What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
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nice looking website but I think they need to look at their distace/ time chart (on the charter page). From a rough look their 109 cruises at between 485kts (30 km in 2mins) to 315kts (330 km in 34 mins)! not sure what vne is on a "normal" 109 power but I'm guessing it's a nad slower than that.
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Caverton
I spoke to the Caverton people recently and they are looking for S76Bs (two, I think) and a couple of Bo105s for the baggage. I believe they're also looking for jocks and techs for these.
Join Date: Oct 2003
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The Caverton People.......They have an AOC without any actual postholders in place on the Ops side!
Amazing what money can buy...especially in the non corrupt regime of Nigeria......And what a great place to work! The living quarters are palatial with pool, jaccuzzi and lots of staff to care for every white mans whim! Even the security is par excellance!They are now hiring EC130, A109,A119 AND S76C+ (no less) pilots who are willing to work 4 on and 12 off........and willing to go cattle class on their end of tour flight back to whereever they come from.......
Don't be fooled by the BS.......and there is a lot! Who ever is driving the ship has their hands full with regard to alot of stuff and it has nothing to do with flying or a professional AOC profile!
A counterfeit € has more value!
Amazing what money can buy...especially in the non corrupt regime of Nigeria......And what a great place to work! The living quarters are palatial with pool, jaccuzzi and lots of staff to care for every white mans whim! Even the security is par excellance!They are now hiring EC130, A109,A119 AND S76C+ (no less) pilots who are willing to work 4 on and 12 off........and willing to go cattle class on their end of tour flight back to whereever they come from.......
Don't be fooled by the BS.......and there is a lot! Who ever is driving the ship has their hands full with regard to alot of stuff and it has nothing to do with flying or a professional AOC profile!
A counterfeit € has more value!
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Nothing gentlemenly about this Dude........just mildly dissappointed about people telling me 'I told you so' and knowing they were right all the time...as for ebullient......well, i take it as a compliment...................Thanks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Lagos
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Funny that, I was talking to their Ops postholder only a day or two ago!! I also got invited to look at their accomodation which looked pretty d*mned good to me! I don't know why the staff should be expected to do something for 'every white mans whim' - sounds like a pretty racist comment from some guy who obviously has loads of staff where he is now. The new guy told me that they haven't hired anybody as yet, though they are now starting to look. The big problem they have is that the last Chief Pilot seems to have done almost nothing on the Ops side so the new guy has a lot to do. At least he's been in Nigeria before and hasn't so far been going around upsetting all the guys in Bristow and Aero!!
As for the travel, the (admittedly few) Caverton guys I've met out and about in Lagos are all travelling super economy or business class - wish I could!
It really does sound as if the above mentioned 'ebullient gentleman' is now trying to slag off the people he couldn't do a decent job for. The only BS I heard was from him when he was busy gobbing off in various bars around town telling everyone who'd listen (usually only the once, becoz they were busy avoiding him the next time!!) what a big man he was and talking about all the people they're now supposed to be hiring
As for the travel, the (admittedly few) Caverton guys I've met out and about in Lagos are all travelling super economy or business class - wish I could!
It really does sound as if the above mentioned 'ebullient gentleman' is now trying to slag off the people he couldn't do a decent job for. The only BS I heard was from him when he was busy gobbing off in various bars around town telling everyone who'd listen (usually only the once, becoz they were busy avoiding him the next time!!) what a big man he was and talking about all the people they're now supposed to be hiring
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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!
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!
Nigerian In Law
Mama, you're dead right. If they can just keep the country stable and cut down on the bad press (a lot of which is unfounded/exaggerated), things could get really good.
Just need the oil companies to be a bit more generous with a $50-odd dollar bbl price and the helicopter companies to employ people who can negotiate contracts properly so they can pay the employees reasonably !!
Just need the oil companies to be a bit more generous with a $50-odd dollar bbl price and the helicopter companies to employ people who can negotiate contracts properly so they can pay the employees reasonably !!
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Tokunbo......You seem very pissed off with the ebullient gentleman. Rumours of him working Europe would not be true.
As for 'every white mans whim'....yep it's true, but nothing to do with racist! Most Nigerians refer to any non african as a white man or master.......................no, not racist just facts!
As for the current post holder......well thats an amazing trick to get an AOC without any actual audit inspection of the flight profile applied for! But then they do things the 'Nigerian' way......got to be the most f**ked up country in Africa, although I hear Guinea is worse!!!
I'm sure stupid money will continue to fund the Caverton dream..........but I bet the crew turnover will be very high......for all the right reasons!!!!!
As for setting up the Ops......... NCAA's Rotary wing man would be much better informed to inform you of the certification process and how much was accomplished with the ebullient guy......Ha! Ha!.....At least that man wanted proper standards and protocols established first. So, as much as you had no involvment with Caverton in the first instance, I'd say you are a serious A** Kisser and probably would suit such a corrupt organisation...................crash and burn!!!!
