Well Tokunbo, I guess you really liked the guy eh
I never met 'the ebullient gentleman', but I've heard all the stories about him. I expect that's why he was called 'The Lip'. If the rumours are true he doesn't seem to have done himself or Caverton any favours during his brief sojourn in Africa. The rumour I hear is that the reason not much was set up is that while he was on their payroll waiting to go to Nigeria he was busy doing a lot of freelance flying in Europe.
It's also now rumoured that after all the big 'oggas' from CHC visited ACN they're getting up to 6 new helicopters next year - Dauphin N3s and S76C+s. It's nice to see some newer machinery going to Nigeria, but I'm sure the big problem is going to be finding enough people to fly and maintain them properly.
Lagos is experiencing its biggest upsurge in helicopter activity in a few years with ACN operating S76s, Bristow operating S76s and Super Pumas (and Caverton occasionally taking to the skies in their 109).
There's a good market in Nigeria and lots of jobs available as long as enough people can be found who'll put up with the working and living conditions - the next NLC strike is now scheduled to be in 2 weeks and if it goes ahead there will surely be lots of misery in the run-up to Christmas
Schreiner are rumoured to have now got the contract for Dauphin N2s in Sudan, and that will also lead to more jobs as the adverts in Wynwith testify. Maybe at last a few of the younger and lower hours pilots will be given the chance to make a start - not holding my breath though!