What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)

[Heliport]

Opening post to preserve thread integrity.

PPRuNe Management

[Mama Mangrove]

We don't seem to hear a lot of news from all the Rotorheads who work in West Africa, and I'm sure their are a lot out there as there's a lot of oil support flying going on there right now. Is this because of lousy comms from that part of the world or has the existence of PPRuNe not really gotten to there yet?
Well as this is a rumor network, here's a few I heard around the bazaars in the last few months:
In Equatorial Guinea CHC is having to bid to keep its contract. It's rumored to be looking for some Dauphin N3s to replace its present aircraft. Any news as to who the other bidders are?
In Nigeria, OLOG now seems to be operating as 2 separate companies. Is that because they're paying pilots in Escravos less than the rates Bristow is paying when operating under that name? It's also rumored that new operator Caverton Helicopters will be starting a shuttle service between Victoria Island and MM Airport with a couple of Agusta 109 Powers soon. It'll be interestin to see how the Power performs in Nigeria - and how good they are with spares back up. I guess they're not competing against Bristow or Aero yet, but I bet CHC must be looking on with interest after their failure to make any headway there as CHC Court a few years ago. I hope they have more luck in keeping going than Court, or the ill-starred venture of Okada some years back. Any rumors as to who's behind them? Talking of Bristow, has the EC155 performance been improved yet? Nobody else seems interested in it in that part of the world, most of the companies seem more interested in S76C+.
There are also rumors that CHC is now taking a look at buying Schreiner. Any PPRuNers heard more about that?
Bristow are also rumored to be sending a couple of 212s back into Mauritania again soon for an offshore exploration support contract.
Well PPRuNers out here in the Mangroves, how about you guys send us some information as to what's happening in this corner of the continent - Guns seems to be the only one who posts regularly;)

[cpt]

No answer yet!!!!
It's probably the "equatorial zero" syndrom...but, nevertheless a bunch of us is struggling hard to keep its blades spinning .
From the "heart of the darkness"
WAWA (West Africa Wins Again
:} )

[Chopper Jog]

Hi to all the other Chopper Drivers in WA (Not West Australia, but rather Africa!!)

Good time to get some rumours under control and get some facts on the table. All West Africa chopper drivers, please post your salary scales and benefits under this heading. It is time that I get some negotiating powers to secure a better deal.

I am also in WA keeping the NR at 293 and T5 within limits:ok:

Look forward to hear from all the other chopper boys.

Cheers,

Chopper Jog

[cpt]

For me it's about 280 usd per contract day + 40 "per diem" rotation schedule is normally 7weeks on-7weeks off ....nice life, sometimes a bit ashamed of my wages !:eek:

[HeloTeacher]

Chopper Jog, how about volunteering your own. One is always leery of one who asks without reciprocity. I have already posted a fair bit of wage rumour in the CHC info thread.

[Chopper Jog]

No sweat "Mate"

5 weeks on 5 weeks off, US$30000 basic salary with US$85/day whilst on tour. US$100000 Loss of licence insurance plus return airfaires.

That is it I am afraid!!

Cheers,

The Jog

[Dynamic Component]

I know its of the topic, but have done contract work in South Eastern Africa.Got paid US$250.00 per day with accomadation and food.
And this was all tax free:}
Was 4w on 2 w off.:hmm:

[Thomas coupling]

Cpt: presumably you're ashamed because they are so low!
When one takes into account lack of pensions, loss of licence, not earning when not working, etc etc it is a pittance.

Same goes with the other contributors, LOL of $100,000 isn't worth the paper it's written on really, is it? Especially with that sort of spending power these days.

It seems the WA arena is suffering like several other areas around the world.

Will the helo market ever sort its s*it out :sad:

[BlenderPilot]

Evergreen in Cote d´Ivoire and Togo paid from 20 years ago until about a year ago $2,500 dollars a month plus about $300 dollars that was kept in escrow until you finished your contract which had to be for at least for a year. You were also given something like 1,000 dollars for living expenses which was enough to live on. A couple of tickes home a year and that was it.

There was never a problem finding people from all over the world to go there since it was great experience.

[HeloTeacher]

Chopper Jog, I'm betting we know each other...

I'm making the equivalent of USD 54000 plus 40/day meals, 5/5 weeks, good benefits and pension.

PM me if you's like.

[cpt]

Well Thomas coupling, it's a bit provocative when I say I am ashame of my wages...no pension, no insurance when off-contract, nothing else than living expenses and believe it or not, it's not even (completly) free of taxes But still it's my choice, and I don't feel like a victim nor a slave, I'm just trying to imagine a nice way of dying when my retirement day will come, maybe is it just about time to start smoking:p One of the good thing is that we feel free this way ! ( sounds a bit dramatic this evening !):ok:

[419]

Just to help confirm a couple of Mama's rumours.
Caverton helicopters have just started an air taxi service in Lagos, flying from Murtala Muhammed Airport, to Victoria Island. They are flying AS355 helicopters.
Bristow Helicopters have started in Mauritania, flying 2 Bell 212's for Woodside Australia. This is expected to last for 4-5 months.

419

[ppheli]

I was reading somewhere earlier this wk about Caverton and it said they had 4xEC135 on order for the taxi job and they already operated 2x109E on offshore security work for Nigerian Navy and/or the Petroleum Co. Doesn't quite tie up with the above though :confused:

[Thomas coupling]

CPT:

You obviously do not want to be contacted via the normal routes!

Would you mind putting an entry into the who's who thread and pictures thread, alongside the others.
It would be of interest to many of us to see who you are and what you boys do over there.

Many thanks, in advance,

TC

[Aksai Oiler]

I'd just like to say thank you to all those guys who flew me around West Africa for the past 7 years - Bristows & ACN in Nigeria and CHC in Equatorial Guinea (on the Malabo-R F Bauer-Bata shuttle).

:ok: :O

[Mama Mangrove]

Just in from the swamps.

If you visit MM airport, you'll see the new Caverton hangar being erected there - it's quite big. They haven't started operating yet, but have bought an A109E. They'll be starting a shuttle service from MM airport to a floating heliport at VI.

Who were the Bristow crew robbed on their way from Elelenwo to the IA in Port Harcourt recently? Anybody hurt or did the robbers just steal the laptops etc? Nigeria's not a healthy place to be at the moment from the look oif what's going on in Warri. Is it getting worse or better?

Any news on the rumored S76C+ for ACN in NIgeria?

What's happening with the CHC contract in Malabo - has it been renewed yet?

[Mama Mangrove]

I've heard that Ed van Dam, the MD of ACN in Nigeria until a few months ago is now working for Bristow. Is he working for them in Nigeria or in some other part of the world?

[Mama Mangrove]

What's up with all the west African Rotorheads? Just back from the swamps again and heard a few more rumours (it's PPRuNe yes?), though some more plank orientated.
No news on whether there will be a replacement for CHC on the Mobil contract in Malabo, though CHC are now building another heliport on the mainland of Equatorial Guinea because of the political difficulties of operating in Malabo.
Aero Contractors Nigeria rumoured to be replacing some of its Dash 8s with a Boeing 737 in a cost-cutting move. Some of the expat Dash 8 pilots will be laid off and the 737 will be operated by Jugoslavs. This is causing a lot of upset in ACN.

[Mama Mangrove]

So Aero Contractors Boeing 737 arrived in Lagos yesterday. The Dash 8s were on a dry lease, but the 737 is on a wet lease - wonder if ACN will keep up their previously high standards?

Also a rumor that they're soon getting 2 new Dauphin N3s to add to their already large fleet of N, N1 and N2s.

[Wavewatcher]

One N3 is being configured in Schreiner's hangar in Holland. It was originally intended for marine pilot transfers but will probably head for Nigeria before Christmas.

[Mama Mangrove]

This is too much like hard work if no other Rotorheads amongst the many, many who must be in W. Africa can be bothered to say anything - are you just uninterested or frightened your bosses may accuse you of such illegal acts as contributing to PPRuNe:confused:

Maybe the problem is that too many French pilots operating in Francophone countries in west Africa have not heard about PPRuNe or do not wih to reply in English. If that's what's bothering you, please post in French or even in very bad English - it surely can't be any worse than some of the efforts from supposed native English speakers on many of the threads. Contribute in English, French, Soanish or Portuguese - I'm sure there will be someone else who can translate it into English for those of us unfortunate enough (or lazy enough) to speak only one language.

Anybody heard about a Heli Union hard landing offshore Angola? What about rumors of a new contract on mainland Equatorial Guinea?

Maybe I'll just read Rotor and Wing if this is the level of rumors to which PP(Rumor)Ne has now fallen:eek:

[leading edge]

Mama Mangrove

Keep your cool......don't get so upset!

But, you are on the money with the 365N incident....

The hard landing was on a barge offshore Angola. Barge was working for Exxon and helicopter was chartered by barge company not Exxon (365N not approved by Exxon)

Don't know whether it was Heli Union 365N sub leased to Sonair or whether it was Sonair's own 365N (or Emasa's) but had a tail strike on the barge apparently, nobody hurt but badly damaged. Happened sometime in early to mid October.

Also heard that Airlog/Pan/Bristow had a new Bell 412 damaged on ramp in Lagos while it was being delivered airfreight. Got hit by a speeding ground handling vehicle of some kind. Work team sent from UK/USA to fix it, it will take 8 weeks or so to fix.

LE

[the coyote]

It was a Heli Union 365. Came in downwind I heard and banged the tail pretty hard, caved the bottom of the shroud in. Can happen to the best of us....

[engineoff]

Dauphin was inspected the other day by Eurocopter reps but not sure what the outcome was... Think a fair bit more damage may have been discovered and being a straight N model , not sure about the economics of repair. From what I gather, the captain is looking for a new job.

Heh Coyote...

Hope you are ok. Your presence in Papa Romeo is missed!
:D

[PANews]

In recent days there was a report on the Nigerian politicos suggesting that their police should have '100 helicopters' to deal with a 'tide of robberies' etc.

From the prices quoted I guess we are talking about R22s or similar [please take some of the UK unwanted AS355s as well!] but the question raised is more whether there are enough pilots in being to support such a fleet.... this is an extract....




To stem the tide of armed robbery in the country early last month the House of Representatives passed a motion, asking the Federal Government to buy 100 helicopters for aerial patrols in the 36 states of the federation.
The cost of the helicopters, according to the sponsor of the motion, Hon. Datti Baba-Ahmed is approximately $100,000 each adding that about N1.4 billion would be needed to purchase the 100 helicopters.
Presenting the motion, Baba-Ahmed said the cost is affordable and not too much to keep Nigerians safe from the marauding men of the underworld.

[cpt]

Hello mama mangrove,

"pprune" is becoming popular and appreciated amongst french rotorheads around the gulf of Ginea and elsewhere.
But i have the feeling that for some reason,helicopter pilots in France are used to keep a low profile....there is an helicopter forum on the french site "www.radiocockpit.com" but not very active neither.
For your information don't worry for the AS365N captain who recently had this "hard landing" on an helideck in Angola....he is still flying on operation and not looking for another job as someones above believes.


:ok:

[the coyote]

engineoff,

Coyote is AOK, largely because of my lack of presence in Papa Romeo!

[HeloTeacher]

Hello again MM,

CHC renewed in Malabo for ExxonMobil, 2 x SK76C+'s.

The new base construction on the mainland, I think your info is off?

Later...

[Mama Mangrove]

Hi Helo Teacher,

Think you'll find that the new base on the mainland for Triton Oil, not Exxon/Mobil.

cpt - glad to hear that French rotorheads around the Gulf of Guinea read pprune. I hear that quite a few of them are now on the way to Nigeria for Schreiner. Hope they'll feel that they can contribute here without fear. A bientot.

MM

[cpt]

Yes, and more and more I am considering to join this part of the gulf myself....providing there is some room left! :hmm:
So see you sometimes then !

[HeloTeacher]

Mama,

You are correct in that Triton built a new facility, not for politics but for less transit time to their offshore facilities. I advised that your info was off because it was not built by CHC and had been completed for some time when your post was placed here.

Am I correct that you are operating in Nigeria? I am expecting to be going there shortly and was interested to know if I would be running into you??

[Mama Mangrove]

HT,

Thanks for the updated information on the Triton base.

Interesting to hear that you're off to Nigeria. There's a lot a lot going on there, but we don't hear much about it on Prune. I don't operate there for an aviation company, but I have a lot of contacts there.

[zalt]

The 5 year CHI Malabo contract for Exxon (with 2 S76C+s) mentioned by HeloTeacher is to replace 2 212s currently in use wef March next year.

With their recent agreement , to provide 2 S76C+s to United Helicharter to support deepwater drilling offshore India, this appers to use up the 4 CHI S76C+ orders announced arround about the time of HeliTech: http://www.sikorsky.com/news_index/1,3033,CLI1_DIV69_ETI435_PID5229,00.html.

[Helo wife]

Ijaw Youths in Fresh Protest, Seize Oil Flow Station

Vanguard (Lagos)

November 20, 2003
Posted to the web November 20, 2003

Kingsley Omonobi
Warri

ONE of the largest oil platforms in Bayelsa State, the Middleton oil flow station, located about 25 miles offshore, was yesterday over-run by Ijaw youths, with the Navy swiftly responding by deploying its fast attack craft to the platforms to recover the flow station. Middleton oil flow station is responsible for producing about 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day is operated by the Chevron/Texaco oil venture.

