Ikoyian,
That's what I'm hearing from friends out there too. Apparently yesterday both Bristow and Aero were invloved in the start of the evacuation of the area. According to the news a number of Shell employees are in hospital after the attack on Benisede and an undisclosed number of attackers and army were killed. As you say, a big 'fly safe and good luck' to the many pilots flying in that area
Putting down in the bush with an emergency could lead to an even bigger one in the present situation. Is there increased security for expats living in Port Harcourt and Warri? Knowing Bristow and OLOG, probably not
HPB. There are still many rumours and questions as to how Caverton got their AOC, but I guess that at the end of the day only they and the NCAA know the truth. There are also many stories as to how much they've already spent on setting up their operation - I hear between $15 - 20 million. I can't see how they're making much of a dent into repayments on that sort of sum with their present amount of flying, especially as their Dauphin and Squirrell are both leased from Heliportigal (wonder if they get paid on time?). Last I heard their hangar floor still looks like the North Sea in a gale and their expensive fuel installation was still not working. They also don't seem to have started any scheduled shuttle flights in either Port Harcourt or Lagos yet - maybe because their very unfvourable rostering system of 3 months on, 1 month off isn't attracting too many pilotsl, when Bristow and aero are offering 7/5 or 6/6.
Bristow and Aero both still seem to be short of pilots and I hear that at least 4 more expat pilots are leaving Aero in the next 2 months, so it doesn't look as if the CHC take-over is having much effect on crew numbers as yet. Bristow are still flying around lots of elderly Bell 212s and I hear that spares shortages are now fairly chronic.