View Poll Results: Who is the best contracting company to work for?
Qwila
70
21.08%
ET
59
17.77%
NL
18
5.42%
Solenta
113
34.04%
KAS
16
4.82%
AAS
7
2.11%
Norse
49
14.76%
Voters: 332. This poll is closed
Let us VOTE Contractors
Join Date: Jun 2000
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It would also be interesting to make a comparison of basic terms and conditions. Not a whining thread but a simple of table of F/O / P1 pay for each type inclusive of S&Ts and rotation schedules.
Join Date: Jan 2008
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oh ja
am interested to hear you say that the strips in the delta aren't nearly as tough as sudan/chad/car. obviously you have some experience out of xaxanaka in the rain and have seen something worse up north 
.wan
.wan
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Less chance of getting plugged by a combatant in the Delta, I'd think. When last did an almost seven foot tall, totally naked Dinka step out of the bushes holding an AK47, causing one of your American tourists to faint?
You're also working in a reasonably developed place where help is a few hours away by road or mokoro as opposed to a trackless expanse of sod all where help can take days to reach you if they eventually figure out something's not right. Add to that two wet seasons in the Sudan that make landing in many places next to impossible, mines laid in many places that can move when it's wet, cattle, goats and pedestrians using the runway as a meeting place and just plain dodgy weather making ops over an area around the size of SA a nightmare. Birds are common in the area as the wetlands along the Nile attract many species, notably marabou stork, vulturs and pelicans, none of which are going to make you smile if they come through the windscreen and end up on your lap.
Getting in and out of a 300m strip that's mined on three sides to pick up a casevac is no picnic. On average most people there hit their monthly limit and need to take care they don't exceed it. The workload is high in some appalling conditions. The guys there earn their salaries.
You're also working in a reasonably developed place where help is a few hours away by road or mokoro as opposed to a trackless expanse of sod all where help can take days to reach you if they eventually figure out something's not right. Add to that two wet seasons in the Sudan that make landing in many places next to impossible, mines laid in many places that can move when it's wet, cattle, goats and pedestrians using the runway as a meeting place and just plain dodgy weather making ops over an area around the size of SA a nightmare. Birds are common in the area as the wetlands along the Nile attract many species, notably marabou stork, vulturs and pelicans, none of which are going to make you smile if they come through the windscreen and end up on your lap.
Getting in and out of a 300m strip that's mined on three sides to pick up a casevac is no picnic. On average most people there hit their monthly limit and need to take care they don't exceed it. The workload is high in some appalling conditions. The guys there earn their salaries.
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Well said SRT.
I used to fly in the Delta. Had great times there on 206,210 and C208. If I remember correctly Ntswi was the shortest strip around in the Delta and that was about 650 metres. The rest were all 1km. Does not really compare to the strips here in good old Southern Sudan. Especially rainy season with the famous black-cotton soil.
Munga
I used to fly in the Delta. Had great times there on 206,210 and C208. If I remember correctly Ntswi was the shortest strip around in the Delta and that was about 650 metres. The rest were all 1km. Does not really compare to the strips here in good old Southern Sudan. Especially rainy season with the famous black-cotton soil.
Munga
management?
Join Date: Mar 2008
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It is an interseting forum, and I would like to say first of all, that Solenta is without a doubt the most organised of the bunch. Rossair was not nearly as organised, but a whole bunch of fun. The first couple of posts are a little on the stange side to me. Where do you think that the P1 you were flying with came from? - The one who made the strange decisions you had to blindly follow? He probably spend more time in the swamps or Nam than you, so maybe we are a little touchy! CRM is what it is about boys, maybe not big on the 206, but does becaume important when you grow up. Work on it!
PS. Nothing wrong with the flying in the swamps or Nam, probably the nicest flying you will ever do. Just enjoy it for what it is.
CRM is what it is about boys, maybe not big on the 206, but does becaume important when you grow up. Work on it!PS. Nothing wrong with the flying in the swamps or Nam, probably the nicest flying you will ever do. Just enjoy it for what it is.
Join Date: Mar 2008
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I also think Solenta is the best of the lot. But, every company has its ups and downs, no-one is Utopian. Right now, the Solenta 1900 P1's are getting squeezed quite hard, they are a bit short, so forget about 2 months on 1 month off on contract. More like 9-10 weeks on 2-3 weeks off. So they are taking a bit of creative liberty with the interpretation there, but all in all, its still a good crowd to be with.
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Couldn't agree you more about Rossair .... it was the best of times, the worst of times, but the "Rossair family" and legends will go on forever.
The NAC contracts division is not closing, it has taken a step back to regroup and will continue on. A new "A" team is being recruited at present. They have managed to do what other contract companies couldn't and cut back when times were tough, if only Rossair had done that it would still be going.