According to sources, the youths who seized the platform, used the creeks in the swampy waters leading to the flow station and were heavily armed with such weapons as grenades, submachine guns and AK-47 rifles.

Among many other things, the youths are demanding payment of N260 million to a security outfit made up of Bayelsans living in Foropa Bakolgo for the provision of security to the flow station in the past. They are also demanding compensation in respect of the recent oil spill to be paid to all the Chevron/Texaco host communities.

They want another N3 million paid to the territorial security outfit (Bini-Oru) and employment given to the Bini-Oru surveillance team and 1,000 persons employed at N150,000 as salary per person.

Also demanded is the provision of two speed boats with double seven-horse power Yamaha engine and the provision of a technical college to be sited at Foropa Kingdom, and construction of major roads in Foropa Kingdom, a town hall project as well as construction of a landing jetty at Foropa Kingdom.

Informed sources told Vanguard that following the seizure of the platform, Nigeria would be losing about $145 million in income daily.

The hijacking of the Middleton oil platform is coming barely two weeks after Ijaw youths issued an ultimatum to Chevron/Texaco operated Okan oil fields located between Warri and Bayelsa to either meet similar demands or risk the seizure of the platform.

Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that Naval warships stationed in Warri with responsibility for provision of off-shore security for the Niger Delta, NNS Kyanwa and NNS Ologbo had swung into action with a view to dislodging the youths. According to sources, the lives of expatriates workers in the platform as well as equipment are so important that the Navy would not want to take chances during the operation.

The two Naval warships (C-cat series) which recently apprehended seven ships engaged in bunkering have closed capabilities to engage close range and medium range aggressors as well as trained seamen for on-shore patrol confrontation.

allAfrica.com (http://allafrica.com/stories/200311200259.html)

and
Militants seize Nigerian oil platforms, hold 14 workers
An armed gang has stormed two US-owned oil platforms in the sea off southern Nigeria and is holding 14 workers captive, energy giant ChevronTexaco said.

Chevron Nigeria's public affairs manager Sola Omole said in a statement that 18 Nigerian workers were on the rigs when the assailants arrived, but four have already been released.

"So far, no one has been reported injured," he said.

The gang are members of a security outfit recruited from the local ethnic Ijaw community by ChevronTexaco to protect the rigs.

They are reported to be demanding a huge cash payout.

The rigs - the Pennington and the Middleton platforms - lie a short distance off the shore of Bayelsa State, part of the oil-rich but socially troubled Niger Delta region.

"Senior officials of the Bayelsa State Government are helping with the negotiations to ensure a safe and peaceful resolution of the incident," Omole said.

"The management of the Chevron Nigeria Ltd has reported the incident to federal security agencies," he added.

According to a report in the Nigerian daily The Vanguard, the gang is armed with assault rifles, and two Nigerian navy patrol boats have been sent to the area.

ABC online (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s993966.htm)

[Helo wife]

A kidnapper was gunned down yesterday and 20 of his colleagues arrested when a Nigerian Navy ship on rescue mission swooped on them at the Pennington oil flowstation where the armed bandits have held hostage 18 workers of US oil major, Chevron Texaco, in the last two days.

The rescue operation was launched by the Joint Military Task Force on the Niger Delta, with the Naval warship NNS Kyanwa in the lead.

At least one of the hostages was seriously injured during the rescue operation.

THISDAY gathered that the rescue operation was made more difficult by the fact that the kidnappers wielded highly sophisticated arms and resisted being dislodged.

"One of the hostage-takers was killed and a Chervon staff seriously wounded in the course of the operation," a top official of the military task force told THISDAY on the phone.

The youths, our cheeks revealed, stormed the flowstation on Tuesday demanding the immediate payment of N260 million to an indigenous security company said to have worked for Chevron on the platform. They also demanded for compensation for oil spillages that allegedly occurred in the area in the recent past.

The workers were abducted on Wednesday when the youths of Bini-Oru Security from the Foropa Community stormed ChevronTexaco's Middleton and Pennington Oil Platforms off the coast of Bayelsa State.

The action has since led to loss of 300 barrels of oil per day (bpd) following the closure of the Middleton platform.

The international oil market reacted swiftly to the attack on the US oil firm, with crude prices rising sharply to $32 per barrel.

Chevron said in a press statement signed by the company's General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mr. Sola Omole, that following intense negotiations with the youths, four of the kidnapped workers was initially released.

"Fourteen persons are still being held by those who boarded the facilities. So far, no one has been reported injured," the company said.

Chevron said the incident has been reported to federal security agencies. It added that both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Department of Petroleum Reso-urces (DPR) and other state agencies, had also been informed of the kidnap.

"Senior officials of the Bayelsa State Government were helping with the negotiations to ensure a safe and peaceful resolution of the incident," it stated.

Wednesday's abduction of Chevron workers, was the second of such attack on the company's personnel in two weeks. Early last week, 12 oil workers were kidnapped on the Escravos waters on their way to production facilities. The 12 were released later.

The latest issue almost disrupted participation of ChevronTe-xaco in the Annual International Conference of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Exporationists (NAPE) in Abuja, as its representatives hurriedly evacuated their exhibition stand.

"This onslaught is getting too much, it seemed the youths have turned it into a big-time business," said a senior official of the company. Chevron said in the statement that it was prepared to take further actions deemed necessary to ensure the safety of its personnel and protect the NNPC/Chevron joint venture's assets.

It would be recalled that Chevron, Nigeria's third biggest oil producer, has been losing 140,000 bpd of its oil output since last July, after the company was forced to close all its swamp production facilities following rising ethnic violence in the Warri area of Delta State.

The Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), a body of gas producing and distribution companies, said yesterday it was worried by the incessant youth restiveness, which it said, was induced by the deep sense of marginalisation in the Niger Delta.

According to the spokesman of the group, Mr. Mike Owhoko, the body will hold a stakeholders' session next week to look at how host communities could be involved in the effective management of crisis to reduce threats.

NGA noted that the unrest in the Niger Delta has eaten deep into Federal Government revenue.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian kidnap saga, coupled with yesterday's multiple explosions in Istanbul, Turkey and reports of a possible decline in US crude oil stocks, sent oil prices to a high $32.92 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange .

The Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Alvaro Silva, said the group will produce more oil if prices remain outside its $22-$28 a barrel band.

OPEC has pledged to keep its basket price within the range by raising output by 500,000 barrels a day if the basket price holds above $28/bbl for 20 consecutive trading days, or lowering output by 500,000 b/d if the basket price stays below $22/bbl for 10 consecutive trading days.

OPEC will meet on December 4, to settle new target output ceilings. It cut production by 3.5 percent last September to defend the band after a sudden steep fall in prices triggered fears of a price collapse.

From THISDAY news (http://www.thisdayonline.com/news/20031121news01.html)

I know these two postings have not been directly relevant to rotorheads, but in the spirit of this thread "What's new in West Africa" I thought they are relevant. Anyone who's flown there knows the real and ongoing dangers of being hijacked, and the current situation whether or not it involves helicopters or pilots on this occasion, is relevant, I believe. Anyway, at least this particular event is over. It won't be the last time we see similar things with the Ijaws, or particularly the Ijaw youth, though.

[international hog driver]

If anyone wants some pic's of F-GFYU I got some when we took the EC boys up to FNSO.

and..... Coyote, you in @ the moment or is able seaman bubble eyes in town:E

see you next month

[the coyote]

Coyote is out at the mo...

[Mama Mangrove]

I see that Caverton Helicopters hangar at Lagos (which is really big and looks very well put together) is about finished and their office or terminal building seems to be doing well, but there´s no sign of any helicopters yet. Does anybody know what´s happening to them? I don´t know of any pilots they´ve hired. There was a lot about them in the local papers here some months ago, but now all has gone quiet.

[TomBola]

I hear they have an Agusta 109 they're buying in Europe, but I don't know if they've hired any pilots or mechanics yet, except for one expat who seems to be working in Lagos now. There are rumors the Chief Pilot is a South African.
I hope they don't go the way of Okada, who hired in a couple of PZL Swidniks and Polish crews and got nowhere with them. There was also the Court S76 which was operating as Stillwater, but even with an oil company contract, they failed to break into the Nigerian market and pulled out after a couple of years (though I guess they'll be back again now in their new CHC guise after they take over ACN). Caverton sure seem to be spending money if they've paid for that big new hangar, so I guess they're serious.

[Tokunbo]

This article appeared in 'This Day' in September:
Caverton Helicopters (http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2003/09/08/20030908news02.html)
I was told they now have 2 Agusta 109, not EC 135s. If so, it will be the first time the 109 has been operated as a civil helicopter in Nigeria.
They also have some kind of floating helistop down at VI now.
If they're going to have only expatriate pilots it will surely upset the national pilots and I wonder how they will get work permits for them if they don't employ Nigerians. It will also make the service very expensive if they have to pay for a lot of expatriates, so I hope they can make it pay and not go the way of Okada.
Still, the Makanjuola family is well connected in Nigeria and they get plenty money, so they should be able to make it work well.:ok:

[Mama Mangrove]

At last Caverton Helicopters is advertising for helicopter pilots in Flight. They still have no helicopters in Nigeria and contacts say that all they have so far is 2 Agusta 109Es which are still in Europe. It looks as if the S76 in their advert is just a 'fishing expedition' for possible future expansion. Their hangar at MM Airport looks really big (maybe for planned fixed wing expansion in competition withy ACN?), but their downtown heliport has a way to go yet.
I hear that the Chief Pilot has not yet arrived here and has never been to Nigeria. I'm sure he'll find that he is most welcome and that it's not a bad place to be, despite some of the previous stories here on Prune.
It will be interesting to see if Caverton can match the salaries and leave schedules being offered by Bristow and Aero if they only have 2 helicopters which will not be on contract, but having to earn their keep on the short run between VI and MM airport. ACN are still recruiting and are offering 6/6 contracts paid in euro and Bristow also have to replace the pilots they laid off at Eket after the Exxon/Mobil age ruling. They are offering 7/5 contracts which pay a bit more than ACN. Both Bristow/OLOG and ACN operate exclusively on oil company contracts so to a great extent their pilots are paid for in advance. It will be interesting to see if a wholly Nigerian company can compete against 2 major worldwide operators in terms of pay, conditions and long-term job security. It will also, undoubtedly be interesting to see if the Agusta 109 can stay serviceable in Africa and even more, whether it is able to carry the volumes of baggage which Nigerian business passengers connecting with international flights will undoubtedly want to carry. I hear that there has been a lot of overt hostility to their operation from Aero, possibly because they see them as more of a threat than Bristow in the long term (because of Aero's fixed wing operations, and possibly some professional jealousy that they didn't think of the idea of setting up a shuttle service between MM and VI first).
I'm sure that over the next few months their operations will start and it is to be hoped that for once a Nigerian company will be here to stay unlike the previous efforts of Okada and Stillwater and the lack of any growth of Southern Air. I'm sure that most of us will wish them good luck and be happy that their arrival will herald an expansion in the jobs market in Nigeria.

[TomBola]

With ACN, Bristow/OLOG and Caverton all recruiting staff for Nigeria at the moment there's a very good book which is worthwhile reading for anybody contemplating going there. It's 'this house has fallen - Nigeria in Crisis' by Karl Maier, published by Penguin (ISBN 0-14-029884-3). Mr Maier is a journalist who spent a number of years in Nigeria and likes the Nigerian people. The book is not optimistic but it is fair, honest, and sympathetic. It's also well written and an easy read. (oh and by the way, I'm not associated with the book in any way, so it's not a commercial plug, just trying to help those thinking of Nigeria for work:ok: )

[the coyote]

A Sonair 76 C+ had a main gearbox malfunction last week offshore from Angola. Gos is an oil pump failure putting metal in the gearbox. They had the chip light, low pressure, high temperature. Fortunately they were only 5 nm or so from their departure vessel and managed to land back on. Heard that the oil company isn't happy they landed on the vessel and said they should have put it in the water. All hearsay.

[Cyclic Hotline]

CHC Helicopter looks for global cost savings after foreign-exchange losses

DENE MOORE
Canadian Press
Tuesday, March 02, 2004

ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (CP) - CHC Helicopter Corp. is looking for cost savings at its international operations to help offset foreign-exchange losses that led to an $8.1-million drop in revenue in the last quarter.

Company president Sylvain Allard said Tuesday that CHC took a $5.9-million restructuring charge but hopes to realize $11 million in savings from the reorganization of its European operations.

"As far as the restructuring in Europe, we're done," Allard told analysts in a conference call.

CHC recently consolidated the company's European operations, creating a single management structure and streamlining the workforce.

The 3,400-employee firm is the world's largest provider of heavy and medium helicopter services to the global offshore energy industry.

Now the company will evaluate recent acquisitions and operations in other countries, Allard said the day after the Newfoundland-based helicopter services company revealed lower earnings and revenues for its latest fiscal quarter.

