NCA is a company that needs very careful consideration before undertaking a position with them. I wouldn’t suggest working for them until you have at least taken the time and effort to visit the company and seen the aircraft and the type of flying you will be doing. I did and I fully accepted the reality of what I was getting into. It is unique in every aspect to say the least as are the living conditions as an expatriate.
There are numerous aspects about NCA that have been highlighted above and I endorse without hesitation all that Johhny Utah and mark CRUISE have taken the time to comment on.
My own thoughts are similar and you should be very aware of what will be expected of you should you work for NCA.
Know that you will be taking off out of one way mountain bush strips, 80% of which after “your” V1 should you lose and engine you will die. I won’t apologise for the lack of subtlety because I’m merely stating hard facts. Yes it is the worst case scenario, but isn’t that what we consider as professional pilots every time we go to work.
Unfortunately the CP has proven time and time again that profit comes before safety when any such decision has to be made. Very sad indeed, but very true.
There are problems with mainly the CP’s attitude towards employees (the other two directors are more reasonable) and you will literally be pushing sh#t up hill with a sharp stick if you don’t adopt his flying techniques. These include and are certainly not limited to
-flying less than 500’ agl whilst at 10,000’. Certainly if an engine was lost without a suitable escape route you will plough in.
-flying IMC below LSALT in VFR rated aircraft using VFR only GPS on “made up IFR” tracks.
-not carrying mandatory fuel if any requirements exist. The CP said that we should just call up the agent on the HF for a WX report. Need I state that the agent is NOT an approved observer.
-the only radar is in Moresby so flying out of our base at Nadzab radio calls to tower and approach did not any way reflect our intentions or position.
-not being given a company operations/SOP manual and then being expected to know the content for base/line checks.
-flying single pilot IFR without an autopilot. I’m sure we’ve all done this but in most cases the aircraft is at least fitted with an autopilot that has gone U/S. Don’t think that this will stop DCA doing an instrument initial/renewal with you as this has been going on for over 5 yrs.
-flight and duty times being stretched beyond any semblance of the CAO requirements.
Surely any professional pilot at this stage would have had a minor (more likely major) coronary.
The list goes on and on and yes, I’m quite sure that we’ve all bent the rules to suit on occasions but when this becomes the norm you have to stop and evaluate what we are about. The flying is PNG is unique and you will need to adopt varied flying techniques, however all other RPT operators here work to precise procedures and standards, I guess it just makes it harder for those operators to compete when others aren’t working to the rules and are continuously getting away with it.
I make no apologies for what I have stated above. As I said before it is just the cold hard facts. Also as I stated previously I did know what I was getting into and I made a conscious and informed decision.
I have since made another conscious and informed decision.
I have purposely left any emotion out of this post as I only want Lake Evil to know the facts. The facts hurt and the saddest thing is that it need not be this way. There are numerous other operators in PNG that work in just as trying conditions with all that is involved in flying in PNG, and in some cases, direct competitors to NCA with the same aircraft. So why I ask, does NCA think that the level of safety, professionalism, customer service and every other aspect of aviation that an airline takes pride in, need not apply to them.
I have mainly pointed out the negative aspects and there are most certainly plenty of positive aspects to the flying. It is rewarding, definitely challenging and satisfying. You will fly over the most remote and extreme terrain in the most extreme wx conditions and fly into airstrips that should not be airstrips.
When do the negatives out way the positives? That my friend is a command decision that you as a pilot will have to make.
Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have as I have only really skimmed the surface in answer to your question
Regards
Jack