What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
 

Opening post to preserve thread integrity.

PPRuNe Management

What's New In West Africa (Nigeria)
 

We don't seem to hear a lot of news from all the Rotorheads who work in West Africa, and I'm sure their are a lot out there as there's a lot of oil support flying going on there right now. Is this because of lousy comms from that part of the world or has the existence of PPRuNe not really gotten to there yet?
Well as this is a rumor network, here's a few I heard around the bazaars in the last few months:
In Equatorial Guinea CHC is having to bid to keep its contract. It's rumored to be looking for some Dauphin N3s to replace its present aircraft. Any news as to who the other bidders are?
In Nigeria, OLOG now seems to be operating as 2 separate companies. Is that because they're paying pilots in Escravos less than the rates Bristow is paying when operating under that name? It's also rumored that new operator Caverton Helicopters will be starting a shuttle service between Victoria Island and MM Airport with a couple of Agusta 109 Powers soon. It'll be interestin to see how the Power performs in Nigeria - and how good they are with spares back up. I guess they're not competing against Bristow or Aero yet, but I bet CHC must be looking on with interest after their failure to make any headway there as CHC Court a few years ago. I hope they have more luck in keeping going than Court, or the ill-starred venture of Okada some years back. Any rumors as to who's behind them? Talking of Bristow, has the EC155 performance been improved yet? Nobody else seems interested in it in that part of the world, most of the companies seem more interested in S76C+.
There are also rumors that CHC is now taking a look at buying Schreiner. Any PPRuNers heard more about that?
Bristow are also rumored to be sending a couple of 212s back into Mauritania again soon for an offshore exploration support contract.
Well PPRuNers out here in the Mangroves, how about you guys send us some information as to what's happening in this corner of the continent - Guns seems to be the only one who posts regularly;)

No answer yet!!!!
It's probably the "equatorial zero" syndrom...but, nevertheless a bunch of us is struggling hard to keep its blades spinning .
From the "heart of the darkness"
WAWA (West Africa Wins Again
:} )

Hi to all the other Chopper Drivers in WA (Not West Australia, but rather Africa!!)

Good time to get some rumours under control and get some facts on the table. All West Africa chopper drivers, please post your salary scales and benefits under this heading. It is time that I get some negotiating powers to secure a better deal.

I am also in WA keeping the NR at 293 and T5 within limits:ok:

Look forward to hear from all the other chopper boys.

Cheers,

Chopper Jog

For me it's about 280 usd per contract day + 40 "per diem" rotation schedule is normally 7weeks on-7weeks off ....nice life, sometimes a bit ashamed of my wages !:eek:

Chopper Jog, how about volunteering your own. One is always leery of one who asks without reciprocity. I have already posted a fair bit of wage rumour in the CHC info thread.

No sweat "Mate"

5 weeks on 5 weeks off, US$30000 basic salary with US$85/day whilst on tour. US$100000 Loss of licence insurance plus return airfaires.

That is it I am afraid!!

Cheers,

The Jog

Flying Southern Africa
 

I know its of the topic, but have done contract work in South Eastern Africa.Got paid US$250.00 per day with accomadation and food.
And this was all tax free:}
Was 4w on 2 w off.:hmm:

Cpt: presumably you're ashamed because they are so low!
When one takes into account lack of pensions, loss of licence, not earning when not working, etc etc it is a pittance.

Same goes with the other contributors, LOL of $100,000 isn't worth the paper it's written on really, is it? Especially with that sort of spending power these days.

It seems the WA arena is suffering like several other areas around the world.

Will the helo market ever sort its s*it out :sad:

Evergreen in Cote d´Ivoire and Togo paid from 20 years ago until about a year ago $2,500 dollars a month plus about $300 dollars that was kept in escrow until you finished your contract which had to be for at least for a year. You were also given something like 1,000 dollars for living expenses which was enough to live on. A couple of tickes home a year and that was it.

There was never a problem finding people from all over the world to go there since it was great experience.

Chopper Jog, I'm betting we know each other...

I'm making the equivalent of USD 54000 plus 40/day meals, 5/5 weeks, good benefits and pension.

PM me if you's like.

Well Thomas coupling, it's a bit provocative when I say I am ashame of my wages...no pension, no insurance when off-contract, nothing else than living expenses and believe it or not, it's not even (completly) free of taxes But still it's my choice, and I don't feel like a victim nor a slave, I'm just trying to imagine a nice way of dying when my retirement day will come, maybe is it just about time to start smoking:p One of the good thing is that we feel free this way ! ( sounds a bit dramatic this evening !):ok:

Just to help confirm a couple of Mama's rumours.
Caverton helicopters have just started an air taxi service in Lagos, flying from Murtala Muhammed Airport, to Victoria Island. They are flying AS355 helicopters.
Bristow Helicopters have started in Mauritania, flying 2 Bell 212's for Woodside Australia. This is expected to last for 4-5 months.

419

Caverton Helicopters
 

I was reading somewhere earlier this wk about Caverton and it said they had 4xEC135 on order for the taxi job and they already operated 2x109E on offshore security work for Nigerian Navy and/or the Petroleum Co. Doesn't quite tie up with the above though :confused:

CPT:

You obviously do not want to be contacted via the normal routes!

Would you mind putting an entry into the who's who thread and pictures thread, alongside the others.
It would be of interest to many of us to see who you are and what you boys do over there.

Many thanks, in advance,

TC

I'd just like to say thank you to all those guys who flew me around West Africa for the past 7 years - Bristows & ACN in Nigeria and CHC in Equatorial Guinea (on the Malabo-R F Bauer-Bata shuttle).

:ok: :O

Just in from the swamps.

If you visit MM airport, you'll see the new Caverton hangar being erected there - it's quite big. They haven't started operating yet, but have bought an A109E. They'll be starting a shuttle service from MM airport to a floating heliport at VI.

Who were the Bristow crew robbed on their way from Elelenwo to the IA in Port Harcourt recently? Anybody hurt or did the robbers just steal the laptops etc? Nigeria's not a healthy place to be at the moment from the look oif what's going on in Warri. Is it getting worse or better?

Any news on the rumored S76C+ for ACN in NIgeria?

What's happening with the CHC contract in Malabo - has it been renewed yet?

I've heard that Ed van Dam, the MD of ACN in Nigeria until a few months ago is now working for Bristow. Is he working for them in Nigeria or in some other part of the world?

What's up with all the west African Rotorheads? Just back from the swamps again and heard a few more rumours (it's PPRuNe yes?), though some more plank orientated.
No news on whether there will be a replacement for CHC on the Mobil contract in Malabo, though CHC are now building another heliport on the mainland of Equatorial Guinea because of the political difficulties of operating in Malabo.
Aero Contractors Nigeria rumoured to be replacing some of its Dash 8s with a Boeing 737 in a cost-cutting move. Some of the expat Dash 8 pilots will be laid off and the 737 will be operated by Jugoslavs. This is causing a lot of upset in ACN.

So Aero Contractors Boeing 737 arrived in Lagos yesterday. The Dash 8s were on a dry lease, but the 737 is on a wet lease - wonder if ACN will keep up their previously high standards?

Also a rumor that they're soon getting 2 new Dauphin N3s to add to their already large fleet of N, N1 and N2s.