Life working for the North Sea offshore operators.

[Zero G]

Hi All,

Can any one give me a insight as to what life is like working for the three main offshore operators in the UK. For example, which of the three is the best to work for, typical roster's, holidays, co-pilots and captins pay, benifits, shift hours, and any other infomation would be a great help.

Many thanks,
Zero G.

[Brom]

No doubt about the worst...CHC.

[Hoppit]

No doubt about the worst...CHC


Very much seconded!

[Lplates]

Well there's only one operator currently expanding! Considering their very sad begining to the year speaks volumes I think.

I hear they have a good roster, something like 7752 and pay well....

[HeliComparator]

Well there's only one operator currently expanding!
True, but they are expanding because they are the cheapest (and oil companies like "cheap"). Consequently their pay is the lowest of the 3 (though still not bad). Ex-military people like it there because they feel at home! nuff said?

Much as we pilots all hate "the management" on principal (only joking JC/RB/BC!), Bristow is the company I would most want to work for at the moment. Not disintegrating like CHC and not trying to emulate Ryanair like Bond. Pity we are not recruiting at the moment (maybe next year?)

HC

[helimutt]

You want an insight? Are you already qualified? If not, save your money and become a vet or something.

crap rosters. pay going backwards. no final salary anymore. commercial depts seemingly unable to win contracts, probably due to the fact another operator is undercutting with stupid rates. They do pay less though.

[Heliringer]

Ivor the driver,

The sad fact is Bond could offer a starting salary of half that for a low time FO and would still receive bucket loads of applications. There are even people who would do it for "Work Experience" I bet:ugh:

Sad but true at the moment

[Sweet Potatos]

Pretty mad these days when a "Professional Qualification" such as CPL doesn't get you even close to a job ... whats that about? No wonder there are so many desperate kids out there willing to work for nothing after paying out a fortune!!

Could you imagine going to a doctors surgery to see a doc who was working for free ... lol. Well sir, you haven't fixed 300 broken legs and where's your Keyhole surgery rating? Can't work in a hospital until you've worked on at least 100 pulmonary embolisms as SIC (Surgeon In Command) and have a consultants rating too.

It's all a bit twisted!!

p.s Sorry for the hijack, but I think it prob highlights the reason terms and conditions are stalled and everyone is still on the same wage they were on in 90 something! :eek:

[Whirlygig]

I like your viewpoint Sweet potatos but, realistically, a doctor's qualification isn't the same. It take at least five years to train as a doctor whereas, training full time, a CPL could take a year, although it costs more.

However, the doctor's training programme will go through stages of mentoring which doesn't happen in this industry.

Cheers

Whirls

[chcoffshore]

Recent Bond F.O. job in Cork, starting salary £32,000. Hardly the best payer


Only a little less than CHC FO starter pay i think! But if you want to work in Aberdeen you have to take in account the price of housing etc which many new FO's have found out later. And if your a young chap/chapess then enjoy your flying before you think about the North Sea; easier said than done if you are trying to land your first job but its a big bad world out there. It can be very demanding at times but also very boring!

But if you are prepared to take a low wage just to land a job, then 6 - 12 months later you might live to regret it when you are still trying to pay off your huge training loans.

I would rate Bristows as the best employer thou! Wish i had gone there myself.:sad:

[floatsarmed]

A CPLH is a fine achievement but is really just a licence to learn the job. Doing a hundred and something hours in a robbie does not qualify anyone for a really well paid job.

The fact is that it takes years to get to point where you are going to be a really valuable asset to any serious helicopter operator and it can be a long, hard, expensive and frustrating road to get to a point where you can earn a decent living.

If you are starting out you better be prepared for a long haul and be really focused on why you want to do it. You may feel like this on many occasions.....:ugh:

It can be a great career but after a few years it is just a job and as such will have good and bad aspects, crap days and great days, good times and bad.

Unfortunately, flying helicopters can be a lot of fun and as such there will always be a large supply of wannabees who will give it a punt for a short time until the novelty wears off.

The trick is to stick with it and gravitate to what suits your lifestyle and makes you happy. :ok:

If I had to choose....Bristow.

[helimutt]

If I had a choice? Win on EuroMillions and off to an island in the Bahamas, and a hope I never saw a bloody helicopter again:ok:!

[DOUBLE BOGEY]

Yeah!! Win 200M on Lottery, buy CHC, spend rest of life torturing the management by:
changing their work patterns,
hacking bits off their salary,
raping their pension,
tut tut every time they need training,
fill their car park with biff spaces, then stick stickers on their cars when they park in them,

Oh and finally......................MAKE THE F****S REDUNDANT in reverse seniority order (whatever that means).

BITTER & TWISTED DB OUT!!!

[Brom]

DB, have you given up on, '...send them all on a management course?':E

[DOUBLE BOGEY]

BROM, Oh yeah, I forgot that One thanks for reminding me.

[christianty11]

Hi to all,

i am new here in the Forum. Currently i am an A109, Jet Ranger and RH 44 Driver in Germany with about 1600h TT. Holding the JAR CHPL without IFR.
So in the Future i will get an entry in the Offshore branch in Europe.
Netherland-Den Helder/De Kooy Denmark or Norway. So for that i am looking for some guys who can tell me some more infos about the job, the companys like CHC and Bristow and certainly the IRF Education.

Gladly via Email contact, so please let me know if here is somebody who is a Driver in the Northsea area and is disposed to give me more details.

First of all a Question to all: Do you mean it is an good idea to change in that branch? Not only for the money you can earn.
Is it possible to get a job without the IFR?

Thanx for help

[christianty11]

Hey Vital Actions,

thanx so much for the quick answer. Good infos and i will check the internetside.
One more question for the IR Course. Do you know a school which educate on A109? JAR conform. Or is it not important if the IR JAA or JAR is?
In the past i searched the forum more hours but i have some special questions for which i didn´t found an answer.
Thats the reason for the post.

What ever thank you for answer and effort!

[Zero G]

Tiger Helicopters (http://www.tigerhelicopters.co.uk/)do a IR course on the 109.

Cheers Zero G.

[christianty11]

Ok and now i am some steps further.
Will check the informations you gave.

Thanx for help

[Zero G]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the help from this thread.

Its nearly 5 months on from when i started this thread, I am now in the position to do an IR.

Are things looking any better for 2010, is anyone employing?

Cheers Zero G.

[hueyracer]

True, but they are expanding because they are the cheapest (and oil companies like "cheap"). Consequently their pay is the lowest of the 3 (though still not bad). Ex-military people like it there because they feel at home! nuff said?

Okay then-where do i have to sign?
I am serious about that.......

[TipCap]

Good thread guys. Having worked for 2 of the major N.Sea Operators, they both have there pluses and minuses. Thankfully, I am now out of the scene enjoying a busy retirement.

One thing that is common between the Companies is the guys. It was a pleasure to work with such professional pilots. Thanks.......

Watching the rotary world go by with interest from sleepy Wales :ok: