What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
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SASless,
I hear Fred is not living in VI, but in a quite modest flat in Ikeja somewhere.
Caverton have been very quiet recently and I haven't seen their 109 for over a week now. I did hear a rumour that they're close to signing a lease deal with Heliportugal for a Dauphin, presumably for the shuttle to VI. There still seems to be some construction work underway at their heliport site, though it looks a long way from completion yet.
Any news from Cameroon as to whether Schreiner/CHC are likely to renew their contract with Exxon for support of the pipeline/FSO operation? I hear that a lot of their pilots are spending part of their leave time in Sudan because CHC are having problems finding crew to go there (not helped by the fact that the Schreiner Libya operation is involved in this!).
I'm a bit busy at the moment. Let's hear more from African PPRuNers as to what happened in Escravos, the continuing exodus from ACN and Bristow, what's happening to the FW division of ACN.
I hear Fred is not living in VI, but in a quite modest flat in Ikeja somewhere.
Caverton have been very quiet recently and I haven't seen their 109 for over a week now. I did hear a rumour that they're close to signing a lease deal with Heliportugal for a Dauphin, presumably for the shuttle to VI. There still seems to be some construction work underway at their heliport site, though it looks a long way from completion yet.
Any news from Cameroon as to whether Schreiner/CHC are likely to renew their contract with Exxon for support of the pipeline/FSO operation? I hear that a lot of their pilots are spending part of their leave time in Sudan because CHC are having problems finding crew to go there (not helped by the fact that the Schreiner Libya operation is involved in this!).
I'm a bit busy at the moment. Let's hear more from African PPRuNers as to what happened in Escravos, the continuing exodus from ACN and Bristow, what's happening to the FW division of ACN.
Just read an e-mail about the Great Helicopter Bashing at Escravos by one who was present for the festivities. Makes for a really good story....glad to know it was someone else that got that pleasure.
Accounts of security guards removing their uniforms and taking to the bush....machete wielding locals looking for the people in charge....tear gas...gunshots....heck...it could have been New Little Siberia in a few weeks.
Accounts of security guards removing their uniforms and taking to the bush....machete wielding locals looking for the people in charge....tear gas...gunshots....heck...it could have been New Little Siberia in a few weeks.
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SASless,
I'd be interested in reading a more detailed account of what went on in Escravos if you (or the friend who e-mailed you) can post it. Especially if, as you say, it makes for a really good story. It sounds as if it must have been a really frightening experience for the people there. I hope nobody was hurt?
I'd be interested in reading a more detailed account of what went on in Escravos if you (or the friend who e-mailed you) can post it. Especially if, as you say, it makes for a really good story. It sounds as if it must have been a really frightening experience for the people there. I hope nobody was hurt?
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Attack on PAA Base In Nigeria
Mama Mangrove ... here is the latest news for you from Helismoke... (they are damn lucky. God Bless.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...hreadid=163113
Short brief on camp/airfield attack in Escravos, Nigeria, by a Pan African pilot who was there:
If you read this and want to forward it to anyone feel free!
On Friday the 4th of February I had ridden my bike to the Chevron hangar at our Escravos Base at around 0505, and noticed a lot of police at the gate putting on gear. They waved to me and I waved to them and went out the main gate and kept going to the runway.
About every 50 meters on the runway was the local security guards, most in riot gear, but once again no warnings, no sirens, nothing; they just waved. I figured a security exercise was going on, as that happens every so often.
I went into the hangar and went to the company computer, and at about 0510 Jim B.came in as the the phone rang. He answered it and said "The camp's being overrun?!" and "How many intruders?".
He put down the phone and at that time shots were being fired on camp.
I then got a call from John G., our manager at camp, who said the camp is closed, intruders inside the barbed wire and some buildings being invaded by intruders.
Jim called the other PAAN employees into the crew room while I turned off the hangar lights, as it was still dark.
Jim was at the kitchen hall window and said "Smoke, look at all the people on the runway!". I ran over and saw lots of people coming through a hole in the wire opposite the control tower, and the guards were just watching them go by (A smart move on their part).
Jim called one of the managers and told him we needed help, and fast, as we were marooned.
One of the Pan African managers (Still in camp) said it would be awhile because the soldiers were scattered everywhere, and one of the camp security guards had run by him as the guard was ripping off his uniform.
