As I sit here in retirement I just cannot let this UTTER NONSENSE prevail
.
As someone who worked alongside a lot of these heli guys, I am ex GASU, your information is so inaccurate it's forced me off the fence; which is why, most people suspect, so many of these posts are scandalous and defamatory!!
Quiet aside from all the Agendas going on here....I suspect a number of you guys need heli jobs or have a personal axe to grind with the IAC (did they train a few of you - blue flu?) hence you are on the net all day, so it makes sense to 'have a go'? (IP addresses are logged)
I do know that the IAC got a company (**S) to train some of the younger pilots years ago. There were only two instructors who did work with them from that company, and their was a very serious allegation that one of these guys barrel-rolled a Garda ec-135 at the end of a training flight in Baldonnel, and was never allowed back into the place! Let's not mention the other issue!
As for the hours comments, the facts are that all AC pilots do 200 hrs+ on the PC 7or 9 and then 180+ rotary BEFORE they start basic line flying (they all do ATPLs too I think, but you can confirm that, I am going swimming).
As for their professionalism: my 2000+ hours EXPERIENCE of flying with these guys is that they were a royal pain because they were so safety conscious and it impacted on the GASU operation. But, with age and a pension, my respect has grown for them. I have HUGE time for their underpaid technicians.
As an ex-aerosexual, I know the following :
50 years of IAC helicopter operations (older than all of you I suspect); one fatal accident (RIP); a number of incidents - like all incidents, many were avoidable I am sure; and, during that time they launched the FIRST HELICOPTER AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE IN EUROPE; Day and Night SAR in Ireland; NV Ops, Army and Navy stuff for 40 years, and, 15+ years of safe GASU operations. And, some of you think they lack experience?
Ladies and Gents as a ex-policeman, I was trained to stay with the facts, you should do the same.
If they are so bad, then why are ex IAC lads Chief Pilots in CHC Ireland, Ryanair (biggest airline back home) and Bond and a whole host of other outfits? Doesn't fit your analysis at all - AGENDAS?
I
owed the AC (for all our arguments) that, safe flying to all and trust only facts.