The NAC contracts division is not closing, it has taken a step back to regroup and will continue on. A new "A" team is being recruited at present. They have managed to do what other contract companies couldn't and cut back when times were tough, if only Rossair had done that it would still be going.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Worked for Solenta from the beginning, KAS actually sourced the pilots for BJ and packed us off to Abidjan in 3 Vans..only then we met BJ and found out that Solenta will be the name..BJ built Solenta to where they started operating ATR`s then he was bought out by DHL as was the initial agreement with Andy Louw that DHL will have that option after 3 years. Then BJ started Qw..both companies are solid with good managament systems in place..I have lots of respect for BJ, he is and was always a man of his word who took note of his pilots that performed and they were in turn compensated for that, not always in in the money sense but maybe a rating or organizing a loan for an ATR rating or just a simple phone call that he thanked a pilot for helping out. The current management at Solenta is very good and they now run a tight ship as they always had and same goes for Qw..but in both cases Solenta and Qw was started by the same man and they both are top of the poll, says alot for BJ.
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I don`t work for them anymore so why would I favour anyone, all I am saying is that Bruce J started both and they were both voted top companies..as for the comment from the tosser about someone else`s contract flying, that he knows nothing about, one can only wonder what assho like that do on the forum and about his sorry assed flying career..Nuff said..
like that do on the forum and about his sorry assed flying career..Nuff said..
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Merger
With Solenta at 34% of the vote and Qwila at 21% , now that the top 2 rated contract companies have merged, are we allowed to add the scores together to make 55% ? - Just being naughty !
This merger has been a product of the foresight and meticulously detailed planning by the shareholders and management of both companies, who identified that, by combining the strengths of the 2 premium brands in their niche, the outcome would be a very dynamic, financially secure aviation company.
There are economies of scale and exciting future prospects for growth and profitability. With growth and profitability comes more jobs for pilots, engineers and aviation specialists such as Safety and Quality Assurance.
Most importantly, it provides job security, stability and advanced career progression - and with the world markets as they are today, this is a key factor.
This merger takes Solenta to 40 aircraft, and over 160 pilots. There will continue to be recruitment, as further expansion plans are being worked on, and there will be some more exciting developments over the next few months.
We truly believe that we are entering an exciting new era, and by combining the skills and passions that each company brought with it into this deal, the future looks good for the combined team.
- Just being naughty ! This merger has been a product of the foresight and meticulously detailed planning by the shareholders and management of both companies, who identified that, by combining the strengths of the 2 premium brands in their niche, the outcome would be a very dynamic, financially secure aviation company.
There are economies of scale and exciting future prospects for growth and profitability. With growth and profitability comes more jobs for pilots, engineers and aviation specialists such as Safety and Quality Assurance.
Most importantly, it provides job security, stability and advanced career progression - and with the world markets as they are today, this is a key factor.
This merger takes Solenta to 40 aircraft, and over 160 pilots. There will continue to be recruitment, as further expansion plans are being worked on, and there will be some more exciting developments over the next few months.
We truly believe that we are entering an exciting new era, and by combining the skills and passions that each company brought with it into this deal, the future looks good for the combined team.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Is that so important?
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Small note
Sorry Folks, just a small note:
I'm out of this buisness for a while now, but looking at this from the outside, I'd rather say this "Vote Forum" looks more like a US Election style non-sense-buhit-number than a real Scientific one.
How many pilots to visit this website, from how many different operators?
I beleive now Solenta (with all the recent new merges) seems to have the biggest amount of pilots on the Web...
So if those pilots are happy, but still "less" happy than some other flying for much smaller operators, Solenta would still arrive at the top of the Podium!...
I don't say an Operator is better than another one here. First: I don't know them all, second: I simply don't care.
But my small comment was just to attract your attentions that in media (TV, Newspapers, Internet) numbers rarely meen anything and can very easily be interpreted in a very wrong way!
Late Happy new year to all of you.
I'm out of this buisness for a while now, but looking at this from the outside, I'd rather say this "Vote Forum" looks more like a US Election style non-sense-bu
hit-number than a real Scientific one.How many pilots to visit this website, from how many different operators?
I beleive now Solenta (with all the recent new merges) seems to have the biggest amount of pilots on the Web...
So if those pilots are happy, but still "less" happy than some other flying for much smaller operators, Solenta would still arrive at the top of the Podium!...
I don't say an Operator is better than another one here. First: I don't know them all, second: I simply don't care.
But my small comment was just to attract your attentions that in media (TV, Newspapers, Internet) numbers rarely meen anything and can very easily be interpreted in a very wrong way!
Late Happy new year to all of you.
Last edited by theRealFlyingNomad; 6th Jan 2009 at 08:20. Reason: Spelling mistake