In the meantime intruders were in the camp trying to get into some of the employee rooms, and most were carrying machetes.
The director of PAAN called and said to lay low for awhile until help could get to us. I thought about writing that down, but then things got too busy real quick:
We made sure everyone was in the crew room, about 10 in all, and two guards showed up before we locked the doors.
Jim said, "Are you guys our reinforcements?"
They said "No, we came in through a hole in the parts room".
Needless to say, we were pretty happy about that.
We went back into the hallway, peeked out the window and saw the crowd head for the helicopters while the two expat engineers put equipment in front of the hole.
The good news is that the crowd went first to the work stands and then climbed onto the helos. As you know, Chevron policy says you can't climb onto the aircraft without using the stands for safety reasons, so at least they were following Chevron safety standards.
If they hadn't, Jim and I would've had to go outside to issue the Chevron "Stop" cards to the crowd due to using unsafe work practices.
They then smashed the windshields of two of the Bell 407's and one of the 412's, and they were using the fire extinguishers as hammers on some others. They pulled the fuel hoses out to each aircraft, so by now it was getting real interesting!
They then looked at the hangar, and headed right for us.
I then decided to head to the crew room with Jim and lock the doors.We stayed in the crew room as they tried to pry the air con unit out of the wall to get in, but luckily it held. Up to that time Jim and I were like Meerkats looking out the window, popping up and down as the situation dictated, but then we figured it was time to lay low.
One of the pilots had called just before we locked the crew room door and said the crowd had machetes and was looking for anyone with authority. I offered Ernest (An Air Log engineer) $60.00 to swap my white uniform shirt for his blue one, but he didn't think it was enough.
At 0745 we got a call that soldiers were coming to get us out, and a little later an armed detachment of soldiers arrived as other soldiers were shooting teargas at the crowd along the runway, and they got us out in one of their trucks. We got teargas in our eyes, and we could see soldiers firing round after round of teargas at the crowd as one kid kept throwing buckets of water on the gas grenades, but we made it to camp without further incident.
At that time camp was in a lockdown. At 0900 I could hear some shouting outside my camp room and then someone banged on my door. I said "Dave ain't here!". More banging on my door and a South African pilot identified himself and wanted in to give me a briefing. He must not have seen "Cheech and Chong", because he wanted to know who Dave was.No sense of humor.
Every three or four hours an announcement over the PA advised all camp residents to stay locked in their rooms, and this went on for three days, with cautious meals in the dining hall.
They couldn't get the holes fixed in the fences for three days as everytime a work crew went to do the work, armed villagers showed up, and the work crews thought discretion was the better part of valor and left.
They got some Dash 8's in on Monday the 6th to evac 400 Chevron personnel, and soldiers and teargas kept the crowd back each time the aircraft landed and took off.
I had a feeling something like this was going to happen:
Last week I'm flying a Bristow 212 (5N-ALU) with a Bristow F/O (Young Nigerian named B., real sharp guy) and we got word one of the Radio room guys woke up dead, and they wanted me and B. to fly to Whiskey Tango with the occupied coffin and one pax.
When I got in the aircraft at the head of the casket (to ease in the loading due to narrowness of the cargo area), the lid kept popping up. I kept trying to ignore anything under the lid and hurried to get it loaded.
I'm not real fond of carrying bodies in the first place, but it's usually in bags, and this coffin was real Dracula looking. Add the fact that the lid kept popping up, and I was really getting antsy. After it got loaded, I told B. that if the lid popped up inflight, he'd be the only one left to make the landing at Warri.
When I got back to the aircraft to do the startup, I noticed 3 cargo straps across the coffin really strapped tight. I guess they didn't understand my warped sense of humor, and they didn't want to take any chances with me bailing out if the lid popped up one more time, I thought that was a hoot.
Hopefully this mess should be settled by the start of my flying to my next shift, but I feel sure it's going to continue, and right now we aren't being paid enough for that stuff. We can't carry weapons, and that's the hard part, as most of us are ex-military and some of us were former contract pilots for the US DEA in Guatemala, Columbia and Peru, and also have time in lots of other war zones.
The next year in Nigeria is going to get very interesting!
Fly Safe, Smokey
If you read this and want to forward it to anyone feel free!
