Simulator Training at Aberdeen
Industry Insider,
You say that sim training needs to be carried out overseas. Why is simulator training not available at Aberdeen - or at least somewhere within reasonable driving distance of Aberdeen?
Rather than having to pay for pilots' time off, air travel, hotels, per diems (perhaps?) and for the cost of sim training itself, could not the operating companies form a joint-venture company to provide a simulator locally?
However, I'm sure the bean-counters - in both the helicopter operators and the oil companies - have decided the present arrangement is the cheapest option that ticks the boxes required to be legal. These trips to the sim' presumably cover the legal minimum, plus a little more if time permits.
As SASless says, they are not exactly throwing money at sim' training - and they never will unless sufficient pressure comes from the coal-face users for them to do more. I doubt the oil companies will want to spend an extra penny, unless pressure comes from their work forces.