GoKawiilFlight Attendant Training¶
Dallas LEAD Center is one of 13 facilities around the US where Southwest flight attendants complete training. In addition to learning the typical service you see in a cabin, they practice land and sea evacuation, emergency tool use, fire fighting, and self defense. They return annually for short, refresher training that is regularly updated to address real world trends.
In this sea evacuation area, a replica of a 100 pound raft inflates to half its normal height. The flight attendants are not required to be good swimmers. The life vest will do its job.
In this fire fighting area, we saw an oxygen hood demo and learned different methods of exinguishing fire. Flight attendants are taught to find the base of the fire.
These Vintage uniforms are among what must be thousands of pictures and momentos covering Southwest campus walls.
The pilot uniform shop. We later learned that sadly only 6% of Southwest pilots are women, which is in line with the industry as a whole. Southwest supports the Women in Aviation organization and would love to see that change.
Our tour guide Glenn introducing us to a mockup plane used for training
It’s not as easy as it looks. Tour participants volunteered to give the safety demonstration a try!
Flight attendants are required to demonstrate a mastery of emergency procedures and equipment.
Emergency door demo and evacuation slide