On Friday the 4th of February I had ridden my bike to the Chevron hangar at our Escravos Base at around 0505, and noticed a lot of police at the gate putting on gear. They waved to me and I waved to them and went out the main gate and kept going to the runway.
About every 50 meters on the runway was the local security guards, most in riot gear, but once again no warnings, no sirens, nothing; they just waved. I figured a security exercise was going on, as that happens every so often.
I went into the hangar and went to the company computer, and at about 0510 Jim B.came in as the the phone rang. He answered it and said "The camp's being overrun?!" and "How many intruders?".
He put down the phone and at that time shots were being fired on camp.
I then got a call from John G., our manager at camp, who said the camp is closed, intruders inside the barbed wire and some buildings being invaded by intruders.
Jim called the other PAAN employees into the crew room while I turned off the hangar lights, as it was still dark.
Jim was at the kitchen hall window and said "Smoke, look at all the people on the runway!". I ran over and saw lots of people coming through a hole in the wire opposite the control tower, and the guards were just watching them go by (A smart move on their part).
Jim called one of the managers and told him we needed help, and fast, as we were marooned.
One of the Pan African managers (Still in camp) said it would be awhile because the soldiers were scattered everywhere, and one of the camp security guards had run by him as the guard was ripping off his uniform.
In the meantime intruders were in the camp trying to get into some of the employee rooms, and most were carrying machetes.
The director of PAAN called and said to lay low for awhile until help could get to us. I thought about writing that down, but then things got too busy real quick:
We made sure everyone was in the crew room, about 10 in all, and two guards showed up before we locked the doors.
Jim said, "Are you guys our reinforcements?"
They said "No, we came in through a hole in the parts room".
Needless to say, we were pretty happy about that.
We went back into the hallway, peeked out the window and saw the crowd head for the helicopters while the two expat engineers put equipment in front of the hole.
The good news is that the crowd went first to the work stands and then climbed onto the helos. As you know, Chevron policy says you can't climb onto the aircraft without using the stands for safety reasons, so at least they were following Chevron safety standards.
If they hadn't, Jim and I would've had to go outside to issue the Chevron "Stop" cards to the crowd due to using unsafe work practices.
They then smashed the windshields of two of the Bell 407's and one of the 412's, and they were using the fire extinguishers as hammers on some others. They pulled the fuel hoses out to each aircraft, so by now it was getting real interesting!
They then looked at the hangar, and headed right for us.
I then decided to head to the crew room with Jim and lock the doors.We stayed in the crew room as they tried to pry the air con unit out of the wall to get in, but luckily it held. Up to that time Jim and I were like Meerkats looking out the window, popping up and down as the situation dictated, but then we figured it was time to lay low.
One of the pilots had called just before we locked the crew room door and said the crowd had machetes and was looking for anyone with authority. I offered Ernest (An Air Log engineer) $60.00 to swap my white uniform shirt for his blue one, but he didn't think it was enough.
At 0745 we got a call that soldiers were coming to get us out, and a little later an armed detachment of soldiers arrived as other soldiers were shooting teargas at the crowd along the runway, and they got us out in one of their trucks. We got teargas in our eyes, and we could see soldiers firing round after round of teargas at the crowd as one kid kept throwing buckets of water on the gas grenades, but we made it to camp without further incident.
At that time camp was in a lockdown. At 0900 I could hear some shouting outside my camp room and then someone banged on my door. I said "Dave ain't here!". More banging on my door and a South African pilot identified himself and wanted in to give me a briefing. He must not have seen "Cheech and Chong", because he wanted to know who Dave was.No sense of humor.
Every three or four hours an announcement over the PA advised all camp residents to stay locked in their rooms, and this went on for three days, with cautious meals in the dining hall.
They couldn't get the holes fixed in the fences for three days as everytime a work crew went to do the work, armed villagers showed up, and the work crews thought discretion was the better part of valor and left.
They got some Dash 8's in on Monday the 6th to evac 400 Chevron personnel, and soldiers and teargas kept the crowd back each time the aircraft landed and took off.
I had a feeling something like this was going to happen:
Last week I'm flying a Bristow 212 (5N-ALU) with a Bristow F/O (Young Nigerian named B., real sharp guy) and we got word one of the Radio room guys woke up dead, and they wanted me and B. to fly to Whiskey Tango with the occupied coffin and one pax.
