrades (Skywest for example). Many other options include most business jets. The Lear 55 I fly weighs 21,500 lbs. Most midsize or larger business jets weigh well over 20Klbs.
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(If they did, would that disqualify a great many military fighter pilots? What are the weights in those planes anyway?)

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MikeD, correct me if I'm wrong; Most, if not all, military fighters weigh well over 20K lbs.
 
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