Gulf Helicopters Doha, Qatar

[407TX]

:confused::confused:Does anybody has any reliable information about this company, I am a pilot with over 13K and I am interested on their ops. Thanks.

[The Hook Hacker]

707, mate have a session on the pprune search engine, there is lots of previous on this subject try flying in the midleeast forum and others similar.

Personnal note, visit the place first hand and speak to a current employee.

[paco]

The fact that there is a website called QATARSUCKS | and the world needs to know... (http://www.qatarsucks.com) should speak volumes.

Phil

[Longdog]

I worked there for about 5 years a few years back.
They are no worse, and no better than any other company in the ME/ Africa.
Inflation seems to be a big problem over there now, which will eat into your income, so a decent wage may become tighter thethan first thought.
Wx is mostly VMC, but heat haze is prevalent for all summer and reduces vis. at times to 1/2 mile.
People are generally friendly, but the locals can appear abit arrogant, and the local pilots, well, what I would like to say and what I can say are pretty far apart.
All in all, you can enjoy yourself for a couple of years, and then plan to move on.

Cheers

[scottishterrier]

GHC are advertising for helicopter crews both Co- Pilots and Captains.

Being unable to meet their needs for planned foreign contracts and home positions. The hemorrhage of crews from Doha is perhaps an indication of something else.

:hmm:

[spinwing]

Mmmmm ....

And it is a problem that not only exhists in Doha..... but also further down the gulf as well !!!!!


:E

[tu154]

However....there are some people who will look at the advert and say, well hang on, I meet the minima, would it be a good/reasonable start?
Would it?
I have read through the entire thread on the Gulf, but not much has been added on GHC recently

[Bop]

What's the going rate for a Coey / Captain with Gulf these days? Anyone want to share life as an expat in this region with family towing along - Good and Bad?

Cheers

Bop

[120torque]

"ICAO or equivalent CPL(H) with IR, Class 1 Medical, Min 500 Hours."

500hrs TT. Don't think so. Have an email from the CP (Late 2007) stating 500hrs is not the minimum (even though the website mentions it) - 1000hrs is!!!

[scottishterrier]

How it has worked previously is by recommendation, If you know someone..............

There are advantages and disadvantages.

There is the basis for a great operation........... But ?

There is of course the fact that they are desperately in need of crews. which means accepting reduced standards ...........so make the call !

The fleet in Qatar is slowly moving or intention to change to 139s so there is the chance of a type rating on the latest "kit". Of course the training will be done in house so a three year bond for a
couple of hours on the AC and some systems review. Aint gonna cut it elswhere.

You makes your choice and takes your chances.

Its a big world out there.

[S.M.S]

The fact that there is a website called QATARSUCKS | and the world needs to know... (http://www.qatarsucks.com/) should speak volumes.


THIS SITE IS SUCKS

[Troglodita]

Why speculate with people who haven't been there for eons (including me)

Give Fred Layton (Lord Lucan) or John Toon a bell and ask!

All Companies are slaves to supply & demand but I can honestly say that during my 10 years with Gulf (91 - 01) we were as good as and as bad as anyone else including Bristow & CHC. We were without a shadow of a doubt better than ADA or Aerogulf in that we really did care about people! Cal sent many "Firees" our way after BS ADA exoduses. We took contracts away from both Chc & Bristow at higher rates!


Ask to speak to Duleep Nachia who has been there since the early eighties!

Doha is not the centre of the Universe but has been the starting and ending point for many young and old guys in what we (possibly mistakenly) call a career.

Trog

[Longdog]

Totally agree Trog,
I was one of the firees from ADA, and felt that although they had their faults, they did treat us abit more like human beings than ADA.
We must have crossed paths Trog, I was there 97-2002, and am considering a repeat.

GWK

[Foggy Bottom]

Was Duleep the guy that got kidnapped in Yemen? and then returned because "no one will pay ransom for an Indian?" LOL

It it is the guy that I met, he is a pretty good person.

[darrelsdregs]

I have filled out there application form on there website and although I have all there requirement the reply say that I must wait 2 months for reply. I expect they have quite some number of apllication from Eket now and if they accept many of us Bristow will have real problem. Trog, you say they are not bad peoples? You think is better than Eket? I want to stay somewhere for 5 years minimum for stability for my family. I have asked about married accompany there. Is houses good there? Can you walk or drive out freely, not to be imprison all the time like here?

[Troglodita]

Foggy,

That was Ashok Tamhane - the failed hostage!

