Good post halfdv2scl. It has always amazed me that oil companies who (presumably) audit helicopter companies continue to award contracts to those that are clearly not playing by the rules. HeliPortugal is one of many and the bigger operators who generally do invest considerable sums of money in playing by all the rules are suffering.
I have worked for a few similar companies and got out as soon as I could see what was going on. I remember asking to see a copy of the Ops Manual one day when being told to fly what I considered to be in excess of FDL and was informed that the Ops Manual was at the company head office in another country! If I wanted to know the rules I should call the Chief Pilot who, curiously enough, was never around!
There are though (as you say) always pilots desperate for a job or to gain experience or who can't work anywhere else, As long as these people are available and the oil companies/aviation authorities look the other way then the situation will continue sadly.
Last edited by Epiphany; 8th Dec 2010 at 09:53.
Reason: grammar