"We're looking at other areas outside Europe where we can look at cost savings, obviously Schreiner being one," he said. "In terms of costs, it's too early to even say where that's going to be."

CHC announced in December that it had acquired Netherlands-based Schreiner Aviation Group in a $129-million cash deal.

Chief financial officer Jo Marc Zurel said in the coming months the firm will evaluate the Schreiner holdings, which currently operates as an autonomous subsidiary.

"Certainly within the next quarter to two quarters we should be able to give a little more detail on what we'd look to sell, but we don't want to be too hasty in making decisions on these things," he said.

CHC reported Monday it earned $9 million or 43 cents a share for the three months ended Jan. 31. That compared with a profit of $15.6 million or 76 cents a share for the same period a year earlier.

Quarterly revenue fell to $171.9 million from $180 million, due mainly to unfavourable foreign exchange and a soft market in the North Sea, where CHC does most of its business.

The company lost $13.9 million as the value of the Canadian dollar strengthened against the Norwegian kroner, the pound sterling and the U.S. dollar.

"It's important to keep in mind that CHC is an international company with virtually no Canadian-dollar revenue," Zurel said.

For the nine months ended Jan. 31, CHC earned $38.3 million or $2.15 per share on revenues of $518.2 million. That compared with a profit of $43.2 million or $2.47 per share on revenues of $546.7 million for the same period a year earlier.

Despite the dropping revenues, Allard said the third quarter was one of the company's best, thanks to the Schreiner acquisition and more than $700 million in new and renewed contracts.

CHC's core business is providing helicopter services to the world's offshore oil and gas companies. About two-thirds of CHC's more than $720 million in annual revenue is generated by offshore helicopter services, with the rest coming from air ambulance, search and rescue, onshore work and repair and overhaul services.

In trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Tuesday, CHC's class-A shares (TSX:FLY.A) fell three cents to $36.47.

[Tokunbo]

Nearly 2 years after Caverton Helicopters first advertised in Flight magazine they still have no helicopter in Nigeria, they've built a huge hangar at MM airport, they've hired a couple of Brits and a South African and they still haven't flown a single flight. Are these people serious or is it just another Nigerian scam? If they're just going to fly a VIP shuttle between MM airport and VI why have they got such a huge hangar and why are they advertising for pilots with experience on the S76C?
Anybody been offered work by them yet?

[Mama Mangrove]

Has anybody heard any more news about the new contract in Sudan yet? I hear that there are quite a number of bidders this time, ranging from MHS to CHC to Schreiner.

[Bluey Zarseoff]

I've heard that the Sudan contract will be announced in the next few weeks. Does anyone know if this is an onshore or offshore job and what helicopter type is required?

Bluey

[overtorqued]

Words out, Looks like CHCA ( Africa) has been awarded a 12mos contract with Petronas to supply one of each B-212, AS-332, B-206 for onshore support of five platforms. Looks like I might be 'nominated' to go and from what I've read, it ranks right up there with dysentry and root canals!:yuk: Looks like Malabo might not have been so bad!
Anyone with any operational experience is welcome to post their experiences , recommendations etc.

[rotordk]

To Mama Mangrove : CHC bought Schreiner

[Mama Mangrove]

Just back from the swamps so I've been a bit out of touch with Prune.

rotordk. CHC bought Schreiner but they still operate independently under that name and bid on contracts in their own right.

Hear that although Bristow is changing to 8/4 it will be for more money and that they'll also be offering 6/6 for less money to balance things up.. They may be getting some 332Ls in Nigeria in addition to their new S76C+s for deepwater offshore.

Aero Contractors are also rumored to be getting some new 365N3s and EC135s, with the possibility of some 332Ls if they need them for the deepwater contracts.

Pan African must be pleased that they managed to get the icing on the cake with the helicopters for the Presidency, and they've taken a few Nigerian pilots from the other operators to man them.

New starter Caverton Helicopters seems to be new stopper at the moment! :E Their only helicopter, an A109 is still in UK and the new South African MD they hired to get things up and running seems to be unable to move them forward. Their hangar is still not complete, nor is their floating VI helipad. They'll need a lifejacket to stay afloat and watch the boat leaving at their present rate of progress ;) . I hear that they think they can get expat pilots to work a 12/4 roster for less money than any of the other operators are paying, despite the fact that all of them are getting stretched for pilots willing to work in Nigeria. I'd have thought that to get pilots to work for a wholly Nigerian company, with the reputation they have, Caverton would have to offer a better deal. Unless they actyually start soon the entire exercise is probably a bit academic anyway.

What's happening out there in the rest of the swamps and mountains, PPruners? What about the rumours of a number of expatriate staff having had to leave Malabo as a result of the alleged coup plot after the 727 was arrested in Zim?

Let's get a bit of feed back. I can't believe that you no dey hear anyting at all!! :hmm:

[Hippolite]

Mama Mangrove

Bristow has had 2x AS332Ls in Nigeria since March 18th working for Shell Deepwater (Bonga Field?)

Who is the Oil Company in the Sudan? Rumour is that bid submission date has been extended to 12 May instead of 12 April.

HH:cool:

[Mama Mangrove]

I guess nothing's happening in Africa at the moment then?

I hear that a lot of the Antipodeans working for CHC/ACN in Nigeria are less than happy with their travel arrangements and are looking to leave. Guess that will make ACN have pilot shortage problems all over again. These could be made worse because new operator Caverton will undoubtedly poach staff from the other operators. They seem at last to be getting some kind of act together and it's rumored that their A109 could even arrive before the end of the year!! Haven't heard of many pilots interested in working for them yet though - maybe because they decided to pay their expats staff in $US, or because it's taken them over 2 years to even get 1 helicopter close to up and running?

There are also quite strong rumors that CHC will be closing down most of the Schreiner facilities in Hoofddorp, Holland, and transferring them to Aberdeen to their new operations centre. This will probably cause them quite a few problems as Dutch unions are not reknowned for giving up without a good fight - watch this space!!

Another rumor doing the rounds of Schreiner staff overseas is that those working in Africa will be transferred to the control of CHC Africa, be administered from South Africa, and will have no pay rises until their pay is as low as that of other CHC Africa operations (currrently a basic of around US$3500 a month). There are persistent denials by management, which are just as persistently not believed by the staff, epecially after the debacle over the changes to the way their tax is handled! As they have a lot of management staff, maybe there will be fewer of them around to make the denials in future! Expect to see further bail outs from all those worried about their pay and future.

Shell are also rumored to be thinking of pulling out of onshore operations in Nigeria and this is causing a number of OLOG/Bristow pilots to worry about their jobs.

Not altogtether a happy or secure scene at the moment:hmm:

[HeloTeacher]

MM, your info is a little dated. Ref. the CHC management shakeup in Oz thread. Mr. Dobbin's letter assuages some doubts, hopefully.

If CHC Africa had gotten the nod, a more likely result would have been a sudden staff shortage.

The Shell rumour was, to my eyes, more reporters that can't read rather than an actual desire to leave.

[Tokunbo]

Helo Teacher,

Are you in CHC management by any chance?

Mama Mangrove didn't mention anything of management shake-ups in Oz, he was talking about Holland. And the rumors are still circulating about who will finally control the present Schreiner operations in Africa, with no rebuttals from anyone in CHC management. You don't get sudden staff shortages while people are looking at alternatives. After all, it's only a few months since the CHC take-over of Schreiner. Hope you're right (for my own sake!).

[HeloTeacher]

Mentioned Thread w/ letter (http://www.pprune.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=136916)

See the above for the letter. That is what I was directing the attention to in the thread. My post was poorly worded but I was a little tired. I consider that a rebbutal.

Funny, whenever someone on Pprune is actually supportive of a company then they must be part of it's management. On the contrary, I've pi$$ed quite a few of them off, but am a long way from being part of it (management).

You are correct, no staff shortages when people are looking. The staff shortages happen when people with balls are willing to quit immediately upon a change that adversely affects them, rather than hanging on. We're still be waiting to see who stays and goes if the worst happens. I'm confident it won't.

[Tokunbo]

Helo Teacher,
Thanks for that link. I work for CHC but that's the first time I've seen Mr Dobbin's letter. Guess distribution is not a CHC strongpoint, but it has set my mind at rest a bit. Sorry if I thought you were management, it's just I never even heard of the information you were mentioning until I read your link!

[Thumper2]

:D

HT you got proMoted? LOL Next thing ya will be running across the pond for a beer with the boss! LOL

Got sun finally!

[Rotor-runner]

Hear Caverton have placed options on 2 x AB 139's !! When they arrive it should make things interesting!!!

[Tokunbo]

Caverton....AB139's!! It's taken them 2 years just to get 1 A109 to Nigeria - and that's the wrong aircraft for the job they want to do. :zzz:

[Bivar4]

For those interested on in house info, call

[email protected]

[Tokunbo]

Come now, poor old Terry's just the spanner twirler so he has to work. Why not give the a-mail address of the Lizard who should have the real information? :hmm:

[Mama Mangrove]

I hear OLOG/Bristow in Nigeria got a pay rise this year. That must be a good slap in the face for all the ACN/Schreiner guys who, since their take-over by CHC weren't even notified that they were getting nothing. What's happening with ACN/Schreiner since the takeover - are they now going to be part of the new overseas division administered from Vancouver, or will it be business as usual with the Dutch running things? I hear they're worried that a certain ex-Scotia manager, now based in South Africa may soon have responsibility for them :(

What about Caverton? I see they now have quite a pretty A109 at their hangar. Has it been operating yet? I hear they may be getting something larger fairly soon.

Is the new 332L2 which Helikopter Service delivered to Angola recently, operating now?

[Bivar4]

"I hear they're worried that a certain ex-Scotia manager, now based in South Africa may soon have responsibility for them"

Why should they be worried? they might be happy!!!! :O

[HeloTeacher]

Not if they know him.

[cpt]

Mama mangrove,

The recently delivered AS 332L to Angola, is now angolan registred and has been operating for a good couple of months , along with the 2 others.

[Mama Mangrove]

Hello girls,

Just back from leave.

Bristow yet again in Mauritania - is no-one else interested in trying to get in there? Hi Brains!
;)

CHC going to start in Sudan with an SA365N2 from Eurocopter Malaysia, though it's APRAM (Schreiner) who are looking for the crews. Any bets as to whether they'll be paid the CHC Africa (:yuk: ) salary or the APRAM salary (slightly less :yuk: ). By all accounts Sudan is a good place to work :} . At least Khartoum and Heglig are well away from Darfur, but Heglig has recently been a hotspot as it was partially destroyed by rebels only a couple of years ago. I hope they're paying a good danger allowance :hmm:

CHC boss in Malabo recently quit and more changes in people in Douala. Both much nicer than Nigeria, so wonder what's up there? Rumours that the new CHC accommodation in Luanda has lots of restrictions on crew personal life.

ACN still losing people in Nigeria despite offering a better rotation than Bristow. Wonder what the underlying cause of that is? Also hear that after getting rid of all the old fogeys over 57 ;) Bristow now short of pilots again - oh how unexpected!!


Caverton now have their AOC, but yet to start actually operating their 109.

Well, PPRuNers, yet again rumours, but will anybody actually, for once come upm and make any comment. Gettin' a bit tired of hoppin around here on my pogo stick!

Mama

[SASless]

Mama...

Any American pilots over 55 get the axe from Mobil/Eket? There are some interesting laws in the USA about such things....even for companies operating outside the USA. If Mobil had any input into that decision...they could be liable for prosecution in US courts for Age Discrimination. Even ARAMCO got sued by an oilfield type for that when he got dumped out of Saudi. The US law was amended after his suit was unsuccessful....and now makes it much easier for US Based companies operating overseas to be sued for discrimination.

With all these stories about Bristow coming out....makes one wonder what the management is thinking? Some OLOG influence here?

[chuks]

As of about 15 September I heard from a reliable source that the rather ebullient Chief Pilot of Calverton blew up and sank: he lost his rag in a big way, shouting at his local chairman and then being escorted off the scene more or less at gunpoint. Yet another case of 'many are called but few are chosen', perhaps?

It was difficult to understand their business model from what this fellow had told us: 7 Nigerian VIPs at a time in an Agusta 109 being shuttled between Murtala Muhammed Airport and Victoria Island. Given that your average Nigerian VIP travels with a rather massive amount of luggage, plus often being the size himself of 1.5 normal people, it was hard to understand just how they were all going to fit into such a small helicopter. Too, since downtown isn't so very far away by ground transport, aside from the first 7 (?) pax, were the rest supposed to just wait around for the next trip? And what were they going to do when the weather closed in during the harmattan season (700 metres in thick dust haze)?

All in all, the entertainment value in what this guy was telling us was rather high but the amount of reality in all of it was and is a bit questionable. I took this for one more speculative venture using OPM (Other People's Money). Time will tell.

[SASless]

The image of the baggage alone brings a smile! Throw in the flowing robes, twenty-seven carry on's each....and thinking about the pushing and shoving to be first in the queue....now that would be a sight to behold.

A CH-47 would be a better fit for that mission....unless there are some Russian Mil Gigantous about....:ok:

[Mama Mangrove]

chuks,

Your rumour about the rather ebullient Chief Pilot of Caverton is what I also heard.