His problem was that his passengers were Somali labourers rather than the Westerners that George Hawkins had with him when he was kidnapped a couple of months previously. After a couple of days of the "hostages" eating them out of house and home and nobody bothering to reply to their demands, they told Ashok to just F off - we were very surprised when he just reappeared in Sanaa!
George has a wonderful story which cut very short was that his captors were whiling away their time in the normal Yemeni way - shooting at target rocks. George whilst tied up (he is coincidentally a wizard with most weapons) was guffawing and taking the piss out of them.
Upshot was that they untied him - passed him an AK with a full clip and told him to do better! He says he contemplated trying to take them out but realised that he may get a couple only before he became full of lead and Jambias! He proceeded to show them what he could do.
They declared him an honorary villager on the spot and invited several neighbouring villages to a shooting competition which they won outright thanks to their new member.
They proceeded to untie the rest of the hostages and treated them as "honoured guests" for the few days till the ransom was paid!

Dear Dreg,

Look at the Gulf Helis website (which incidentally hasn't really been updated since Jennifer Gomez left for Kiwi Land in 2000 - that is a bit worrying!) for pictures and plans of the housing etc.
You can't compare anywhere that I know to what you guys put up with in the way of isolation at Darrels - but reality is that nothing will happen till a bunch of you vote with your feet at the same time.
I am certainly not advocating Gulf Helis as the place to be - my point was ask people who are there now rather than relying on old hearsay! Also note the comments about the cost of living in Doha these days. Friends still in the area reckon it is worse than Dubai!

BUT - it is safe and you don't need an armed convoy to go to work!

[scottishterrier]

Im sorry fellas, but all you "have beens" who have great memories of your time with gulf I'm sure would be dissappointed with todays shenanigans.

The Thread "Flying the Persian Gulf " tells another story of more recent goings on.

The recent advert for crew belies the true story. :=

The inner politics is frightening and shamefull. As old stumpy tries to defend his position his true character shines through. The machinations of the first floor is hysterical.

ST

[scottishterrier]

Trog,

Wasn't Lord Lucan the aristocrat who did a dissapearing act after the death of his childrens nanny ?

Explain Please !

[Troglodita]

Yes spot on!

This was NEO's (of "What's new in West Africa" forum fame) nickname for Fred after he disappeared from Nigeria at the time of the USA SEC investigating allegations of bribes being paid by various Managers in Nigeria over many years (Shock Horror I hear everyone cry!) Another example of Uncle Sam flexing muscles which could possibly receive adequate exercise in his own back yard. Nothing malicious in the nickname - in fact quite apt! (No bodies involved as with the real Lord "Lucky" Lucan)

Incumbent Management at the time were obvious targets and we now all have to take a COBI (Code of Business Integrity) test. There is no truth in the rumour that everyone just dashes the Tea Boy a few Nairas and he will take the computer test for you :=

COBI often makes life rather difficult in a Culture built on graft but surprisingly, it seems to be working although is open to abuse with potential malicious false allegations always a threat.

Sorry to hear GHC going down the tubes!

Trog

[scottishterrier]

Going down the tubes is one thing, it is not !

The amount of business now is obviously fantastic.

The operational part of the company is stretched in the extreme. Morale is at rock bottom in the flight department. Of course at this time of year the tempers are easily frayed as the temperature and humidity rises.

The faces that are being drafted into the seat of 412's are those not normally seen in such a lowly and dowdy aircraft. And then there is the sole 139, whos jockey's, will once typed, will only seldom be found "at the coal face". The challenges of operating Cat 'A' machinery is well beyond the scope for now and until a higher authority equips them with some more plagiarised SOP's and maybe even MEL's. It also maybe that the until the good people from "Kintore Aviation" have had their palms crossed with the needful, will the additions to the book then be installed. Until then blindly going where few men have dared to go.

[Troglodita]

Terrier?

Pray expand - not PDG surely?

who is involved/

Trog

[alouette]

The mere mention of that COBI thingy causes many eyebrows to rise in disbelief... Well, at least the teaboy then knows his way around the computer:E

[scottishterrier]

K A is a little outfit in NE producing AOC paperwork for those beyond the hope of producing there own. Owned by a CHC captain with a nice little sideline. Even paperwork in ME has a hint of " fit like ma loon "

Stick.............. and wrong end there of

COBI, ...................Im still a card carrying member and occasionally have a little look at the little handbook, for pure entertainment of course...........

[S.M.S]

Gulf Helicopters in service centre deal with AgustaWestlandhttp://www.gulf-times.com/site/images/spacer.gif Published: Thursday, 17 July, 2008, 01:52 AM Doha TimeDOHA: Gulf Helicopters (GHC), a 100% subsidiary of Gulf International Services, has signed an agreement with AgustaWestland to act as an authorised service centre for the latter in the Middle East region.
“Gulf Helicopters will be one of the first companies in the Middle East region to enter into an agreement with AgustaWestland for taking up the service and maintenance of AgustaWestland manufactured aircrafts for the whole of Middle East market,” according to a news item posted on the Doha Securities Market website.
AgustaWestland helicopters are poised to dominate the Middle East Market in the years to come, a GIS spokesman said.
GHC currently owns 26 helicopters: 16 Bell 412 class helicopters, six Bell 212 class helicopters, one Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, one Bell 230 helicopter, one Bell 206B helicopter and one AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter, according to the IPO prospectus of GIS.
“GHC is in the process of developing a five-year business plan, setting out revenue targets and benchmarking the company’s future growth,” the prospectus said.
GHC was looking to increase the size and diversity of its fleet as well as to operate as a repair station, with ratings for limited airframe, limited engine, limited emergency equipment and limited access (enabling it to maintain other operators’ aircraft), the prospectus had said.
GHC was incorporated in In 1970 as a subsidiary of British Overseas Airways Corporation, operating with a fleet of two helicopters.
It was subsequently acquired by Gulf Air, which, in turn, sold GHC to Qatar Petroleum in 1998.
GIS yesterday lost 1.72% to QR45.70 on a volume of 448,521 shares from 585 transactions.http://www.gulf-times.com/site/images/spacer.gif