When I got in the aircraft at the head of the casket (to ease in the loading due to narrowness of the cargo area), the lid kept popping up. I kept trying to ignore anything under the lid and hurried to get it loaded.
I'm not real fond of carrying bodies in the first place, but it's usually in bags, and this coffin was real Dracula looking. Add the fact that the lid kept popping up, and I was really getting antsy. After it got loaded, I told B. that if the lid popped up inflight, he'd be the only one left to make the landing at Warri.
When I got back to the aircraft to do the startup, I noticed 3 cargo straps across the coffin really strapped tight. I guess they didn't understand my warped sense of humor, and they didn't want to take any chances with me bailing out if the lid popped up one more time, I thought that was a hoot.
Hopefully this mess should be settled by the start of my flying to my next shift, but I feel sure it's going to continue, and right now we aren't being paid enough for that stuff. We can't carry weapons, and that's the hard part, as most of us are ex-military and some of us were former contract pilots for the US DEA in Guatemala, Columbia and Peru, and also have time in lots of other war zones.
The next year in Nigeria is going to get very interesting!
Fly Safe, Smokey
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Thanks Gunss, I see the post is now on the African Aviation thread.
I guess after seeing something like that OLOG/Bristow/PanAfrican and CHC/Schreiner and Caverton will have even more difficulty in keeping and recruiting pilots and engineers than they do now. I hear all three of the Nigerian operators have big problems with crewing at present.
I guess after seeing something like that OLOG/Bristow/PanAfrican and CHC/Schreiner and Caverton will have even more difficulty in keeping and recruiting pilots and engineers than they do now. I hear all three of the Nigerian operators have big problems with crewing at present.
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Yeah MM .. I think we all love flying .. fling wings the lot but there comes a time in a man's life when you've gotta say what the f...
Is it really worthwhile ?
That's the only question I would ask those guys to answer ..
'
maybe I am getting too old but I do not think it is ... not with rubbish like this going on - nobody needs it (without a Gunship on standbye anyway)
Cheers and thanks for a great thread (I have been lurking for 2 years)
Is it really worthwhile ?
That's the only question I would ask those guys to answer ..
'
maybe I am getting too old but I do not think it is ... not with rubbish like this going on - nobody needs it (without a Gunship on standbye anyway)
Cheers and thanks for a great thread
(I have been lurking for 2 years)
Personnel Security has been a problem for years in Nigeria. Hiring a local guy and giving him a stick does not quite work as a real deterrent to burglars.....putting curtains in vans does not deter armed robbers. The latest account of the measures available to protect the staff confirms the lack of real concern given this problem. Remember all the hijackings and pilots being held hostage a while back.....
I used to love showing up at Lagos International...along with lots of Chevron people.....they were met by armed police hired by the oil company....and I sometimes had to make my way to the taxi rank to find my way to the Staff House. Granted nothing happened....but the possibility existed.
What bugged me most was the attitude held by some of the Powers that Were about such things.
Nope...times are changing...and not for the better.....hope the operators rise to the occasion and take the necessary precautions to safeguard the people.
Dollars to Dog droppings....you can hold the stakes in yer mouth....the wages will not go up.....nothing will change. Any takers on that bet?
I used to love showing up at Lagos International...along with lots of Chevron people.....they were met by armed police hired by the oil company....and I sometimes had to make my way to the taxi rank to find my way to the Staff House. Granted nothing happened....but the possibility existed.
What bugged me most was the attitude held by some of the Powers that Were about such things.
Nope...times are changing...and not for the better.....hope the operators rise to the occasion and take the necessary precautions to safeguard the people.
Dollars to Dog droppings....you can hold the stakes in yer mouth....the wages will not go up.....nothing will change. Any takers on that bet?
GunsssR4ever
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SASless .. you are right nothing will change - this is Africa.
The only way this situation will really be solved is when the corruption will stop from the Goverment / Oil Companies will stop and guaranteed that will never be stopped .. sadly.
In a way I "feel" for the locals ... I said just in a way mate
Eischhhh Africa ...
The only way this situation will really be solved is when the corruption will stop from the Goverment / Oil Companies will stop and guaranteed that will never be stopped .. sadly.
