Originally Posted by
gulliBell
The last time I saw Peter he arrived in very bad weather in a VFR helicopter with a HF radio and other things that weren't working, was white as a ghost because he said he almost lost it out over the sea. Whilst refuelling I offered him an overnight at my base, but he decided against it and took off in the same weather towards the mountains. He said he was under time pressure to get back to Lae, which I understood to be for family reasons. I'm quite sure that particular employer wouldn't expect a pilot to push on into bad weather like that.
If offered a job there is no harm in going and making your own assessment. A bit like the weather, if it looks a bit iffy it's still worth taking off and having a look for yourself. I have never worked for the company the subject of this discussion. My only direct interaction is what I mentioned earlier.
And regarding that licensing thing: I don't know how things stand today, but I would be very surprised if you could work in PNG as a helicopter pilot without either a validation of a foreign license, or a PNG license. And about the work permit, yes, it is what it is and I wouldn't be surprised if there were pilots working in PNG on tourist visas. And on the aspect of taxes, I know some funny business can happen there. If you are working in PNG the employer must give you a tax certificate (from memory, at the end of each calendar year, and on cessation of employment) stating the salary earned and the taxes deducted from salary. If an employer won't give you a tax certificate it's a sure bet the taxes that have been deducted from salary have not been remitted where they are supposed to go.
The tax slip is another thing this particular company never supplies. Good luck on getting legal in your own country by declaring money made in PNG. Where the 42% held off pay goes can be left to interpretation.Also, expect to get paid at whatever exchange rate they feel like that particular pay date ( that is if you gonna get paid on time). I know of pilots that got paid at the same exchange rate till they caught up with the scam after losing money. The "equivalent in Australian dollars" means you buy Kina at the bank rate not at the official exchange rate.You pay the exchange not the company so if you gonna transfer to NZ you lose twice.