Interesting thread this one.
Mr Selfish - Just about spot on with your info about ARHT. They are going to be using either a BK117 from one operator of a 365N from another operator as an interim measure until the recently ordered new generation 412 arrives. Thats supposed to be the new version with glass cockpit etc etc. If all goes to plan from here then it is into an AW139. And NO it wont be leased from Airwork
Canterbury Crusader - Phone and Car
Nope, would highly doubt it. Only ones who have cars there at this stage are Brownie and Rea and I think one other. As far as I know Dave Walley, Chief Peelot for the new operation doesnt even have a company car, at least last time I was down there he didnt. I dont even think operators like Careflight in OZ give their pilots company cars.
Feelerup - Was chatting with KM the other day and we had a good chat about the reasons he was leaving THL. Main one is sick of the responsibility and making no inroads on trying to get decent machinery to replace those "nice shiny new modern spick and span" AS355s provided by Airwork. Just wants to go back to flying instead of spending all day in an office dealing with "crap". Cant blame him really. The company he is going to work for is a good one, running some 206Ls and 206Bs in the nice part of PNG.
There are not that many companies in NZ who can afford to pay decent salaries. Here is a list of who I think are the ones to work for, in no particular order. Feel free to comment on any of them.
HNZ
Helicopter Line
Fox & Franz Helicopter Services (James Scott)
Over the Top (Louisa)
Glacier Southern Lakes (Dear Old Pat)
Airwork
ARHT
Flappy
Columbia NZ
Faram Helicopters
Beck Helicopters
Garden City Helicopters
Nelson Helicopters
Wanganui Aero Work
HeliPro
Skywork (Roger Stevenson)
Hele Tranz (Tony Monk)
Heliflight (Andy McKay)
Advanced Flight (Keith Stephens)
Heliworks (Alfie & Crew)
Southern Lakes Helicopters (Hannibal)
Oceania (Josh & Jonathon)
I have prob left a few out but these are ones who have more than one machine that I can think of at the moment.
From what I have seen the best way for anyone to get a decent job is to do your training here, bugger off overseas for a year or three, get some decent experience and hours under their belt and then come back home. Heck some never come back. Look at Lyle Mudford, used to fly 500s in the old deer hunting days, was then a base manager in Africa for CHC and now flying the Cranes in Sarawak for Erickson alongside other kiwis such as Peter Avery, making some very good money as well
Other experienced pilots have also bailed from NZ and are doing the tour option. Armin Egli, IJ (ian Johnston) etc are all commuting to PNG and back. Columbia Helicopters in the USA also have some kiwis there, Stu Feaver to name but one.
No matter where you go in the world, if you have minimum number of hours no one is going to just hand you a job. In the old days newbies would have no hesitation going to work for an operator as a loader driver for a year or two and get the chance to build up hours by ferrying machines, these days however the general attitude I see at the flight schools is that they are "owed" a job by an operator because they have just spent $35K or more on a CPL. And in my opinion that licence sometimes means ****e anyway depending on who your instructor was as the "experience" level of some instructors here extends to the hills around ardmore, unless you train with someone like Bruce Harvey or Simon Expensive-Flowers in Wanaka who have been there and done that.
Anyway just my two cents worth to add to the thread.
Ned