Devon Air Ambulance Ad?
Devon Air Ambulance Ad?
Hi everyone,
I am curious as to why the DAA want a pilot to be located to be able to work at both Eaglescott and Exeter to cover both bases? Yes, I understand this for operational reasons such as sickness cover, infrequently, etc etc, but this is permanently rostered between both bases, making a long journey(especially on Devons small narrow roads) to either base, or a long journey at one but shorter to the the other, either way not a good selling point? Is it due to not staffing properly at a particular base to save money? Why not staff the bases properly? Looking at the charities financials they can certainly afford too?
B.
I am curious as to why the DAA want a pilot to be located to be able to work at both Eaglescott and Exeter to cover both bases? Yes, I understand this for operational reasons such as sickness cover, infrequently, etc etc, but this is permanently rostered between both bases, making a long journey(especially on Devons small narrow roads) to either base, or a long journey at one but shorter to the the other, either way not a good selling point? Is it due to not staffing properly at a particular base to save money? Why not staff the bases properly? Looking at the charities financials they can certainly afford too?
B.
Last edited by Brutal; 29th Apr 2023 at 10:40.
AA Charities can afford anything, they are all swimming in cash
And they will be deluged with applicants, so I doubt the location will be an issue. Somewhere "equidistant" between the two bases would be a 30 min journey to work at either base.
Also, I note the advert doesn't mention any IR requirement.
And they will be deluged with applicants, so I doubt the location will be an issue. Somewhere "equidistant" between the two bases would be a 30 min journey to work at either base.
Also, I note the advert doesn't mention any IR requirement.
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I can't see why, looking again at the ad it shows a "Whopping 6% Pension and 8 weeks sick pay maximum"? Pretty poor T's and C's... I know offshore is not for everyone, but 9% matched pension is the norm (a huge amount more going into a pension) of the substantially higher wages and after a while you get 6 MONTH's sick pay and then 6 months at half pay? Plus higher loss of licence etc
I think onshore has a long way to go?
B.
I think onshore has a long way to go?
B.
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Right now, google maps is saying 52 minutes drive between them, so halfway doesn’t seem too onerous.
Doesn't seem to have deterred the flood of grockles in their City SUVs clogging up the lanes this weekend........
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Does the base at Eaglespit (other, less polite, versions of the "airfield's" name are available..) still have sleeping accom? If so, what would be rwong with living close to Execketer and overnighting at Eagles*it when necessary?
(the naming conventions referred to above are nothing to do with the excellent DAAT base or its operators; the airfield "management", however, are (or were - things might've changed) another matter entirely)
(the naming conventions referred to above are nothing to do with the excellent DAAT base or its operators; the airfield "management", however, are (or were - things might've changed) another matter entirely)
Does the base at Eaglespit (other, less polite, versions of the "airfield's" name are available..) still have sleeping accom? If so, what would be rwong with living close to Execketer and overnighting at Eagles*it when necessary?
(the naming conventions referred to above are nothing to do with the excellent DAAT base or its operators; the airfield "management", however, are (or were - things might've changed) another matter entirely)
(the naming conventions referred to above are nothing to do with the excellent DAAT base or its operators; the airfield "management", however, are (or were - things might've changed) another matter entirely)
Nothing wrong at all with overnighting (if accom's available) at Eaglescott, occasionally for sickness cover etc. But Regular shifts was my initial enquiry. If that's the case, they should employ the correct amount of staff to run the charity properly! Like Hargreaves99 stated, they, like most other AA charities, are loaded!
B.
B.
UK HEMS is a pretty cushy job. You don't fly much, you don't fly much IR/night, you get paid a good salary, it's a high status/"hero" position, and you generally get to live somewhere other than Aberdeen
Hence they get hundreds of applicants.
Hence they get hundreds of applicants.
Genuinely glad to hear of someone's good experiences with that airfield. My own memories relate to an earlier period in DAAT's presence on the airfield after the precipitate departure from the original location at Belle Vue. EGHU is the only place where I had to do entire HEMS shifts wearing welly boots owing to water between 6 and 9 inches deep between the then-Portacabin base and the refuel point. Many of my grumbles with the Air Ambo op at the time should be directed at the then-chief exec of the Trust, who was replaced (along with at least one of the trustees) while I was there - they tried running the base on a shoe-string and it showed. Bond usually provided everything required to run a base, but DAAT insisted on saving money by setting-up the operation themselves. A 2nd-hand desk with, it turned out, only one bolt holding it together, as I found when the whole thing collapsed onto my knees while doing the end-of-shift paperwork; no window coverings (might sound trivial, but both from a security point of view AND when trying to work with nothing to stop the low winter sun (yes, we sometimes saw that rare beast) directly in your face when sat at that desk) - the list went on, and on. Bond were no help to their own staff, always taking the side of the customer, so the 2 excellent full-time base pilots left. Fortunately the appointment of new management at the AAT, and the energetic co-operation between the new trustee(s) and the new chief pilot, led to the construction of arguably the best HEMS base I ever had the pleasure to operate out of.