In a way I "feel" for the locals ... I said just in a way mate
Eischhhh Africa ...
Guns...
I have a lot of sympathy for the locals...Billions of dollars of oil gets pumped out of the ground right next to their thatch huts...they have no electricity....no clean water....poor schools...no real protection from corrupt government. It is understandable they should not be too happy with the oil company and the government.
I also question why the people have let this go on for so long....and wonder just how long it will be until a strong dynamic leader brings the many factions together and brings about real change. It can only be a matter of time.....hopefully, it will be a political upheaval and not a civil war again.
As to the operators and oil companies....the oil companies will take care of their own....and the operators will continue to put their folks at risk I fear.
There are plenty of old 61's and SuperPumas that could be used to do passenger shuttles for the helicopter crews but we will never see that.....ever tried to get a seat on the oil company flight to be bumped by a woman going to Lagos for a shopping trip? Never mind you have to get to Lagos to catch a flight out of the country for your time off.
I have a lot of sympathy for the locals...Billions of dollars of oil gets pumped out of the ground right next to their thatch huts...they have no electricity....no clean water....poor schools...no real protection from corrupt government. It is understandable they should not be too happy with the oil company and the government.
I also question why the people have let this go on for so long....and wonder just how long it will be until a strong dynamic leader brings the many factions together and brings about real change. It can only be a matter of time.....hopefully, it will be a political upheaval and not a civil war again.
As to the operators and oil companies....the oil companies will take care of their own....and the operators will continue to put their folks at risk I fear.
There are plenty of old 61's and SuperPumas that could be used to do passenger shuttles for the helicopter crews but we will never see that.....ever tried to get a seat on the oil company flight to be bumped by a woman going to Lagos for a shopping trip? Never mind you have to get to Lagos to catch a flight out of the country for your time off.
GunsssR4ever
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SASless ..
This is disturbing practise !
Damn I can just imagine the anger from crews.
I really admire the guys that's still there. A lot of Saffers I pressume ?
Cheers,
No more Gunzzz
There are plenty of old 61's and SuperPumas that could be used to do passenger shuttles for the helicopter crews but we will never see that.....ever tried to get a seat on the oil company flight to be bumped by a woman going to Lagos for a shopping trip? Never mind you have to get to Lagos to catch a flight out of the country for your time off.
Damn I can just imagine the anger from crews.
I really admire the guys that's still there. A lot of Saffers I pressume ?
Cheers,
No more Gunzzz
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Gunss, SASless,
The concern by the helicopter operators and the oil companies for the security of the crews, both pilot and engineers is about diametrically opposed to the concern they have for their profits - it's lip service only. People stay here for one of two reasons only - they like the touring rosters or they like being in Africa.
Actually Gunss, there aren't many saffers here, except on the Pan African contract in Escravos. The majority of the expat pilots seem to be Indians, Ozzies, Brits and Portuguese, though quite a few Ozzies and Brits seem to be leaving lately.
SAS, I guess things might change one day, but it's a bit like the punchline in an old joke I heard. God says to the President of Nigeria, 'yes Mr President, things will eventually get better in Nigeria , but not in my lifetime!'.
The concern by the helicopter operators and the oil companies for the security of the crews, both pilot and engineers is about diametrically opposed to the concern they have for their profits - it's lip service only. People stay here for one of two reasons only - they like the touring rosters or they like being in Africa.
Actually Gunss, there aren't many saffers here, except on the Pan African contract in Escravos. The majority of the expat pilots seem to be Indians, Ozzies, Brits and Portuguese, though quite a few Ozzies and Brits seem to be leaving lately.
SAS, I guess things might change one day, but it's a bit like the punchline in an old joke I heard. God says to the President of Nigeria, 'yes Mr President, things will eventually get better in Nigeria , but not in my lifetime!'.
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It seems that Caverton is still around as their 109 was seen yesterday over Lagos.
I also hear from a friend in Portugal that a Dauphin has been seen flying around Estoril in the last few days. It's a dark blue colour with the Heliportugal logo on the top and the Caverton logo on the tail, but still on a Portuguese registration. Perhaps the rumour which has been around for a while of them bringing another helicopter to Nigeria, is about to prove true. Certainly they're now advertising a shuttle service in Port Harcourt on their website. No sign of 'Uncle Bob' to confirm or deny the rumours though.
I also hear from a friend in Portugal that a Dauphin has been seen flying around Estoril in the last few days. It's a dark blue colour with the Heliportugal logo on the top and the Caverton logo on the tail, but still on a Portuguese registration. Perhaps the rumour which has been around for a while of them bringing another helicopter to Nigeria, is about to prove true. Certainly they're now advertising a shuttle service in Port Harcourt on their website. No sign of 'Uncle Bob' to confirm or deny the rumours though.
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I hear that a Dauphin has been seen outside the Caverton hangar in Lagos in the last few days, so I guess Uncle Bob made it okay. It looks as if they'll be moving that to Port Harcourt soon as their website is advertising a shuttle service soon to start there. Don't know what sort of response they'll get, but I wish them luck. Has anybody heard if they've recruited any more Dauphin pilots? I would think that they would be in fierce competition with CHC/Aero as they offer a better touring roster.
I also hear that there's trouble afoot in Port Harcourt with the CHC pilots and engineers not being happy with the new salary they're likely to get soon as the CHC take over results in the loss of their old euro salaries. Somebody told me that he thought they may get the same salary in US$ as they now get in euros, plus some kind of benefits package as a sweetener. Any PPRuNers from Aero care to comment? With the probability of Aero trying to take the Shell contract from Bristow after many years, as the Dorniers become unflyable and Shell advertising for tenders to operate the contract, I would think the last thing CHC would want to do is to upset its pilots and engineers. They're short enough of staff now and loss of more could lead to them finding it impossible to crew and operate what they have, let alone being able to take on anything new. A few of their people have already left to join OLOG/Bristow because of the better salary and discontent with the living conditions.
I also hear that there's trouble afoot in Port Harcourt with the CHC pilots and engineers not being happy with the new salary they're likely to get soon as the CHC take over results in the loss of their old euro salaries. Somebody told me that he thought they may get the same salary in US$ as they now get in euros, plus some kind of benefits package as a sweetener. Any PPRuNers from Aero care to comment? With the probability of Aero trying to take the Shell contract from Bristow after many years, as the Dorniers become unflyable and Shell advertising for tenders to operate the contract, I would think the last thing CHC would want to do is to upset its pilots and engineers. They're short enough of staff now and loss of more could lead to them finding it impossible to crew and operate what they have, let alone being able to take on anything new. A few of their people have already left to join OLOG/Bristow because of the better salary and discontent with the living conditions.
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I don't believe that CHC will pay people in Nigeria any different from the rest of the group or they will risk upsetting the pilots and engineers from other bases around the world. What might make a difference is the daily allowance paid when on-site. Being in Nigeria should attract the top rate of allowance unless CHC have bases in Baghdad, Grozsny or Kabul!
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If they're not going to pay any differently let's hope that at least they'll do something about the lousy housing the rotary people have to endure in Port Harcourt. Surely the recent fire in a house must have drawn the attention of someone in CHC International management in Canada to the fact that the houses are dangerous and sub-standard except if judged by the standards of a Mumbai slum. The lack of any decent sporting facilities is also pretty poor and don't even start to talk about the years of broken promises regarding the swimming pool such as the loss-making fixed wing division have enjoyed for years in Lagos.
It's no good providing new helicopters as the only investment if they don't invest more in trying to hold on to people as well.
It's no good providing new helicopters as the only investment if they don't invest more in trying to hold on to people as well.
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Nigirea Update
Ok, so I missed this thread...........................OOOPs
What is they call it "Division of attention"...."......."Capacity!!!!"
Cant remeb.....?????........................DOH!!!!!
Oh F@@CK it so I'm a bit DIM but I'm REALLY NICE!!!!!!
So apart from the who's, who's and the where, why and for all post's,
WHAT IS IT LIKE IN NIGERIA????????????????????
SASless: Points noted(Thank you)
Anyone got any constructive points about it???? I'm looking for the 2005 here and now Update!!!!!!
GOOD or BAD, HIT ME BABY!!!!!!!!!
L'
What is they call it "Division of attention"...."......."Capacity!!!!"
Cant remeb.....?????........................DOH!!!!!