I think you'll find that the A109 (Caverton's is in 5 seat configuration) is not going to be used for the shuttle to VI. You say that 'downtown isn't so far away', but if you know Lagos at all you'll also know that the journey from 'downtown' to MM can take in excess of 3 hours when the traffic is bad, and whilst stuck in a 'go slow' the risk of being robbed is considerably increased. The flight takes only between 5-10 minutes so may be well worthwhile for those with the money (quite a lot on VI I would think). Luggage is sure to be a problem whatever aircraft they end up using. I wouldn't think the harmattan would be a big problem. The weather only deteriorates to less than 1000 metres for a few days a year, and that's no different from the sort of weather factors they faced on the operation Helikopter Service used to run between Helsingborg and Copenhagen. The reaction of the passengers in Lagos may be a little louder and more extreme though! :D

SASless,
I don't know if any Americans were affected when Mobil moved the goalposts last year - but I understand all pilots over the age of 57 had to leave. Some of them may have been found work on other operations because Bristow always seem to be short of people. I hear that the rule has been changed again now. Maybe soemone from Bristow will come up and comment.

Mama

[Cyclic Hotline]

The surest way to resolve any conflict in the event of the helicopter being too small, or the number of bags too great, is to puff yourself up to your greatest size and then boom;

"Don't you know who I am?"

[SASless]

Gee,

Maybe I better apologize for my teasing.....maybe some day I will have to dust off that Green License I carry around as a souvenir.

ACN suggested I could find a billet in PHC if I was interested a while back.

As a veteran gambler from Vegas area, and old BHL hand used to say, once you get that Nigerian License....you always come back to Paradise. I know he only did so when the gem business died, the import export business in Thailand went Tango Uniform, and the professional gambling grew boring. That and leaving his good buddy Sagatious behind pained him.

[chuks]

My Lagos has crummy weather for more than just a few days per year, especially when you are using visual references to approach and land. And 'Mr Calverton' was speaking of operating to some downtown site, in among all the high-rises, radio masts and what-all, with, presumably, minimum fuel. That's a lot different from shooting a contact approach, isn't it? I could just imagine flying around in all that dust with no horizon... 'better you than me' was all I could summon up, but then I know I am not Superpilot.

So it all sounded fairly sporty and optimistic, especially when he was telling everyone within a 3-metre radius that all he had to do was pick up a telephone to get whatever clearances he needed. We guessed he hadn't yet found out about how today's top Nigerian neddy would become tomorrow's nobody if he was lucky or a prisoner if he was unlucky. Too, with all that horsepower, how come they still weren't operating? But if you buy the drinks everyone else in the bar will just listen and nod politely as you tell them how you are going to show Nigeria a new way to operate.

On another occasion, down in Port Harcourt, I met a newly-arrived group of ex-Eastern Airlines guys, all come to fly for Barnax on leased 737-200s. They were all pumped up with vigour and enthusiasm, so that I came off as very pessimistic and flabby by contrast. When I told one of my new friends to be careful about seeing that the paychecks cleared promptly every month he told me that they were on top of that. 'If we don't get paid we stop flying, just like that!' When I advised caution about being too confrontational he went on to ask/tell me 'What's this guy going to do, lock us up?'

I went off on leave and by the time I got back everyone was talking about how the Barnax guys had been locked up, albeit for only a few days....

[Helipolarbear]

MM.....Not to knock the wind out of your sail.....but the 'rather ebullient'..CP or effectionately known Skip didn't lose his rag or blow up in front of the Chairman. He Was escorted out by some quasi military and civil guys..........much to his delight!!;) ......more to follow soon.....

[SASless]

I did not know Calverton was owned by OLOG! Sure begins to sound like the same management.

[Mama Mangrove]

HPB,

It was chuks and not I who actually first used the expression the 'rather ebullient' I merely commented that I had heard the same rumour ( I gather the video is to follow!! ;) )

If it was you, let's hear your version of events.

chuks,
You're obviously fixed wing, having flown for Julius Berger and now Dorniers for Bristow, so maybe your view of things is a bit different. We rotary guys are always having to pick our way amongst the ever-increasing number of masts in Nigeria in marginal conditions. A bit like flying into NAF when that was still allowed for fixed wing - no?

At least we're getting some replies now. Keep it up guys.:ok:

Mama

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Where do I start ? Bristow got rid of all the oldies at Eket because ExxonMobil insisted, but as far as I know only one American pilot was affected and he was over Bristow's own retirement age so no litigation. Then they realised they didn't have enough "bums on seats" and changed their minds.

CHC crews are p**sed off because they haven't been told what the future holds and after the Bristow pay rise they are even worse.

Ed Van Damm (ex ACN MD) is working for Air Logistics as Director Of Overseas Marketing or something like that.

The Bristow Area Manager for the past 3 months has just resigned.

Rumour is CHC want to sell off the ACN fixed wing division because it is a money loser.

A Bristow crew bus was stolen at gunpoint two weeks ago in Port Harcourt, the driver was shot in the leg. Nobody else was on board.

Pan African are waiting to hear what will happen over the anomalies to do with the 412 that was lost a couple of months ago.

That's all for now !!

[SASless]

Ah, sounds like a nice situation in Nigeria....things are not getting much better by the sounds of it. Throw in the political unrest and it makes for an interesting place to work.

What is travel like from Eket to Lagos...still going by commerical air from Calabar or has Mobil relented and let Bristow crews ride the Redhorse?

Food still as good as ever at Eket....?

Bristow still way out in the boonies at PHC or they on the Shell camp now?

[chuks]

I will stand by my assessment of yer man as 'ebullient' as being fair and balanced. The story I got about the way he left seemed believable, but of course someone could have just sold me some duff gen. After all, it wasn't as though I invested money in the truth or falsehood of this. Certainly it was striking that he was very much there one day and gone the next, which always raises questions.

The story seemed believable to me, but what do I know? I can tell you much stranger ones that I know to be absolutely true.

I used to do a bit of flying in marginal VMC, not down to helicopter minima, but pretty crummy even so. I don't miss having to do that sort of thing very much at all, actually. It was fun landing in Escravos when the helicopters were still grounded or being the only guy to get into old Warri Airstrip but then the fun sort of wore off as I became older and smarter or at least older.

My hat is off to you guys for the way you can find your way around, but... downtown Lagos in thick harmattan dusk would be incredibly hairy, I would think. Not least, there is the charming local custom of just erecting this or that structure and worrying about the formalities later. You could be the very first guy to find out about that new radio mast right next to your landing pad.

[ZAZOO]

Hi Guys,

Long time oh!!!!

Still here in PHC and doing ok.... bit of an excitement this past few weeks concerning this Asari Dokbo guy in the Swamps but no threats to us yet. ThankGod.

Regards to all.

:ok:

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

SASless,

The travel situation Eket to Lagos for those guys is haphazard to say the least. Somtimes they send a Bristow fixed wing to crew change them, but other times they have to bum a lift on a Mobil helicopter flight to an offshore platform, then wait for another one to Port Harcourt where they get ACN to Lagos. Very hit and miss !!

The operation is entirely self catering so they are mostly cooking their own meals after a days' flying, but the accomodation is awful, dropping to pieces, long periods with no water etc.

Port Harcourt are still in the boonies, no change there. Warri are split between two not particularly secure estates, not good in a Wild West town like that. Calabar have the same house as ever, inside the oil company base with reasonable security, and Calabar doesn't seem to get the problems (traffic, crime, tribal stuff) that the rest of the Delta suffers from. They don't get any per diem either as they are catered.

As a matter of fact, accomodation is probably one of the few things CHC/ACN have going for them. They live in a fairly secure estate in downtown Port Harcourt with pretty good facilities (especially the bar) and are catered for. Just a shame about the salaries.

[SASless]

Ah...the shame of it all...back when Bristow had the airfield hangar....and accomodation...swimming pool built and paid for by the crews. Smashing bar....decent food....done mess style. Then the new and improved method.....

Used to be we took a pickup truck to Calabar....flew by local airline to the Lagos Domestic terminal...found your own way to the office....bummed a ride at some point to the BRC....then took a bath...had a beer or two and on to the International terminal ....which sounds good to the current system.

Glad to see Mobil takes care of its contractor pilots and engineers....and the company too. Would seem they could arrange their own crewchange...coordinate it with PHC and Warri....Escravos....oh.well.....we know how that would work. They would have you paying for the ride.

[magbreak]

A I getting this right. Eket operating without Dink??? Didn't think it could happen :O

[chuks]

I had better not get caught out twice here but I could swear I saw the one and only Dink on his way back from leave to Eket. Of course it could have been his evil twin brother....

As to my previous, ebullient post here, if yer maun didn't blow up and sink as detailed to me in a rather convincing story, what in the world did happen? I mean, it was World Domination one evening and then, poof!

Lucky me, I was about to quit my day job to become their VIP Catering Manager. I was thinking 'Cut the crusts off the sandwiches; that should let them make MTOW.' $100 000 per annum with a title, a company car, six on, six off... I was going for it, I tell you.

Oh well, back to the grind, I suppose. Still, it beats working for a living. And then there is that pension to look forward to.

[Mama Mangrove]

chuks,

Yup, I heard that Dink really is alive and well and living in his canoe in Eket too. :D

I've been promised a video of the 'ebullient one' as usual, quietly putting across his point of view to his ex-boss :rolleyes: .

How come you were to have been the VIP Catering Manager? I think that was Catering Manager (sandwiches) because I met the guy who was to have been the Catering Manager (canapes).

I guess it's not true - Germans really do have a sense of humour :D

Maybe we'll have a drink in the BRC one day - but I promise to be very quiet and accept one of your crustless sandwichwes (as long as that doesn't mean they're stale and turned up at the edges). :ok:

Mama

[SASless]

Captain Dink Hypen-Smyth.....alive and well? He is probably safely esconced in the Warri School for Unwed Mothers or sharing a warm beer with his police buddies. Is it true that he is the only 20 year Bristow Pilot still making base salary with no increments? I think it admirable of Dink to donate so much back to the company in way of forfeited wages....proves he is a real company man. I shudder to think he actually called me "crazy....and guilty of having more intestinal fortitude than he for one of my jaunts around the countryside". That did make me sit down and re-think my conduct. He has certainly set a record for the most impromptu conga line dance in an urban african setting. The thought of the big BossFellah from Redhill picking him out of the roadside lineup really is something that brings a smile. Wondering how the Chief Pilot felt admitting that the wild haired runty looking expat wearing a pilot's uniform and iron bracelets built for a dozen....was none other than one of his own...must have been a sight. One could say ol' Dink could have climbed to new heights there in Eket....but a former Trellis climber beat him to that!;)

[chuks]

If you just look carefully you will see that Catering Manager Canapes is under Catering Manager VIP. The critical point in this is, of course, the Company car, which shall be assigned to the VIP Catering Manager, who may, at his discretion, allow its use by lesser entities in the organisation, usually in months without an 'R' that have less than 31 days.

You never know in this business; you might run out of white sandwich loaves right in the middle of a job, when you need to dispatch Sunday, Patience and Prudence on a priority bread run to Park 'n' Shop.

I haven't completely given up. I assume that there will be someone else to come along and take up the task of World Domination, when I can try again. There must be a suitable position, with Company car, for a man of my talents.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Heard the inimitable tones (no headset necessary) of Dink flying an Eket wreck today. Nobody does a "standard" traffic call like Dink, and that decibel level from such a vertically challenged body is a scientific wonder.

By the way I completely agree with Chuks, "ebullient" is a flattering understatement when the person concerned got a few beers in him. Nobody had the experience and contacts to get that job done like him, and he meant NOBODY !! :rolleyes:

[212man]

If it's true that ACN are losing money on the FW operation then something is badly awry somewhere! The DOCs on a Dash-8 must be minimal, and they are generally full. At $100 a seat and 50 seats there must be some serious profits to be made.

[magbreak]

Dink - I'll never forget him sat on the deck of the Oso transmitting "I don't need no radio" to anyone who was listening, only to have it relayed back by the QIT operator (in full), as they had to do in those days, whilst writing it down.

and the "I own this field" speech made to anyone who would listen and that was 6 years ago so he probably does by now :O

I still laugh at his three briefs:

Short - Go

Medium - Leave

Full long brief - Outta here

[SASless]

or the other famous...."Man, I don't care who you are....." or words nearly to that effect , to the Mobil Big Cheese.

[chuks]

I once spent a very informing period sat at a bush bar on Latif Salami Street with Texas' resident sage.

We raked over the political situation back in the Land of the Big PX, various interesting situations The Short One had got himself into and out of and matters arising.

But then 'one of them big-titty women' came on duty next door, when his attention wandered. Plus, he had been telling me about the sort of cooties one can get from a local 'barbering saloon' (I had been on my way back from getting a haircut when I spotted him sat there taking the air) so that I had begun itching pretty badly.

I wandered off and left him there enjoying the local scene.

[Tokunbo]

212 man,

I think you're right the DOCs on a Dash 8 should be minimal, but if the aircraft were leased on a rip-off contract that ensured that almost all of the profit on it went to a certain company in Holland, (then on top of that a monthly fee to the lessors), I guess it could become more marginal. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if most of the spares were also purchased from a certain company in Holland too, rather than from Canada. ;)

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

The new Ops Manager for Caverton is Bob Evans, ex Aero Contractors, ex Schreiner Cameroun. He will need all his diplomatic skills to recover any credibility after his predecessor's somewhat hasty departure. Good choice.

