No I'm not dead (yet). Well after several months away from my old stomping ground I'm hearing lots of reports of unfulfilled expectations from pilots and engineers in Aero.
Picture the difference and then ask yourself why Aero seems to have more problems with staff numbers than even Bristow in Nigeria:
Arrive at Lagos (or Port Harcourt) and probably find there's no transport to meet you. When the transport arrives, it's too small, filthy and not really roadworthy (remember CHC sells itself to its customers on safety - not for iit's employees when travelling by road apparently!). If you arrive in Lagos apparently you may be taken to some filthy staff annex or a so-called hotel which only the MD deems fit for habitation (if you remember back to when the JAT FIXED WING crews arrived some years ago, they wouldn't have accepted staying in a bug-infested doss house that the helicopter crews are now apparently expected to accept as the norm).
Arrive at the accomodation in Port Harcourt. Good location, but no facilities like Bristow have at most of their locations (swimming pool, gymnasium, squash or tennis courts). Just a converted garage with some broken-down equipment, or walking around the scenic splendors of the Areta Estate - great
As usual, NEPA is running at 200 volts, but on the instructions of the GM the new 500 KVa generator is not allowed to be turned on until the voltage drops to about 160
. Naturally the new CHC management do not have to suffer this as they are very comfortable in their quarters at the Intels camp, with personal transport, good security, swimming pool, restaurant etc. Jolly good!! About on a par with the accomodation that the Bristow crews take for granted in their mink-lined prison.
Discover that your luxury flat has yet again been ruined by flood or fire (cross out whichever does not apply) thanks to superb installation and maintenance by top-of-the-range, well-qualified plumber/electrician, Elvis!!
Decide to go out to drown sorrows due to lovely room and bar full of barmaid's friends drinking on your bar card for free. Shock horror, the only transport for the 40 expats on site has no fuel/no driver/ no spare wheel/no air conditioner/won't start/as mysteriously vanished* (*cross out whichever does not apply) and set off on foot only to be kidnapped by the Ijaw youth freedom movement.
Stay in the staff house, eat the delicious food and go back to make much use of the toilet facilities which unfortunately are not working tonight because of an electrical fire in your house.
Get up, have drug and alchohol abuse test, go to work in super luxury transport with only 11 of you trying to fit in to an old bus. Wave cheerily at the management as they pass in their comfortable car with one person squashed into the 3 available seats
Fly backside off all day and get back to find that the only bus left 10 minutes ago and as it's stuck inn a go-slow, with no spare vehicle you have the joy of a one hour wait before going back to luxury house. days 2 to 42, ditto all the above
Still life could be worse - you could be flying a Bell 206 out of Escravos or booked to go on leave with Bellview, via London, to Australia
Or you could be struggling to live on the generous monthly allowance Caverton pay their employees.
Waiting for more news from old friends. Episode 2 may follow. Despite all of the forgoing, I'd still love to be back in Africa - maybe one day. I'd go back in a heartbeat if I could. Now all I have is my fond memories and stories from friends. Please keep the news coming on PPRuNe. Thanks
MM