Oh F@@CK it so I'm a bit DIM but I'm REALLY NICE!!!!!!
So apart from the who's, who's and the where, why and for all post's,
WHAT IS IT LIKE IN NIGERIA????????????????????
SASless: Points noted(Thank you)
Anyone got any constructive points about it???? I'm looking for the 2005 here and now Update!!!!!!
GOOD or BAD, HIT ME BABY!!!!!!!!!
L'
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L'WAAPAM,
Good things,
It's always warm, even when it rains, Star and Gulder are sold in 600 ml bottles, are strong, usually cold and usually cheap (except in the Jolly Sailor where they are now usually warm and expensive
) and the Sheraton where they are just expensive. New helicopters are finally arriving after years of underinvestment.
Bad things,
Schreiner has now been taken over by CHC but it's too late even for them to get rid of the Mumbai Monument in Port Harcourt NAF base. That hangar/office building is a nightmare, even if it is a bit better than the truly appalling old AGIP base. When it rains it's like being inside a drum with a tonne of peas being dropped on it and it's oriented to constantly subject the engineers inside to unacceptable levels of helicopter noise as the door opens directly onto the ramp. As Tokunbo says, the ACN housing in Port Harcourt is well below standard despite being refurbished to cope with the extra people the change to a 6:6 roster brought. It really needs someone from a First World company to check out the electrics in the houses as, in my opinion they're very dangerous (though not as much as the generator fuel tank!). As for the air conditioners
- the management is proud of the fact that with the aid of super-service company D
x, they can keep their clapped-out old wall units going for up to 20 years 
. Okay, housing is scarce and expensive in Port Harcourt, but this could have been dealt with years ago by buying land and building their own staff house. A few years ago there were even plans for that, but the attitude of the then-management was that they were an aviation company, not a property company. Compare this with the houses Bristow live in or the hotel where Pan African pilots often stay, which has nice rooms, good food, swimming pool and sporting and leisure facilities.
The traffic in Port Harcourt is really awful.
You are Welcome to Nigeria
Good things,
It's always warm, even when it rains, Star and Gulder are sold in 600 ml bottles, are strong, usually cold and usually cheap (except in the Jolly Sailor where they are now usually warm and expensive
) and the Sheraton where they are just expensive. New helicopters are finally arriving after years of underinvestment.Bad things,
Schreiner has now been taken over by CHC but it's too late even for them to get rid of the Mumbai Monument in Port Harcourt NAF base. That hangar/office building is a nightmare, even if it is a bit better than the truly appalling old AGIP base. When it rains it's like being inside a drum with a tonne of peas being dropped on it and it's oriented to constantly subject the engineers inside to unacceptable levels of helicopter noise as the door opens directly onto the ramp. As Tokunbo says, the ACN housing in Port Harcourt is well below standard despite being refurbished to cope with the extra people the change to a 6:6 roster brought. It really needs someone from a First World company to check out the electrics in the houses as, in my opinion they're very dangerous (though not as much as the generator fuel tank!). As for the air conditioners
- the management is proud of the fact that with the aid of super-service company D x, they can keep their clapped-out old wall units going for up to 20 years . Okay, housing is scarce and expensive in Port Harcourt, but this could have been dealt with years ago by buying land and building their own staff house. A few years ago there were even plans for that, but the attitude of the then-management was that they were an aviation company, not a property company. Compare this with the houses Bristow live in or the hotel where Pan African pilots often stay, which has nice rooms, good food, swimming pool and sporting and leisure facilities.The traffic in Port Harcourt is really awful.
You are Welcome to Nigeria
My, how things change.....one goes through the entire thread and several posters cite problems with life at BHL but note the pay might be a differential....and note life at ACN is okay but the pay might be a problem.
No one has reported a robbery or shooting of an ACN crew but several instances of BHL crew buses being robbed...some shot up...some occupants being wounded.
Did the crew bus get shot up in Lagos and two pilots get wounded?
Did the crew bus with driver alone get shot up and the driver get wounded?
Did the visiting BossFellah and his entourage get robbed of their watches in PHC during a visit?
Are not the quarters at PHC grand villas a very long way from work?
Are the guys still enjoying the wonderful cuisine at the oil company mess in Eket?
Are there still problems in commuting to Lagos to go on leave?