On the negative side regarding the airfield back then, there was the sad demise of the microlight school and the way that the terminally-ill CI appeared to be treated. More worryingly, there was the discovery that the airfield JetA1 supply was contaminated (as proven by several tests carried out by base and Staverton staff), leading to the aircraft used by DAA having to go for deep servicing. As nothing appeared to be done by the airfield to address the issue with any urgency, the DAA aircraft had to come to an arrangement with the MoD, in the form of the SARboys and girls at Chiv, over refuelling. Fortunately, Ollie the boss there was fantastic and the SAR folk could not have been more helpful if they'd tried - they kept the Air Ambo in business. I do hope the jet fuel situation has been resolved, as that fungus cost Bond a lot of money to sort out.
On the negative side regarding the airfield back then, there was the sad demise of the microlight school and the way that the terminally-ill CI appeared to be treated. More worryingly, there was the discovery that the airfield JetA1 supply was contaminated (as proven by several tests carried out by base and Staverton staff), leading to the aircraft used by DAA having to go for deep servicing. As nothing appeared to be done by the airfield to address the issue with any urgency, the DAA aircraft had to come to an arrangement with the MoD, in the form of the SARboys and girls at Chiv, over refuelling. Fortunately, Ollie the boss there was fantastic and the SAR folk could not have been more helpful if they'd tried - they kept the Air Ambo in business. I do hope the jet fuel situation has been resolved, as that fungus cost Bond a lot of money to sort out.
"hundreds of applicants"? But how many of those are "Qualified and suitable"? Maybe that was years ago. We, as are many other operators, are struggling to get any suitable applicants at the moment. Of those, most are in their mid to late fifties!
B.
B.
AA Charities expect all applicants to have all the skills and experience they require (eg HEMS/NVIS/high multi-time). They are not prepared to train or invest in staff. That's the issue. They will reject experienced north sea/VIP/onshore pilots because they don't meet their daft high requirements
AA Charities will invest in multi million pound flashy aircraft and bases etc, but not pilots.
Sure, some Charities hire new co-pilots, but the pay is pretty bad and there isn't much flying, and progress to command is very very slow, hence a lot move onto the North Sea/abroad.
AA Charities will invest in multi million pound flashy aircraft and bases etc, but not pilots.
Sure, some Charities hire new co-pilots, but the pay is pretty bad and there isn't much flying, and progress to command is very very slow, hence a lot move onto the North Sea/abroad.
"hundreds of applicants"? But how many of those are "Qualified and suitable"? Maybe that was years ago. We, as are many other operators, are struggling to get any suitable applicants at the moment. Of those, most are in their mid to late fifties!
Last edited by hargreaves99; 3rd May 2023 at 07:14.
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AA Charities expect all applicants to have all the skills and experience they require (eg HEMS/NVIS/high multi-time). They are not prepared to train or invest in staff. That's the issue. They will reject experienced north sea/VIP/onshore pilots because they don't meet their daft high requirements
AA Charities will invest in multi million pound flashy aircraft and bases etc, but not pilots.
Sure, some Charities hire new co-pilots, but the pay is pretty bad and there isn't much flying, and progress to command is very very slow, hence a lot move onto the North Sea/abroad.
AA Charities will invest in multi million pound flashy aircraft and bases etc, but not pilots.
Sure, some Charities hire new co-pilots, but the pay is pretty bad and there isn't much flying, and progress to command is very very slow, hence a lot move onto the North Sea/abroad.
Once it starts to bite, I'm sure they will change the tune.
CAA don't help. Plenty of folk out there with lapsed IRs but don't want the pain/expense of sitting exams again and spending £20,000 to renew
I also think there is a problem with recruitment from the "interviewing" side. When most AA chief pilots are ex-mil, they end up hiring people who are like them and have similar background. Same in all industries. People hire people like themselves, and this gets perpetuated, thus narrowing the pool of people who apply or get considered.
I also think there is a problem with recruitment from the "interviewing" side. When most AA chief pilots are ex-mil, they end up hiring people who are like them and have similar background. Same in all industries. People hire people like themselves, and this gets perpetuated, thus narrowing the pool of people who apply or get considered.
Last edited by hargreaves99; 3rd May 2023 at 10:08.