[SASless]

Gosh, Gee....there is life after Bristow! Knew Bob when he flew S-58T's for the Old Man. Maybe I might wanna dust off that old Green License again....lessee...VI to Mohmammed Mutala...? Hmmm....no crew change woes to Eket....no traffic jams in PHC....No hijacking in Warri.....hmmmmm?

[Tokunbo]

I hear 'Uncle' Bob's arriving out in Nigeria next week. Don't know how much of a diplomat he is, but as long as there are a few sheep around he'll probably be happy :D
You're right though, he's going to have a hard job.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Wonder what type Caverton will be looking to use for the airport/VI shuttle ? Lots of rich people loaded down with Ghana Must Go bags, it'll have to be big and take a lot of luggage !! And the bigger it is, the higher the fares will be...........

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Anyone know what ACN pay their RW pilots ? They have been advertising for pilots for months now. Do they give conversions or do you have to be ready to go ?

[Tokunbo]

I've actually seen this new Caverton A109 flying around in Lagos now and I hear it was in Port Harcourt yesterday. Ther have been a few articles about them in the Guardian too, so I guess they're about ready to operate. The rumor is that they're looking at S76s and trying to find crews for the 109 and the S76. I went to their website which looks pretty professional too. Well, just wish good luck to the first new all Nigerian company in a while that looks to be trying to operate at the same levels as the expat companies here.

:ok:

[magbreak]

nice looking website but I think they need to look at their distace/ time chart (on the charter page). From a rough look their 109 cruises at between 485kts (30 km in 2mins) to 315kts (330 km in 34 mins)! not sure what vne is on a "normal" 109 power but I'm guessing it's a nad slower than that.

:confused: :confused:

[ColdFiltered]

I spoke to the Caverton people recently and they are looking for S76Bs (two, I think) and a couple of Bo105s for the baggage. I believe they're also looking for jocks and techs for these.

[Helipolarbear]

The Caverton People.......They have an AOC without any actual postholders in place on the Ops side!
Amazing what money can buy...especially in the non corrupt regime of Nigeria......And what a great place to work! The living quarters are palatial with pool, jaccuzzi and lots of staff to care for every white mans whim! Even the security is par excellance!They are now hiring EC130, A109,A119 AND S76C+ (no less) pilots who are willing to work 4 on and 12 off........and willing to go cattle class on their end of tour flight back to whereever they come from.......:yuk:
Don't be fooled by the BS.......and there is a lot! Who ever is driving the ship has their hands full with regard to alot of stuff and it has nothing to do with flying or a professional AOC profile!
A counterfeit € has more value!:yuk:

[bluesafari]

I guess that will be the 'ebbulient gentleman' giving a big miaow,
na wow

[Helipolarbear]

Nothing gentlemenly about this Dude........just mildly dissappointed about people telling me 'I told you so' and knowing they were right all the time...as for ebullient......well, i take it as a compliment...................Thanks:ok:

[Tokunbo]

Funny that, I was talking to their Ops postholder only a day or two ago!! I also got invited to look at their accomodation which looked pretty d*mned good to me! I don't know why the staff should be expected to do something for 'every white mans whim' - sounds like a pretty racist comment from some guy who obviously has loads of staff where he is now. The new guy told me that they haven't hired anybody as yet, though they are now starting to look. The big problem they have is that the last Chief Pilot seems to have done almost nothing on the Ops side so the new guy has a lot to do. At least he's been in Nigeria before and hasn't so far been going around upsetting all the guys in Bristow and Aero!!

As for the travel, the (admittedly few) Caverton guys I've met out and about in Lagos are all travelling super economy or business class - wish I could!

It really does sound as if the above mentioned 'ebullient gentleman' is now trying to slag off the people he couldn't do a decent job for. The only BS I heard was from him when he was busy gobbing off in various bars around town telling everyone who'd listen (usually only the once, becoz they were busy avoiding him the next time!!) what a big man he was and talking about all the people they're now supposed to be hiring :yuk:

[Mama Mangrove]

Well Tokunbo, I guess you really liked the guy eh :rolleyes: I never met 'the ebullient gentleman', but I've heard all the stories about him. I expect that's why he was called 'The Lip'. If the rumours are true he doesn't seem to have done himself or Caverton any favours during his brief sojourn in Africa. The rumour I hear is that the reason not much was set up is that while he was on their payroll waiting to go to Nigeria he was busy doing a lot of freelance flying in Europe.

It's also now rumoured that after all the big 'oggas' from CHC visited ACN they're getting up to 6 new helicopters next year - Dauphin N3s and S76C+s. It's nice to see some newer machinery going to Nigeria, but I'm sure the big problem is going to be finding enough people to fly and maintain them properly.

Lagos is experiencing its biggest upsurge in helicopter activity in a few years with ACN operating S76s, Bristow operating S76s and Super Pumas (and Caverton occasionally taking to the skies in their 109).

There's a good market in Nigeria and lots of jobs available as long as enough people can be found who'll put up with the working and living conditions - the next NLC strike is now scheduled to be in 2 weeks and if it goes ahead there will surely be lots of misery in the run-up to Christmas
:sad:

Schreiner are rumoured to have now got the contract for Dauphin N2s in Sudan, and that will also lead to more jobs as the adverts in Wynwith testify. Maybe at last a few of the younger and lower hours pilots will be given the chance to make a start - not holding my breath though!

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Mama, you're dead right. If they can just keep the country stable and cut down on the bad press (a lot of which is unfounded/exaggerated), things could get really good.
Just need the oil companies to be a bit more generous with a $50-odd dollar bbl price and the helicopter companies to employ people who can negotiate contracts properly so they can pay the employees reasonably !!

[Helipolarbear]

Tokunbo......You seem very pissed off with the ebullient gentleman. Rumours of him working Europe would not be true.
As for 'every white mans whim'....yep it's true, but nothing to do with racist! Most Nigerians refer to any non african as a white man or master.......................no, not racist just facts!
As for the current post holder......well thats an amazing trick to get an AOC without any actual audit inspection of the flight profile applied for! But then they do things the 'Nigerian' way......got to be the most f**ked up country in Africa, although I hear Guinea is worse!!!
I'm sure stupid money will continue to fund the Caverton dream..........but I bet the crew turnover will be very high......for all the right reasons!!!!! ;)
As for setting up the Ops......... NCAA's Rotary wing man would be much better informed to inform you of the certification process and how much was accomplished with the ebullient guy......Ha! Ha!.....At least that man wanted proper standards and protocols established first. So, as much as you had no involvment with Caverton in the first instance, I'd say you are a serious A** Kisser and probably would suit such a corrupt organisation...................crash and burn!!!!:}

[offshoreigor]

Mama.

CHC bought Schreiner last year (early 2003). In Equatorial Guinea, CHC are operating C+ in Malabo so I doubt they would have any use for the Dauphine.

For those of you interested in Cote d'Ivoire, it's a war out there! They may have an oil industry but only ONUCI is flying! Been there, bought the T-Shirt. Give it a while and they will run out of money for bullets, unless ofcourse if George W. decides to get involved!

Cheers

OffshoreIgor:E :E :E

[Mama Mangrove]

Actually, CHC didn't take over Schreiner until February this year, they merely announced there intention to aquire it last year.

The Dauphin N3 is to join the 2 which ACN already operate in Nigeria - Schreiner already have one which they have been operating for well over a year.

In Equatorial Guinea the CHC base manager has resigned. All the companies in the area seem to have problems with pilots leaving at the moment. ACN have had quite a few resignations recently and the pilot turnover in Cameroun, compared to the size of the operation must be reaching similar levels to that in ADA :(

[Helipolarbear]

MM...Why do u think the pilots are leaving when there is so much work available?:confused:

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

HPB,

May I hazard a guess that it may have to do with increasingly poor pay, bad on site rosters and an uncertainty about the future with no concrete information from the parent company ?

NEO.

[Helipolarbear]

I'd say you are correct on all accounts. I Think greed and disfunctional biz attitudes are also a significant contributor

[Rotorbike]

compared to the size of the operation must be reaching similar levels to that in ADA


Funnily even with ADA's turnover very few seem to head for Africa!!

:D

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Yes, strange that despite deteriorating conditions people are still willing to vote with their feet, because it's not as if there are a s**t load of fair paying jobs elesewhere. I wonder where they go ?

[ifish]

When you are leaked a strong rumour from management that as a pilot body from a certain part of the world you will be replaced soon due to the expense of travel (didn't seem to consider calibre of people), it's no wonder members of said group are voting with their feet now and finding good jobs on their terms rather than later when the pressure of dismissal is upon them and you take what you can get to keep the wolves from the door.

The evidence is in the stats that show of the 7 resigned from ACN in last 2 months 5 are from this one particular "ethnic"group (pilots + engineers)- guess their heading home to drink more xxxx (yes we can spell beer you now)

Having said that however ACN are no worse than the others and have a lot of talented and professional people within their ranks - I'll miss those people.

No it's not emotions clouded by the "cold filtered"drop- G'day D###.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Depressing. Same story everywhere sadly. No loyalty, no respect for experience. It's all down to the "bottom line".

[cpt]

When we think we are contractors for the wealthiest companies in the world !

[ColdFiltered]

Hey Ifish! I think the rumours were put about by just one of the management staff but he doesn't reflect ACN management policy. It's a great shame that they didn't get this sorted out before the Aussie exodus. They're struggling to get crews and engineers and they have'nt yet figured out that it's to do with MONEY and LEAVE! Perhaps something good will come out of Vancouver. Take care mate! Glad you figured out the beer label!

[kissmysquirrel]

I'll take any job going. :=

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Me too, but it's always better to jump before you're pushed. Easier to get a job when you've already got one too.............

[ClearBlueWater]

So, if the experienced pilots are leaving does that open up opportunities for the less experienced people, like instructors with 1000+ hours but only 100 on a gas turbine? Or is it a case of being desperate only for pilots with 5000+ hours on the job, on the type and who are willing to live in a shanty town and work for peanuts?

[Mama Mangrove]

CBW,
Now that Caverton Helicopters is starting to fly out of Lagos, maybe you could give them a try. They don't have oil company contracts so maybe they would offer something to you. There's been a bit of publicity, both good and bad, about them on here, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. They have an application form on their website: www.caverton-helicopters.com or you could try their new Ops Manager, [email protected]

Good Luck :ok:
MM

[Helipolarbear]

MM.............Don't think they are hiring just yet. In fact not a whole lot of things happening @ CH. Buzzing around in the 2060kg (APS) A109E that belonged to the maharaji of India.......Great to fly, but will have a heck of a time generating revenue ........................As the company is run by the HRM.....you could always apply directly to him. His name is Mark Tungwashe and is an expert on NCAR OPS 3 and all that it entails!!!;) :ok:

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Uncle Bob is an exceptionally experienced guy. If anyone can get it off the ground he can.

Believe me, I know him.

[ColdFiltered]

N.E.O.! You ARE uncle Bob, aren't you?

[Mama Mangrove]

HPB

I think you'll find that they are hiring. Their 109 has been flying around Lagos and it was also in Warri and PH the weekend before last. The grapevine here has it that they're looking for a couple more 109 guys because since the last Chief Pilot left they only have 2 pilots. They're also starting to look for pilots for their shuttle operation to VI ready for when the heliport there is finished. I was driving past it only 2 days ago and work is going on there with piling and infilling, though I guess it'll be a few more months before that's finished. Even so, they need to have crew in place ready for that. I hear that they're planning to operate S76s for that.

Must admit, I don't know the 109 really, but isn't there some kind of weight increase programme to increase the MAUW? It's certainly a nice looking helicopter, though if what you say about the APS weight is right I suppose it won't carry a lot.

What we really all want to know out here at the moment is whether the planned strike of next wek will happen, because if it does I think it will be a lot harder than last time.:(

[Tokunbo]

NEO
I met 'Uncle Bob' again recently and he looks older, fatter, balder and more tired. Do you really think he can do it.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Cold Filtered/Tokunbo,
First, I think the posts have cleared up the fishing, no, I am not Uncle Bob !!
But I do think he has the background to to get the thing off the ground provided he gets the support of his employer, the NCAA and customers who hopefully are willing to try something different.
Given the traffic/security situation between Lagos and VI, if I had the money I'd use the shuttle, and there are a lot of rich people who could see the luxury charter side as a good way of getting their sons/daughters/loved ones to/from weddings etc for example. Nice way to make an entrance :ok:
Time will tell.......... but good luck, it's about time a fresh operator got a bit of the cake.

[212man]

I'd hazard a guess that Bob's pseudonym involves damp under -garments, looking at the profiles!

