You can try Bristow, but I think (don't quote me) there are a lot of Nigerian cadets in the pipeline as the company accelerates it's Nationalisation programme, so FO positions are likely to be taken by them.
chuks, I still remember the scandal that shook Bristow Nigeria when a certain elderly helicopter Captain had the temerity to smoke and entertain a guest in your room while you were away. The thought of it still sends shivers down my bright yellow spine !! I wonder what the reaction would have been if it had been one of the regional airline pilots ??
I agree about Stacey, what a book that would be. Maybe chuks could be his ghost writer. The whole uncut story of how to set someone up etc........
BJ, sorry, probably little disambiguation in my brain. I meant, working overseas/as expat/anywhere but home/touring job etc. Didn't mean Gulf. Since you got all it needs for job in North Sea or other 'real' job in my opinion, albeit offshore, why.. Again. Yes, it would be new experience, but for some 'African experience' also means holiday in SA, Egypt or Algeria :-D
I don't really understand your point. People who work in places like Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan or wherever do so for their own reasons, whether it be money, time off, adventure, a combination or any other motivation. Everyone has a choice to work anywhere or not.
NEO, I know everyone's got his own motives and decides for himself.
I can't comment on mil flying and their reasons as I'd never do it.
I didn't exactly compare Nigeria and war zones :-)
I also think that going to Nigeria now and having worked there for couple years or a decade makes a difference. Knowing the situation, being used to higher security etc. There also aren't that many ex-mil guys around starting their civilian heli career.
My Nigerian friend with plank experience from the US told me he'd like to return home eventually (now living in Belfast) and do some bush flying - even outside Nigeria. He also likes the idea of flying helicopters professionally, but says he's too old (30s??) or it's too hard to change things..
Well, for a guy with US green card and EU passport, top notch camo for field work in Africa (being Nigerian), almost 1000 TT incl multiprop charter hours, working outside aviation (don't ask me why, I did already), it's bit strange to me.
He's also not arsed to do JAA ATPL theory.
I had managed to shove that memory right to the back of my mind. I was looking for cooties for a week after that one! Foxy Grandpa!
The funny part was that I was not that chafed. It was a Brit who made the big fuss on my behalf.
I think he wanted the man paraded at dawn to the beats of a muffled drum to have his offending member's member painted with Gentian Violet and then to have his epaulettes ripped off. A letter went out in my name to all ships at sea stating my degree of high moral outrage, as if I needed to look like an even bigger charlie than I already was.
I ended up suffering more than the guilty party and here you are reminding me. Thanks a lot! Now all those helicopter pilots are going to be laughing at me; life is so unfair!
I am a fixed wing aviator! Glass-cockpit-qualified, even. So what's to laugh about? Just ask any Experimental Test Pilot and he will tell you what hot stuff we are.
My wristwatch says, right on the back, "Die Fliegeruhr UTC" and it doesn't get much more serious than your own wristwatch making threats like that.
Why, I used to hold that bar spell-bound, I tell you. Well, as long as I was paying the drinks, yes, but I really don't think that had anything to do with it. They would have listened anyway, wouldn't they have? No?
I did get Bob Eaton laughing with my story about "combat in Viet Nam" but that time I really was trying to be funny.
Oh well, some of the best laughs life throws up are when we are trying to be absolutely serious. I was telling someone in the bar that I had been Acting Chief Pilot once, as a joke, when the Black Sardine chipped in perfectly serious with "Acting Deputy Chief Pilot," just to keep the record straight. We all had to keep a straight face there but it wasn't easy.
What about a book? Stacy needs to write down all that stuff from Eket. I was trying to get my little Algerian F/O to believe that we really did have a guy who ran his own whorehouse but she thinks that perhaps I am just a big liar. I need something in writing to show people that I am not making this stuff up, such as the 24-hour German or the Experimental Test Pilot.
Way too many of our life's recollections would have to be put out as fiction.....as no one would believe some things really happened.
Simple things like the nicknames suggest there were some real characters involved...."Poison Dwarf", "Black Sardine", "Trellis Climber", "Hyphen Smyth"....."Wing Nut"...."Dogs Breath"..."Douche Bag".... ah yes the Happy Days at Eket and other more salubrious locales.
As to said "whore house".....why Chuks old buddy....that was the place where I got to see the "Wizard of Oz" from start to end! That description of the bar begs the question however of whom you are referring to as being "whores"....the staff or the patrons....as that title would fairly apply to both I reckon.
Chucks I saw your post and you mentioned a Bob Eaton just wondering if it is the same Bob I flew a 117 with in the early 80,s? If so how do I reach him?
I am currently working on my cpl in the states and was wondering what the chances were of securing a job with either chc or bristow as a fresh pilot off the blocks with just ppl and cpl (150hrs) or is IR a must have, or will i get sent to south africa for IR and type rating??
Is there a recruitment period or something of that nature and does anyone know what the starting salary is for a rookie pilot.
Any advice or recommendations will be appreciated.
Last edited by Ground level : 29th February 2008 at 13:30.
GL,
maybe there should be 'So you want to be cojoe flying offshore in Nigeria?' thread.
I might actually reconsider NEO's words if I could make it with FAA CPL and min hours for RW CPL. I can always make it with about 80-100h with FW and rest CPL.
From what I see, there's only lil' extra dosh for being IR rated in FAA system when getting hours up. Why wouldn't someone do FAA IR after PPL?
Sure, they'd snap up every min hours FAA CPL without IR and TR for machines they fly, pay for everything to get you in cojoe seat.
I don't wanna be ironic as CM, but maybe, just maybe people should read few previous posts. Especially when more qualified guy is told that only maybe as cojoe for whatever reasons and they need expat captains with TR, time on machine and experience.
It seems to me that this post by NEO on the previous page:
Quote:
bennyjoha,
You can try Bristow, but I think (don't quote me) there are a lot of Nigerian cadets in the pipeline as the company accelerates it's Nationalisation programme, so FO positions are likely to be taken by them.
in reply to Bennyjoha's post:
Quote:
Would I stand a chance getting a job in the Delta with a JAA frozen ATPL IR(H) and little more than 1000 piston hours?
spells it out what the situation is for low time pilots with or without IR.
So it seems it will be almost impossible to get a job unless you hold a Nigeria passport and get taken on as a cadet.
Not sure if anyone apart from cavertonmanagement posts on here from them. Can't help with the entry requirements, but as far as I know they fly Dauphin N and 355 N. I'm sure someone will rush to correct me if I'm wrong though !!
Why not enquire directly ? Their contact details are on their website.
effluent toss, You are plainly not of the quality of pilot daddy needs in our company as you cannot spell the name, you do not understand the use of capitals, you do not nderstand the use of question mark and you are incapable of using Google to search information. When you have toppest education in overseas school and university like daddy and I you will never employ ignorant fool. This is the word center of excllence not charity for unsuitable children
Thanks for breaking it down, appreciated..... i asked cos when i do finish my cpl, i wont really be taken on as a cadet and Bennyjoha has ATP IR (1000+ hrs) that is alot more than 150hrs, which is the bare minimum (FAA).
Thats why i asked what are the possibilities to be taken, not as a cadet but as a nigerian with 150hrs.
Last edited by Ground level : 1st March 2008 at 12:15.
I can't find anything in your previous posts that say you are Nigerian. Could I give you some friendly advice ? If you want pointers from the people who post here, you need to give all the pertinent information to get a reasoned response.
Now we know, if you are interested in Bristow I would say your best bet is to apply by e-mail direct to the Operations Manager in Lagos in the first instance. You will get a straight answer from him.
Would this be the Bob Eaton of Air America?
just wondering if it is the same Bob I flew a 117 with in the early 80,s? If so how do I reach him?
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