:eek::eek:

[scottishterrier]

Service centres dont require much to achieve. Case in point, how many bell service centres are there and what are the capabilities ?
Some are minimal at best.

Being a service centre is no great boost to current situation. A company maintaing such an alledged number of airframes must have significant capabilities if they were not exagerated.

[shilka]

Not sure if anyone from the so called "management" has least idea of how to run a professional set up .I Worked there for a few years and quit in utter frustration like many others . Operations - -- are run like its a company of trucks and trailers .Even there things are better planned. Engg. --- Company decides to hire the cheap and no good Egyptian lot. Do Not get me wrong . There is nothing against nationalities as may be deciphered by few . But the ones hired are definitely not the capable lot. Admin.-The less said the better. With total monopoly in Qatar , GHC management does not care about what clients think of the services provided. Slowly standard of pilots is also going the company way . Some good ones are still there just because they are Married Accompanied. Its a sad story - The way the company has gone after the new management took over , post Mike Evans and Steve Kirkland. From what I hear Morale of employees is all time rock bottom... But who cares?? As long as flights take off and money pours in . ...

[Troglodita]

Shilka,

Just during and after the first Gulf War, GHC had 4 x 212's working for QGPC and had just won a contract with Yemen Hunt with 1 x 212 in Hodeidah and 1 in Sanaa. They did a short term Seismic contract in Ar Rubh al Khali (the empty quarter - in this case Saudi) which was by their own admission a steep learning curve.

Over the next 10 years due to the amazing and sometimes bewildering (personal opinion although I respect and love the Man dearly) leadership of Mike Evans with Dennis Laird & Graham Caven, Julie in Oman, Ashok & Bob Hall in Yemen, Duleep Nachia and his choices of Managers in India (he was a King maker and never wanted to be King), Mohamed Bagheer in Iran and on the Engineering side, Paul Giles and Dave Uden well backed by guys like Nigel Hammond and Julian Hillman, the Company grew & grew and was without a shadow of a doubt - the best prospect in the Middle East. By 2000 the Company had had Operations apart from Qatar in India, Iran, Sudan, Oman, Ethiopia & Yemen, Steve Kirkland carried on the good works until the BS became too much and now we have what we have.

What will it take to make GHC the Company it is capable of being once again?

Trog

[arunsamtani]

that was an interesting bit about ashok tamhane. we had heard a totally different story. so you mean to say even the yemeis realised that he was not worthy of detention.

[Miles Gustaph]

I was looking at GHC but FBH/Bristows Dubai have made me an offer, anyone got any idea what the operation there is like, the package seems to be better than ADA and GHC's

[Troglodita]

that was an interesting bit about ashok tamhane. we had heard a totally different story. so you mean to say even the yemeis realised that he was not worthy of detention.


If the Yemenis had known how much Ashok was probably worth, they'd have held on to him!

He had more sidelines going than anyone! We used to call it "Ashok Industries" in Mumbai! Tata watch your six o' clock!

He was only safe because of his "cheap labour" pax


Trog

[scottishterrier]

Someone told me recently it is a fatal error to apply western values or ideals to a middle eastern company..................I thought about that for a little while and conceded that he was right.

Gulf helicopters have been on the go for a long time now, and to change things that actually function in the way that they do now, just isnt gonna happen. The functionaries who are in the positions to make improvements are ill equipped to do so. Little if any experience outside the military or the middle east and a very comfortable seat on the gravy train is not the best motivation to make the whole outfit better.

The introduction of the new aircraft is going to be a real challenge and I believe it will expose a number of individuals as wanting in certain areas of there position.
The QCAA attempts to operate under JAA rules, but will deviate or look the other way when it suits.

I see no outlook of improvement in the short term.

[McRotor]

Hey gents, been offered a job at Gulf in Doha as a touring pilot....however, their HR doesn't provide much info on operations or what to expect on the line. I've read through the Gulf threads, so I'm aware of the many perspectives on the company......however, much of the info is outdated.....or is it :)

Appreciate any current info on operations/work schedule, a/c maintenace, life in the villa/life in Doha and flight arrangements/flexibility for touring pilots.

PM me if preferred.

Cheers