What Am I Missing?
Oil companies worldwide are making highest profits ever....in their history.
They are fat with cash and are seeking ways to invest those profits.
The Helicopter Industry has pledged itself to reduce accidents by 80%.
The FAA and NTSB amongst other groups are reviewing the way the Helicopter Industry is doing business particularly in regard to "Safety".
What are helicopter operators doing to use this period of economic boom within the oil industry...to improve their operations and working conditions? Are they raising rates...buying new aircraft and replacing ageing airframes, installing new technology, improving the safety climate, raising wages, providing more Simulator Training, doing more training, investing in improved infrastructure, buying remote site weather reporting equipment?
Or...are they still trying to undercut the competition and carry on the old ways by letting the oil companies chisel them down on rates and such?
Has your outfit done anything to improve your operation or gone after higher rates of return on new contracts? Has the Ad Hoc charter rates gone up in your area by any significant amount?
I bet your fuel costs have....the oil companies have no reluctance to raise rates when they can....why should our industry be any different?