Eh, single pilot IFR - was that really legal?
Shell constantly talk about safety, but in reality don't give a damn. They won't operate the AB139 because it has no simulator, but are quite happy to operate helicopters with no TCAD/TCAS in an environment where there are now up to 30 helicopters flying every day without radar cover - even Pan African have TCAS or TCAD in their 206/407 now as I understand and CHC are fitting TCAD to all their helicopters. Caverton, naturally, have nothing - they even seem to have difficulty finding Zone North on the way to Owerri. Still, the fun level will only increase enormously when fixed wing aircraft also start operating from NAF in a few days. Just imagine 10 helicopters preparing to depart from NAF, 3 from Shell RA, 2 from Agip, Skyhawk training in the circuit, Navy going outbound via Samki at 500 feet, a Dash 8 taking off from runway 22 and Chanchangi inbound in a 737, with heavy rain and the usual 500 foot cloudbase in the morning (real VMC
). What jolly fun awaits one and all
The way things are going both Bristow and CHC will have to ask the oil companies they fly for if they can start operating single pilot soon as neither company seems to have enough pilots to crew the helicopters they have now. They also don't seem to have enough pilots to train any new crews which may arrive. maybe the situation is not helped by both companies having all their staff confined to camp at the moment because of the hijack threat in Port Harcourt (though it's noticeable that many people openly ignore the ban on leaving camps, especially by day). I think that pilots and engineers from both of the companies don't believe that the companies give a damn about their safety anyway when they move people into such dleightful areas of Port Harcourt as Woji Road and East West Road - both notorious areas for gangs of armed robbers for many years.
It's good to know that in the 21st century we all work for such caring, sharing professional employers who, just like their client oil companies always (talk about) safety first.