As for 'every white mans whim'....yep it's true, but nothing to do with racist! Most Nigerians refer to any non african as a white man or master.......................no, not racist just facts!
As for the current post holder......well thats an amazing trick to get an AOC without any actual audit inspection of the flight profile applied for! But then they do things the 'Nigerian' way......got to be the most f**ked up country in Africa, although I hear Guinea is worse!!!
I'm sure stupid money will continue to fund the Caverton dream..........but I bet the crew turnover will be very high......for all the right reasons!!!!!
As for setting up the Ops......... NCAA's Rotary wing man would be much better informed to inform you of the certification process and how much was accomplished with the ebullient guy......Ha! Ha!.....At least that man wanted proper standards and protocols established first. So, as much as you had no involvment with Caverton in the first instance, I'd say you are a serious A** Kisser and probably would suit such a corrupt organisation...................crash and burn!!!!
Last edited by Helipolarbear; 1st Nov 2004 at 17:10.
It's not just an adventure....
it's just a job!
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Mama.
CHC bought Schreiner last year (early 2003). In Equatorial Guinea, CHC are operating C+ in Malabo so I doubt they would have any use for the Dauphine.
For those of you interested in Cote d'Ivoire, it's a war out there! They may have an oil industry but only ONUCI is flying! Been there, bought the T-Shirt. Give it a while and they will run out of money for bullets, unless ofcourse if George W. decides to get involved!
Cheers
OffshoreIgor
CHC bought Schreiner last year (early 2003). In Equatorial Guinea, CHC are operating C+ in Malabo so I doubt they would have any use for the Dauphine.
For those of you interested in Cote d'Ivoire, it's a war out there! They may have an oil industry but only ONUCI is flying! Been there, bought the T-Shirt. Give it a while and they will run out of money for bullets, unless ofcourse if George W. decides to get involved!
Cheers
OffshoreIgor
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Actually, CHC didn't take over Schreiner until February this year, they merely announced there intention to aquire it last year.
The Dauphin N3 is to join the 2 which ACN already operate in Nigeria - Schreiner already have one which they have been operating for well over a year.
In Equatorial Guinea the CHC base manager has resigned. All the companies in the area seem to have problems with pilots leaving at the moment. ACN have had quite a few resignations recently and the pilot turnover in Cameroun, compared to the size of the operation must be reaching similar levels to that in ADA
The Dauphin N3 is to join the 2 which ACN already operate in Nigeria - Schreiner already have one which they have been operating for well over a year.
In Equatorial Guinea the CHC base manager has resigned. All the companies in the area seem to have problems with pilots leaving at the moment. ACN have had quite a few resignations recently and the pilot turnover in Cameroun, compared to the size of the operation must be reaching similar levels to that in ADA
Nigerian In Law
HPB,
May I hazard a guess that it may have to do with increasingly poor pay, bad on site rosters and an uncertainty about the future with no concrete information from the parent company ?
NEO.
May I hazard a guess that it may have to do with increasingly poor pay, bad on site rosters and an uncertainty about the future with no concrete information from the parent company ?
NEO.
Nigerian In Law
Yes, strange that despite deteriorating conditions people are still willing to vote with their feet, because it's not as if there are a s**t load of fair paying jobs elesewhere. I wonder where they go ?
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When you are leaked a strong rumour from management that as a pilot body from a certain part of the world you will be replaced soon due to the expense of travel (didn't seem to consider calibre of people), it's no wonder members of said group are voting with their feet now and finding good jobs on their terms rather than later when the pressure of dismissal is upon them and you take what you can get to keep the wolves from the door.
The evidence is in the stats that show of the 7 resigned from ACN in last 2 months 5 are from this one particular "ethnic"group (pilots + engineers)- guess their heading home to drink more xxxx (yes we can spell beer you now)
Having said that however ACN are no worse than the others and have a lot of talented and professional people within their ranks - I'll miss those people.
No it's not emotions clouded by the "cold filtered"drop- G'day D###.
The evidence is in the stats that show of the 7 resigned from ACN in last 2 months 5 are from this one particular "ethnic"group (pilots + engineers)- guess their heading home to drink more xxxx (yes we can spell beer you now)
Having said that however ACN are no worse than the others and have a lot of talented and professional people within their ranks - I'll miss those people.
No it's not emotions clouded by the "cold filtered"drop- G'day D###.
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Hey Ifish! I think the rumours were put about by just one of the management staff but he doesn't reflect ACN management policy. It's a great shame that they didn't get this sorted out before the Aussie exodus. They're struggling to get crews and engineers and they have'nt yet figured out that it's to do with MONEY and LEAVE! Perhaps something good will come out of Vancouver. Take care mate! Glad you figured out the beer label!