[Helipolarbear]

MM....The A109 GRANDE Gross Wt will be 3150kg as oppossed to the 109E and 109E Elite which is 2850. This resriction is on the U/C configuration. Full fuel at 700kg+ APS 2060kg leaves you just enough weight to allow a 90kg pilot and his sandwich box to make the Max all-up. And that is on a standard day, not a dusty smelly hot and humid Lagos day!!!!................Yep, it's going to be interesting! :p :cool:

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

HPB,
Why are you so negative ? Why not just wish Caverton and Uncle Bob good luck !!:mad:

[Helipolarbear]

Nothing Negative....just have a bit more knowledge about the operation. I'm constrained due to legal matters but suffice it to say it's a story about keeping face over a little rich boys dream that went terribly wrong....financially.....and trying to make it work is at ALL costs!
As for Bob, the new DO. Never met the man so I can't comment, other than I wish him all the best, despite the chaotic and corrupt environment that is around him.
The investment to date would take nearly 30 years to have returns based the single A109....and thats flying everyday!!!!!
:cool:

[anjouan]

HPB,

Just been looking at the figures. The A109E has an STC allowing an AUW increase to 3,000 kg with a change of landing gear. According to the Flight Manual, at 30 degrees at SL the 109E can take off clear area up to 35 degrees with no restriction. Can't see why you'd necessarily want full fuel, but after burning off some for start, if their aircraft has the additional fuel, it would probably depart with more like 660 kg. Perhaps you know something about the pilots Caverton has, but 90 kg also seems rather high for pilot weight. If they've done the undercarriage modification and with a rather slimmer pilot they should be able to lift off with a few hundred kg of payload.

Can't make any comment on any investment they've made as I have no idea what it might be. What have they invested in - apart from an A109E and the rather nice hangar on their website? I have to say it does say a bit like sour grapes on your part as it appears from your posts that you have been involved with this company but have now left for whatever reason. :*

[Helipolarbear]

Anjou: No sour grapes, just lessons learned the hardway!
Concerning the U/C STC.....not as simple as you make out, or as cheap!! Regarding the weights.....that is @ ambient temps of up to 24 Celsius. Then it really starts to dip! Max operating temp is 45 Celsius!! Have you A109E time? Then you would definitely appreciate the power management in high temp. Also, I side bar of this is the Perf 1 and Cat A performance.....goes out the window. You didn't include the cost of the Downtown Heliport, The halfmillion Dollar Helideck???? and a bunch of other stuff that we won't mention!.........................But if you think it'll work, why not join them?
:ok: :ok: ;)

[SASless]

HPB....in Nigeria one must remember...it is how well connected one is that counts.....and if the new guys are in....then it will succeed. Funny how the other guys in town always turned their nose down at non-oil business. You cannot make me believe there is no way to make a utility helicopter company work in that part of the world. Granted the biggest pot of money is in the oil industry but there have got to be "lucrative" government contracts out there for the taking....with a bit of giving.

Think of the EMS situation for the wealthy.....that alone could be a good market...sell subscriptions for a helicopter/airplane service....works in other places.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Sas,
Dead right, and I hear the man behind this is VERY rich and well connected. As far as I am aware, at present this is the only non oilpatch helicopter operation, so there should be plenty of business for them if they can get up and running.

[Helipolarbear]

SASless.. I agree with you, especially the market potential....It'll be along time though, before they recoup the monetary investment............especially if they don't begin operations on the MMIA-VI route very soon with the required number of machines on hand and the type and configuration to support the venture.
It took them nearly 3 years just to acquire their 109, and that particular one took the best part of 8 months to deliver! There is great potential for onshore work, but it has to be developed with proper strategy and financial security..................unless of course you have money to throw away like many wealthy Nigerians:cool:

[anjouan]

HPB
No I don’t fly the 109E, but I have been looking at the possibility of using one in West Africa, so I do have a copy of the Flight Manual and I have been talking to Agusta and a number of operators of the type. This leads me to question the figures you are quoting of the aircraft starting to limit on performance from 24 degrees Celsius. According to the A109E RFM, Supplement 12 (Category A Operation) the aircraft can be operated at sea level at its max gross weight of 2850 kg from a clear area up to 37 degrees, from a short field up to 32 degrees and from a helipad up to 28 degrees. In fact, at a normal day time temperature of 30 degrees in that part of the world, it can still take off from an elevated helipad at 2800 kg. They all seem pretty impressive figures compared with many of the helicopters being operated in the region.
I also understand that the modification for an increase in MAUW to 3,000 kg involves a small structural modification and changing the 3 undercarriage legs, at a cost of around $150,000, which I agree is not that cheap. It does then give a max gross weight close to that of the Grande (Agusta tell me it’s not an A109 Grande, just a Grande because it’s a different aircraft – rather like one mustn’t call a Lexus a Toyota I guess!!).
I’ve seen other operators try and set up in competition to the big two (OLOG/Bristow and CHC/Aero) in Nigeria and fail, either because they tried to go head to head with them or because their operations were badly set up and funded. From what you say, Caverton actually seem to be trying to do a proper job if they’re spending the money you quote. As`SASless and NEO say, there are a number of very wealthy corporations and individuals in that part of the world, so if they’re trying something different to tap into that section of the market, maybe they can actually make it work. If so, good luck to them I say, and I hope they succeed.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Speaking of which, new ad on Flightinternational.com for 412/212/S76/EC155 pilots in Nigeria. No prizes for guessing who is hiring !!

[SASless]

NEO....they cannot be in dire straits yet....my voicemail has not gone off! Wonder which places they have the vacancies at? I really wonder who they have flying 212's? I still keep my Green License close to hand....no telling when you might have to dust it off to earn a living....the helicopter business being what it is in the USA (and other OLOG locales).

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

SAS,
Hang on to it, things are picking up for sure. A lot of deep water exploration in proven concessions, resumption of inshore drilling programmes, Sao Tome joint agreement. Lots going on, just waiting for the pay rise................. Watch that space!!:ok:

[Mama Mangrove]

Well it looks as if there's plenty happening in Nigeria and more new helicopters are on their way there, but rumour has it that ACN certainly and possibly Bristow are now getting so short of crews and engineers that they can't always fly the aircraft they already have. I have heard talk of a substantial pay rise in an effort to get more crews out to Nigeria. Any PPRuNers with either company like to comment? What's happened to HPB and NEO - they've been quiet the last week or so!

There are also a number of contradictory rumours that ACN may be divesting itself of its fixed wing business.

We very rarely hear anything from the CHC pilots in Equatorial Guinea or Angola. Come on guys - what's happening there. I have heard rumours that CHC are tightening up on personal freedom of people in Angola and this combined with the attitude of a certain manager in SA is causing a number of people to start looking elsewhere. What's happening with the new Super Puma which arrived from Norway a few months ago?

Why do we almost never hear from the Francophone African countries? Most of the pilots in these places speak English and there was quite a long thread about Cameroon on the African Aviation Forum not too long ago. I hear they're getting pretty short of pilots there too. Despite the fact they only have 1 full-time operational helicopter there they recently lost 1 pilot to Nigeria (again - Nigeria 5 - Cameroon Nil!! :E :\ ) and one even to Sudan - must say something about the local management I think as Cameroon has to be one of the best countries in the region.

I hear the CHC/Schreiner operation in Sudan is starting very shortly - if not already. It would be interesting to hear from the guys who are there how conditions are.

Ah well, back to the swampes :ok:

[ColdFiltered]

"Substantial pay rise"? Now there are three words that haven't been used in the same sentence for an awful long time! Well not in Nigeria anyway.

[SASless]

To quote Mike Norris....a former BHL boss type....when asked when Bristow Nigeria would go to 6/6 rotation like ACN....his response was "when we can no longer crew the operation on the 8/4 rotation....".

I would assume pay increases, etc......will be handled the same way....free market economy prevails....supply and demand sets the prices to include labor.

[ColdFiltered]

Google "Heglig, Sudan" . It should give you some idea of what kind of problems CHC are facing. mind you all this happened a couple of years ago. Perhaps the natives are not so restless these days.

[Phone Wind]

Mama,

I’m told that CHC have already started in Sudan, but it’s difficult to find out much as yet because they haven’t got their internet sorted out.

As for Nigeria, ACN are going to be paying in US dollars next year. Hope the $ has come up by then, or they’ll have even more problems getting staff than they do now when they’re paying in euros. There have been a few instances recently of Aero being unable to fly helicopters because of a lack of crews. I heard that they’re more likely to split the fixed wing off into a separate division than to sell it. Then they can see whether it really makes any money or not and it will have to function as a profit making unit in its own right. ACN may also have more engineers available as CHC are going to be laying off the majority of the staff in Hoofddorp next year (that news is a nice Christmas present for them – the bosses have made their fortunes selling out the company, now it’s time to give the workers their reward too).

I hear that several CHC pilots in Africa are thinking of leaving because of the management skills of good old smiling Bob D weaving the same magic as he did when he was at Aberdeen! If ever the pilot numbers in Aberdeen get too high they could send him back there to help out!!

You’re right Mama, Cameroon is one of the nicest countries in the West African region, but the problem there is the same as in the last paragraph – until they think about changing the water and the contents in the ‘goldfish bowl’, they’ll have a problem keeping good people. Maybe CHC will do something about that as well, but I doubt it – they just have too many other problems with their larger operations to try and fix.

[cpt]

Hello Mama mangrove;

As I told you, before the new CHC AS332 in Angola is now Angolan registred and is currently flown by Angolan and CHC crews. 2 others purely Sonair owned AS332 are also flying in this area. (as well as S76 A++ and C+, and AS 365N3).
Expats crews accomodations are brand new and very comfortable, but Luanda is still Luanda ! so called "freedom restrictions" appliy not only to CHC crew but to all expats. They are originated from the local expats managing organization.
It seems anyway it's a little bit cooler on this southern side of the "gulf" than on the western's.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Mama,

Sorry, I travelled. You are right, nothing much comes out of Malabo or Angola or Cameroun, shame as we could all compare notes.

Looks like Bristow are trying to lock the gate after the horse has bolted. Adverts on Flight International website job page for pilots and engineers for every rotary type they have !! ACN had one a while ago, but the low wages put a lot off, plus I hear they don't like to hire people who live a long way away (like Ozzies) because the air fares are too high !! Talk about cheap.......

Anyone hear how Caverton are doing ?

Cheers,

NEO

[SASless]

Don't you just love it....

The "Bristow" ad....omitted the company name...claimed expansion as the need for recruiting pilots. Makes one wonder just how stupid pilots must be in order not to be able to figure out which company it is that is being confidentially represented by the headhunter?

Or, is this merely a way for the admin folks at Redhill, assuming there are any left, to sit back and prevent any interruption to their tea drinking.

I am curious why Bristow would not post an ad using the company name and set forth some details of the offer such as they did for years when George Puddy ran that part of the show.

Rumor has it that Fred Layton is now in Redhill as OLOG's VP for Africa and also still MD of Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria). I would send my CV direct to Fred and cut out all the middlemen.....at least it would seem to be far more efficient that way. At least it would get directed to the hiring wallah.;)

[Tokunbo]

Mama,

I managed to visit Cameroun for the first time recently. What a pleasant change from Nigeria!!

When I went to the airport in Douala I was struck by the complete difference between the 2 helicopter operations there. Heli Union have a nice, small hangar and operate a 365N and a 365C3. They seem to have a small staff and fly quite a lot. I'm told that they also do some of the maintenance on the Presidential helicopter.

Schreiner have a 365N3 which doesn't fly every day and a 365N which I'm told is on some kind of a contract with no crew, though it seems they sometimes end up flying both aircraft even though they have the crew for only one. They also have a Twin Otter based in Douala and a Dash 8 and 2 more Twin Otters in Tchad. Their hangar can only be described as a mess!! It looks like a Porsche 911 rear end and it can't possibly keep out the weather during rainy season. It seems that it leaks so much their offices there are unusable. They have a huge staff for such a small operation. I was told that they have an expat Managing Director, a pilot, who works 6/6 while his deputy, the GM (not a pilot) works 5/1 - wierd :confused: . They also have an Operations Manager, deputy Operations manager, Chief Pilot, Administration Manager ( a French lady who is locally employed), Accountant (expat 5/1), Technical Manager, deputy Technical Manager, logistics controllers....... I can't imagine CHC will allow things to continue like that for long for just a couple of helicopters and a few fixed wing. I met one 'Indian', but almost everyone else seems to be a 'chief'. Has CHC made much difference to the operation there? I'm sure they must have visited already.

[Rotor Driver]

What (if any) age restrictions do the African operators enforce?

[etienne t boy]

Rotor Driver,

In Nigeria, there's such a shortage of helicopter pilots, all the companies will take on pilots for 2 crew ops to age 65.

ACN still have their S76 in Lagos flying for Petrobrass, but looks like that will finish in the next week or so.

Saw a couple of the Caverton people, but looking tired and not very happy. Seems their lot aren't too good at coming up with some of the things they promise - nah Nigeria - ohhhhhh :}

[SASless]

Over 60 pilots still having to do the Heart Stress test for each medical in Nigeria?

[Rotor Driver]

I have sent a resume to Bristow, but never received a reply. I have about 12000 hours, lots of 212/412 time aged 57. FAA ATP and looking for work. Any contacts would be appreciated. email is

rotor_driverathotmaildotcom.

[chuks]

I actually condescended to check out the rumoured working conditions for Lagos-based r/w pilots (I am f/w aviator, me) by taking a trip on the jumpseat from Lagos (DNMM) to Snake Island and then way offshore to the Bonga Field and back. My findings:

Good:

Free sandwiches.