ACN runs their own airline...thus no problem for them.
How many ACN helicopters have been hijacked? How many ACN crews have been held hostage? Any BHL aircraft and crews hijacked and held hostage?
Mama, NEO, Chuks, and the others might be able to give us an update of past events and the changes that have taken place to improve the situation. They seem to be hacking it....thus it cannot be all that bad there. After all there is golf at Eket, cheap beer, and Night Fighting to be done.
No one has reported a robbery or shooting of an ACN crew but several instances of BHL crew buses being robbed...some shot up...some occupants being wounded.
Did the crew bus get shot up in Lagos and two pilots get wounded?
Did the crew bus with driver alone get shot up and the driver get wounded?
Did the visiting BossFellah and his entourage get robbed of their watches in PHC during a visit?
Are not the quarters at PHC grand villas a very long way from work?
Are the guys still enjoying the wonderful cuisine at the oil company mess in Eket?
Are there still problems in commuting to Lagos to go on leave?
ACN runs their own airline...thus no problem for them.
How many ACN helicopters have been hijacked? How many ACN crews have been held hostage? Any BHL aircraft and crews hijacked and held hostage?
Mama, NEO, Chuks, and the others might be able to give us an update of past events and the changes that have taken place to improve the situation. They seem to be hacking it....thus it cannot be all that bad there. After all there is golf at Eket, cheap beer, and Night Fighting to be done.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Germany
Age: 76
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Your money or your life....
Well, if I had to choose between pay or conditions I would take the pay, thank you very much!
And as to conditions, one can do a bit to make things more liveable just by using some initiative. It isn't always necessary to wait for Headquarters to sort out local problems.
I have worked for all of the 'big three' Nigerian companies (Pan African, Bristow and Aero) at various times, plus a local Lebanese gentleman and usually found something or other to keep me showing up at work and something else that was annoying. The thing is that swapping jobs usually left me with the feeling that I might as well have stayed where I was, not that I ever regretted moving on or even being moved on.
Anyone looking in on this, trying to decide whether or not to try working in Nigeria, well, all I can say is that pay and conditions are such, nowadays, that many people have found they can do just as well elsewhere without taking the sort of risks associated with the Nigeria of today! I have had several friends tell me that they are doing just as well back in Europe in financial terms.
There is some hope that a pilot shortage will develop to the point that more money will have to be on offer. But pilots often seem to jump at an offer of work without weighing up all the odds, so that this might be a while coming.
I guess the place gets under your skin somehow. God knows why, but it does. Spend a few years there and you may find yourself unfit or unwilling to work elsewhere. I cannot explain this. Read 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad for a glimpse of what I am here writing about.
Bear in mind that Conrad himself went to the Congo to be a boat captain, got mired in company politics and then went down with a heavy case of malaria that left him unable to work as a captain before turning to writing as a way to make a living. He only spent a few months there but he seems to have got it right.
And as to conditions, one can do a bit to make things more liveable just by using some initiative. It isn't always necessary to wait for Headquarters to sort out local problems.
I have worked for all of the 'big three' Nigerian companies (Pan African, Bristow and Aero) at various times, plus a local Lebanese gentleman and usually found something or other to keep me showing up at work and something else that was annoying. The thing is that swapping jobs usually left me with the feeling that I might as well have stayed where I was, not that I ever regretted moving on or even being moved on.
Anyone looking in on this, trying to decide whether or not to try working in Nigeria, well, all I can say is that pay and conditions are such, nowadays, that many people have found they can do just as well elsewhere without taking the sort of risks associated with the Nigeria of today! I have had several friends tell me that they are doing just as well back in Europe in financial terms.
There is some hope that a pilot shortage will develop to the point that more money will have to be on offer. But pilots often seem to jump at an offer of work without weighing up all the odds, so that this might be a while coming.
I guess the place gets under your skin somehow. God knows why, but it does. Spend a few years there and you may find yourself unfit or unwilling to work elsewhere. I cannot explain this. Read 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad for a glimpse of what I am here writing about.
Bear in mind that Conrad himself went to the Congo to be a boat captain, got mired in company politics and then went down with a heavy case of malaria that left him unable to work as a captain before turning to writing as a way to make a living. He only spent a few months there but he seems to have got it right.