hey folks,
the way I see it the grass can always seem greener on the other side of the fence.
I don't work for Vic Pol or ESSO or Jayrow but I have good friends in each of them and all these companies have alot to offer pilots down in Victoria. ESSO is an excellent job if you like RPT style of flying and living out of Sale in very much rural Victoria. Jayrow is becoming a force to reckon with in the offshore market with an excellent facility in Tooradin which is semi rural yet close to the hussle and bustle...this is a company to watch. And Vic Pol has been around along time (since 1979) flying ME SPIFR. It is in the hussle and busstle and is great flying because of its varied type of operations, from EMS to Police to SAR. The only complaint I get is mostly related to the CP who seems to have a very bombastic style of leadership. They operate two types of rosters, a 4 day on and 4 day off for the EMS (over an 8 week cycle) then its back to Police / SAR ops on a 10 hour roster (4 days on &3 days off). Yes they do get 9 weeks leave but then most helo operators offer 6 weeks and the extra 3 weeks is because the police pays for a 38 hour week + for working public holidays and weekends on a 24 hour shift system.
So I guess there is no perfect job...you just make the best of what you have then move on if its not to your liking!!
Oh by the way apparently CASA has already approved Vic Pol's NVG ops in principle and the only thing holding things up is the cockpit mod....aparently CHC has some issues and are holding things up. Once the cockpit is moded the green light will turn on for flight training to commence.