Change of scenery.

Not so good:

Cockpit air conditioning not working, somehow.

Far too many dials and switches littering non-EFIS cockpit (v. confusing).

Surprising amount of serious weather found at FL015.

Alarming dress sense exhibited by oil workers offshore (pony tails, grubby orange boiler suits). Tsk, tsk....

Still waiting for promised Air Medal.

Conclusions: No serious grounds for moaning when forced to do up to seven (7) sectors in cockpit temperatures up to 28 degrees C. with (sadly often) no sandwiches.

Newsflash II:

Departed Lagos on Virgin yesterday morning from Rwy 19L (Rwy 19R closed for resurfacing to be completed 'any time from now') with confirmed sighting of open hangar doors and one Agusta 109 helicopter parked out on the Caverton ramp, rotors not running. So Caverton still exists. No confirmed Skip sightings since a while now, however. Is he shunning us, Mennonite style? If so, what did we do wrong? Advice on a postcard, please....

In conclusion, let me state that I am perhaps a better person for this brief glimpse into the life of those little blue rhomboids that appear on our TCAS every time we overfly the oil patch. My goodness, what a lot goes on out there at low, almost sea-, level! A whole different world, as it were....

chuks

[Staticdroop]

Hi all,
I take it that all the operators out in Nigeria are looking for 3000 hours or more? Is this the case for all crew, do they have only local FO or do they bring those in as well.
:confused:

[Tokunbo]

I hear that Shell are not happy with the EC155 and looking to start using Bell 412s in Nigeria. Anybody else heard if that's true?

chuks

Caverton were flying every day last week to Otta for Winners church, so they're definitely existing.

By skips, do you mean the 'ebullient gentleman' or his noisy sidekick? The former has departed Nigeria, never to return and I heard that the latter was going on leave, so maybe he's out already.

[chuks]

I usually go flashing past that Caverton hangar at the speed of heat, vision fixed upon my 328's flight display so that I can speak my lines as PNF. It was only yesterday that I could spare a glance rightwards over my shoulder as the mighty A340-600 sundered the surly bonds headed for realms empyrian. Then I got a crick in my neck thanks to the new super-deluxe seats that aim your gaze 30 degrees left of centreline, thus making it v. difficult to look out the relatively tiny windows.

As to who or what I may have been referring to, I would simply say that nothing here is to be construed to refer to anyone living, dead, deported, departed or just temporarily vanished, practically all of this being a pure work of fiction. And the truthful bits are obviously written by someone who doesn't know what he is talking about anyway. Otherwise, dear boy, I would be a manager, Q.E.D. So I guess that puts me in the clear.

[Mama Mangrove]

Lagos Update.

Just spent some time in Lagos and seen quite a few Bristow, Aero and Caverton people.

It looks as if Aero helicopter people are either going to be absent from Lagos for a while, or have just gone already, as their contract with Petrobras is just winding up. They seem quite happy and there's no great queue forming to go to Bristow or Caverton. Some of the guys were withBristow before but got laid off from Eket for being over the age of 57. Despite being offered their jobs back again (and at more money than Aero pay, they don't trust Bristow at all (with good reason if the 'new' Bristow is anything to go by) and will stay where they are. In Lagos they have a reasonable staff house with a nice bar and a swimming pool, though the staff house is so full some guys are being 'boarded' down the road. The big problem is that there has never been any recreational transport for the helicopter guys when they're in Lagos. In Port Harcourt they have transport, but no swimming pool, though a lot of the pilots go and play golf or squash on their days off and Port Harcourt has a much better social scene than Ikeja. People are still unsure what CHC will do for (to?) them in 2005, b ut at least they're investing in more machinery with at least 2 more S76s and2 365N3s scheduled next year (wonder where they'll get the pilots and engineers as they're already short). A number of their people in PH were in Cameroon before and say that Douala is suffering from an exodus too, with people disliking it so much now, they're even going to Sudan and living in the desert :}

Bristow now has a permanent rotary presence with the crews for the Bonga contract flying the Super Puma. They also just had a new S76 delivered last week (still on the 'N' register). They have a good deal, as although they work 7/5 (compared with the 6/6 for most Aero people), they get more money and have more facilities for their time off. Some of the crews are living in the Sheraton Hotel with all its facilities and the others live in the BRC (Bristow Residential Compound). This is in a pretty 'dodgy' looking area and the rooms aren't great, but they do have a swimming pool, tennis and squash there.

The Caveron guys obviously have nowhere of their own because most evenings they're to be found either in the Jolly Sailor, the Aero bar or the Bristow bar. They say they have nice flats (but don't know anyone who's actually been there to confirm that). However, they're a long way out, somewhere near the Guiness brewery and they have no bar, sporting or social facilities of their own. Must be pretty hard when they work 12/4. It's no wonder they now seem to be down to only one pilot and a couple of engineers. They say they have some ore guys on the way from various places. They have a single contract with Nigerian Ports Authority for the 109, but it doesn't seem to fly much. It also seems that HPB was right to some extent about the A109 because it doesn't have sliding doors or opening windows so it's almost useless for photography and doesn't have floats so it can't go more than a few miles offshore. It's good for taking one 'market mammy' a sack of garri and a packet of peppers from Yabba market to Ikorodu - and there's not too much of a market for that right now :E. Maybe when/if they get their Victoria Island heliport finished things will improve for them. There's still work going on there so it may be finished in a few more months unless the money dries up before it's finished as it does for so many grand schemes in Nigeria :sad:

I'll try and get some more rumours about Port Harcourt when I'm next around.

MM

[Tokunbo]

There's also someone who's clearing a site by the side of the road in Maryland and talking about operating an Astar from it. Have you heard any more about this MM?

[ColdFiltered]

It is rumoured that the Caverton Ops. Manager, Bob Evans, was in the Aero hangar in Port Harcourt yesterday wearing his uniform and a big smile with not an A109 in sight! Looking to get his job back perhaps? I was also told by an engineer (of the civil variety) that work had stopped on the Caverton heliport. Updates, confirmation, rumours-anyone?

[etienne t boy]

ColdFiltered,

Seeing the size of 'Uncle' Bob these days, it's probably better he was wearing his uniform and a big smile rather than just a big smile :D

He and the other Caverton guys are seen around a lo tin Lagos at Aero and Bristow, so maybe just seeing friends from the old days, especially if as MM don say they have no recreational place of their own.

When I drove to VI yesterday there were people working on the site of the Caverton heliport so I don't think work has stopped there. Maybe it's slowed down over the holiday period.

I also heard about the Astar in Maryland, but I haven't seen it yet.

All the people in Aero are wondering what's going to happen to their pay in 2005 as the hot rumor is that they'll get paid in US$ and they have no idea what exchange rate CHC will give against the euro - expect defections to Bristow if it snot good :} .

The other problem Aero have is that they have quite a few pilots over 60 and CHC official retirement age is 60. They already have problems getting enough pilots for Nigeria so maybe they'll have to do what Bristow do and retire pilots then re-employ them as contractors (and I hear that's usually at lower pay and with much less job security :sad:

[Tokunbo]

I was in a low and unsavory establishment in Ikeja, a home for happy mariners if the sign outside was to be believed, though none were to be found either in its dusty grounds or its flashy new discotheque.
However, a number of regulars were telling the tale of a pilot from the newest Nigerian operator who last month was racing around the grounds, completely out of his tree, chasing a local person of the opposite gender who he claimed he wished to marry! It seems she had declined his proposal. They say he's also been banned from the Bristow BRC and managed to empty the Aero staff house bar a number of times. He seems to have disappeared now so maybe he's no longer in Nigeria.
Sounds like a bit of competition for Dink ;)

Haven't heard any more about the Astar in Maryland, but there are rumors that Caverton may be looking at one. It also looks as if they're opening up a base at Port Harcourt as the building at the NAF base next to Pan African has been renovated and some of there people were seen looking around it last week. However, as they seem to be down to only one pilot now I can't see him being able to operate from both Lagos and PH :E

[TomBola]

Despite the fact that they're a Nigerian company, I don't hear of Caverton Helicopters employing any Nigerian pilots or engineers. Is this because they aren't recruiting Nigerians or because the deal they're offering is no good?

[chuks]

Tokunbo,

The sort of behaviour you are describing could be called 'ebullient', actually. So it must have been someone else. Me, I have never heard of the Jolly Sailor, and none of my friends neither.

Is it true that someone is going to be opening a bar/restaurant in that cargo 747 parked on the west side of the passenger terminal?

[Helipolarbear]

Caverton were offered a highly experianced pilot of Nigerian nationality who would have been an asset for the rather ebullient Director of Operations that left in September.
The fact that one of their two pilots was seen out of his tree at the Jolly Sailor Stables (Whore House) and drunk as well is not exactly riveting news. The Company couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery as it has no idea what it's doing apart from having spent about $6million and a 1997 A109E, Big Hanger with a floor that looks like the Atlantic Ocean during a Storm........and a bunch of people, actually alot of people who just think it's wonderful to get a big salary tax free, and basically do nothing!!!!:}

[SASless]

HPB...

Caverton has no monopoly on drunk obnoxious staff...seen quite a few in other staff houses.

Whats the reason for your great concern in Caverton's spending habits....any skin off your teeth here?

[Tokunbo]

Nobody could confuse you with 'The Ebullient One' Chuks, despite the fact that when he was in Nigeria he was famous for the number of Yankee dollars he could lighten himself of at the Inebriated Matelot whilst amusing, wining and entertaining its charming and sophisticated clients ;) The person I heard about is rather better known for just generally ****ing everyone off when he has a few 'Cold Filtereds' under his belt
:E

HPB, how can you possibly call The Jolly Sailor a whorehouse? Have you ever visited? :E It now even boasts a 'Cool Bar' where gentlemen of taste may partake of a few Cold Filtereds without being bothered by unaccompanied persons of the opposite gender. I don't think the company would wuish to organise a piss up in a brewery as the Chairman is a Muslim I believe.

SASless, I believe HPB may be being a bit shy about himself and may have been associated with Caverton in the past. His feelings about it seem to be rather similar to your own often voiced opinions about Bristow :ooh:

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Disappointing that people appear to be running down companies they worked for in the past..........:( Sour grapes perchance ?

I don't think the perfect company exists, even the big fixed wing boys like BA etc would find fault, but if the money goes in each month shouldn't we at least be content ? After all, we could always vote with our feet if we feel that strongly, rather than just moan !!

As for Caverton, I wish them luck. A bit of competition may do the other two some good !! It would certainly give them a kick up the rear end and cut down the complacency they display towards their clients now.

Cheers & Happy New Year.

NEO.

[Helipolarbear]

Tokunbo....Call the JS what you will but you can't change a leopards spots....just mask and hide them. Yeah...was associated with Caverton and competition is healthy especially for the two major dinosaurs in the area. But you have to get serious about how you do your work and how the investment money is spent.....Nig Ex pat......you sound like a smart a**ed strap hanger who thinks flying heli's is a job!:} And who said Muslims don't drink. Wine and Beer is not alcohol when drunk in the privacy of your own home....yeah, Right!!!!Go visit SA and get on the Causeway to Bahrain on a Friday Saturday night.................and smell the peach schnapps inthe air as in breath of the returning SA walkabouts!!!:E

[chuks]

I ended up running down a company I went to work for in the future! Several times, even. So I guess I flunk as a career consultant. So sue me....

I rather enjoyed my visits to the Jolly Sailor. I thought those girls were just passing the time with me, attracted by my Clark Gable-like looks and my sparkling wit. The subject of money never came up, actually. Of course I did leave early. Even without beer goggles they just looked too good, so that I thought I might get in trouble.

If you like it rough, check out the Port Harcourt International Airport Hotel. Woof, woof! The Ikeja girls are geishas by comparison.

Caverton is just one of those local mysteries. Wait and all shall be revealed. When? 'Any time from now'. It sure does help to pass the time, trying to figure out what is going on there. I am sure no harm is intended, even if a few reputations do get a light grilling.

And, anyway, what's wrong with a job at the low end of aviation? We can't all be aviators, you know....

[Mama Mangrove]

HPB

You say that Caverton has no idea what it's doing. That may well be true as it's a new company owned by people who are completely new to the aviation industry, although I'm told that most of the directors are economics graduates of British universities. All companies have to start somewhere and even the mighty Bristow, though it was started by an aviator, had no commercial experience when it started as a whale spotting company. I believe the new Managing Director is a Geology graduate who also presumably knows little about aviation. Most private helicopter companies in Europe are run by people who know little or nothing about aviation and they either hite consultants or set up aviation departments manned by aviation professionals to do the job for them.

Companies like Caverton, new to the business hire specialist consultants and advisers to give them that knowledge they don't possess themselves. If you were one of those advisers it would seem that you did not serve them well :suspect:

The rumour has it that they will be bringing a couple of helicopters later this month (Dauphins I hear) and starting a shuttle service in Port Harcourt. It's mentioned on their website and they already seem to have a small terminal next to Pan African at the Port Harcourt NAF Base. Their Ops Manager was seen in Portugal by a couple of the Aero pilots who were out on leave.

They do seem to have been around for a long time and doing very little, but aviation is a difficult market to break in to and you can't expect them to just be up and running like a Bristow or an Aero who have been around for 40 or 50 years. If they have already spent as much as you claim it would seem to indicate that they are serious and setting up a proper infrastructure before starting to operate, though I do agree that the A109 seems a strange choice for starting an operation. If and when they do manage to get something up and running, instead of knocking a company which is trying to start up and will offer more employment to people in this industry, lets wish them every success in getting their venture off the ground (no pun intended) :ok:

[SASless]

Tokunbo,

There is a diffence between slagging off a previous employer and telling the embarrassing truth about a previous employer. I suggest I am prone to do the latter.....and to date no one has jumped up and countered what I have had to say about my Nigeria experience.

When I suggest binning pilots strictly due to their age as being contemptible....as happened on the North Sea and again at Eket....no one denied either the events or the description I made.

When I suggested the Bristow arrogance about safety records was not supported by performance....especially when I made the comment, ACN had not had a fatal accident and Bristow had several on the ledger....no one disputed that either.

No one jumped up to defend the saltwater washes that led to so many 76 engines being binned either.....

The list goes on....but no need to run up bandwidth reminding you of the past.

In defence of Bristow....they did finally make changes in Nigeria...some good...some very good...but did leave the job undone.

When I described the world's oldest and most run down 212's....I recall the Shell Engineering rep rejecting two of them as being unfit. Saw that with my two own eyes....telling the story is not slagging off a previous employer. A long chain of events like those....led to me being an ex-employee along with a lot of other pilots that left for safer pastures.

I knew the outfit in the old times...when it was the best place I have ever worked....the current Bristow falls far short of the old one. That is the truth....and not slagging.

[Tokunbo]

Hey SASless, unlike you to be so tender;) I never mentioned you had been slagging off Bristow, just that you have strongly expressed opinions on them. I also worked for them when they were a decent company and my feelings about them are exactly the same as your own. I believe that I may have left because of the very same person as you. :yuk:
:ok:

[mayotte]

This HPB sound like many of expat, especial American I ave seen come to Africa, learn nothing and leave quick with only bitter memories. Then they spend all of their life running down the place. I don't know if that is how it is, I am sure he will correct me if I am wrong. But Africa is like a wife - she take a while to get to know. Some people get divorce before they can ever get to know the pesron.

[Helipolarbear]

:} Mayotte...............You obviously speak for the entire continent of Africa!!!!:}

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

HPB,

Offence the best form of defence, eh ?? Your stance is a bit weak, all you appear to have been doing is defend your bitterness over your own failure !! Smart a**sed I may be, but at least I still have a job, and not as a strap hanger either. Lots of people come to Nigeria and talk the talk, but not all of them walk the walk:hmm:

[ambidextrous]

Talking of walking the walk,
We hear very little MM of what's happening in operational/flight safety/infrastructure improvements in WA. Sometime last year a B412 of Pan African crashed whilst on a night medevac. What happened? Were the bodies/aircraft recovered? Was an accident investigation carried out & if so by whom? Have the results been announced & if so where can I find it?
With fraternal greetings, ambi

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Ambi,

Rumours abound, but there was no formal investigation and it looks like there won't be. The aircraft and bodies were never recovered as they went down in deep water. All sorts of "speaking ill of the dead" stuff went round afterwards, like the Captain's validation had expired, they weren't night current, they had been flying all day etc etc. Not nice things to even ponder, let alone actually state.
Impossible to prove or otherwise as a total blackout descended on Pan African immediately. Sort of makes you wonder about their previous links with the CIA and Air America doesn't it ?

[SASless]

A Bell 412 can crash...kill four people...the bodies not recovered...the wreckage not recovered....and no investigation?

I know Nigeria is a bit backward....but I thought OLOG was supposed to be a World Leader in our industry?

The Validation had run out....that is paperwork.

The crew had flown all day long....then had the night standby...that is matter of course for some outfits. Since when does duty times matter.


The Crew was not night current...that too is debatable issue if the crew was IFR current (....and proficient). We know how that works in the Delta region.

Did OLOG not have one of the world's oldest 412's on that operation....one that spent almost a year in the hangar after passing an Air Log inspection and overhaul in Ghana? Was that the same aircraft?

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

SASless,

I heard the aircraft was nearly new, but as usual that can't be proved.

You're right about most of the rumoured things being academic, but the NCAA have really tried to tighten up over the past couple of years. They have these NCARs which are copied from JAR. The solids would really hit the air conditioning if any or all of those rumoured factors were found to be true. That's why people are gobsmacked that no formal investigation has taken place, or if it has no results have been published.

Pan African don't do that contract any more, ChevronTexaco are using a Bristow S-76 for it now. Same group of companies, different paint scheme.

Strange..................:(

[gomex]

About the Pan African accident, it was investigated, it seems like the sliding door came off in flight and hit the tailrotor. Your worst nightmare, a tailrotor failure at night over water. The Captain was a most qualified, and current pilot. He had many years flying this model A/C. He was a good friend as well, and this was his last flight in country, he was returning to the GOM. The A/C was fairly new, a couple of years old, the lastest model of the 412 series. I hope this helps.

[SASless]

Gomex,

Did the investigation determine why the door came off? Was the wreckage recovered? The company take any post-accident action to prevent that from happening again? Wasn't there some concern about flight following and how the aircraft was found to be overdue? As I recall...there were several questions about the overall situation.

Having been at Escravos on that same standby....I know how tough a flight that would have been....bad weather...night...going to PHC in the dark and bad weather with all the masts sticking up.....not something I would ever want to do.

Does Air Log (OLOG) publish results of accident investigations internally for other pilots and mechanics to read and learn from? I would imagine, just as the US Army does.....that would be a very good safety practice that would pay dividends.

[ambidextrous]

Gentlemen,
There seems to be some confusion here. One post says that the a/c, bodies were not recovered & no investigation took place whilst another says that the cabin sliding door parted company with the airframe & took the t/r away. Which is it?, anybody in the know care to comment! Was the FDR recovered even?
Regards, ambi

[chuks]

I heard three different versions, all supposedly the real inside information about what was going on in the aftermath of this accident, so that there is some confusion.

Usually it seems that a report does get completed on each accident in Nigeria but trying to find it, ah! So, nothing unusual so far in this.

From what I have been told, the patient's corpse was recovered, along with one of the rear doors bearing witness marks from the tail rotor.

The other victims and the wreckage are in deep water, reportedly around 4-5 thousand feet. Supposedly an unsuccessful side-scan sonar search was attempted and then abandoned so that the present location of the wreckage is unknown. On the other hand, one fellow told me that the wreckage had been located and viewed by some sort of remotely controlled mini-submersible; this doesn't seem to be the case.

I was told that the a/c was not fittted with an autopilot, so that one accident scenario was that something may have distracted the crew's attention, when they hit the surface, detaching the door which then hit the tail rotor. The patient, who had a hand injury, was accompanied by another oil worker; there was no flight nurse or third crewmember so that the flight crew may have been required to do something for the patient and his companion.

Another scenario is that the door was mis-rigged and came off in flight, taking out the tail rotor.

A third scenario is that the door was opened or came open after being struck by some unsecured object in the cabin so that it then came off and took out the tail rotor.

The a/c had, reportedly, not been fully fuelled and the rig's fuel stopped pumping for some reason so that they were on their way to another rig to take fuel for the trip to Port Harcourt when the accident occurred.

This is about all that I have heard about this accident. Given that one is often told, by some supposed insider, exactly what is going on, only later to be told by the same insider something completely different, who can really say what went on. The people who know something are either dead or not talking.

I think we can assume that steps will be taken to prevent a similar accident in future without necessarily satisfying the curiousity aroused or, more importantly, letting people in the aviation community learn what went on for their edification.

Nigeria has an unfortunate history of keeping secrets about accidents. That may be one reason for its high accident record. I think you could put that down to a non-safety culture, one that is changing only slowly.

[ambidextrous]

To quote 'Private Eye', "that's all right then"!
Those in the know with the authority/ability? to effect change/improvement as a result of this accident will continue to climb the 'corporate greasy pole' & to push the 'elixir' of safety case management whilst the glaring operational/infrastructure deficiencies of the Niger Delta will be ignored. i.e. non-existent flight following/poorly trained (for the most part) radio operators both rig based & Osubi based/only one radio frequency for the passing of position reports, ATIS, weather, airways clearances, level requests, Osubi airfield traffic etc.,etc.,/total lack of radar cover/poor separation/no automatic rebro. facilities for flight following purposes/total lack of SAR units.
But then again the oil co's & operators have only been in Nigeria for 40+ years & we all know it takes time to effect change/improvement!, & to provide the facilities that exist elsewhere in W.Africa & for the most part they don't have oil!
with fraternal greetings, ambi

[gomex]

Sasless
That all the informations the company is giving out.

[SASless]

Ambi...

Don't sugarcoat things...tell us what you really think!

I read that post....and being my usual self...wanted to find something to argue with....but failed.

Chuks sums it up....the aircraft remains on the bottom. Despite the underwater locater installed on the aircraft that is supposed to be good for 30 days pinging its little heart away. We can work wellheads at that depth....don't tell me the equipment and technology does not exist to recover that wreckage if the company wanted to. Without the wreckage....just how can one arrive at a determination of what happened.

An injured hand? That flight could not wait until daylight?

That aircraft as I recall had only attitude hold and did not have flight director (autopilot) installed. Witness marks for the cabin door stiking the tail rotor.....any number of things having nothing to do with a cabin door coming open...could put the cabin door into the tail rotor as a result of impact with the water or after a catastophic inflight failure.

Sounds like another case of Risk Management....the cost of that accident in "dollars" is considered a cost of doing business by the oil company and OLOG. The crew and passengers were merely incidental to the matter.

We hear of the North Sea checkerboard....and nothing in Nigeria for SAR. Same oil companies.....same safety case....yeah, right!

[gomex]

Sasless
The same came be said of the GOM, same oil companies and same results. The oil companies knows what works, but do not want to pay for it. The only reason that the oil companies pay for the better equipment and SAR, in the North Sea, is the oil field labor is union. The labor unions tells the oil companies what equipment they will ride in, not the other way. Just my thoughts.

[SASless]

Gomex...

Are you telling me the workforce in the Gulf Of Mexico are less concerned with their own personal safety than their counterparts in the North Sea oil industry?

Logically, would it not follow....that the safety standards adopted by an oil company in one location....in this case the North Sea....not be carried across their operations worldwide....if they were sincerely interested in operating to the highest standard possible?

If that is true....why therefore do we see such disparity in safety standards for the same oil company throughout the world? Are American lives any less valuable than say....Scottish or Dutch or English lives?

More importantly....what do we as an industry....the helicopter industry do....to improve the situation?

[mayotte]

HPB,
At least I ave visit and work in much of the continent of Africa for more of 30 years, From your post you stay here for only about 30 days. Masny people visit a country on holiday for longer than this and they are certainly not claiming to know as much as you babble in your posts. :}
It's like NEO says, some people talk the talk and others walk the walk - but there are also those who only walk the short walk right out of the door, never to return, like you :uhoh:
Naturally in your own country there is no things wrong, no violence, no corruption, nothing. After all who heard of any corrupt Irish American politician? :yuk:

[SASless]

Mayotte,

I find your view shortsighted....no one said we live in a perfect world....in fact...if you read the threads on this forum...you will see plenty of criticism of the offshore situation in the Gulf of Mexico by pilots flying there.

Trying to suggest problems in West Africa...particularly in Nigeria are in anyway lessened by problems that exist elsewhere is not logical at all.

Problems are problems wherever they exist......and no matter what you want to think...there are problems aplenty in Nigeria. The issue is on how to improve the situation there.

With any experience....one can look back at the Lagos Int'l airport and see tremendous improvements over the past few years. It can be done....with the proper political support from within the government.

[chuks]

One problem I keep coming across is that there is no real, immediate way to absolutely prove to someone that you prevented an accident. So, the money you spend on safety can be taken to be an unnecessary expense, as it often is by the bottom-feeders in the aviation world.

Just look at the way people treat their vehicles in Nigeria. Who is goofy enough to strip down a perfectly-running vehicle just because it hits a certain mileage, throwing away perfectly good parts to replace them with new? A Mercedes hits 10,001 kilometres and falls over dead? Nah! Run that bad boy until it begins to knock; now you know it needs maintenance.

Same with the aircraft and the crews. You just extend the inspection intervals a little bit and then a little bit more, run the crews past their sim dates or over their duty times, ignore the deterioration in the engine performance... this sort of thing saves a lot of money and doesn't usually cause an accident, does it? This sort of attitude just kind of sifts in everywhere, like Harmattan dust.

[SASless]

Chuks,

Do I detect a bit of cynicisim there? Kinda like the 212 inspection scheme that went from 1200 hour inspections....with complete strip down and full re-paint....to 3200 hour pat them on the back and send'em back out? As the airframe hours climbed towards 40,000 hours?

That dust can get up yer nose can't it?

[chuks]

It's cynicism, but only in the proper sense of the word, looking at things the way a dog would.

I was absolutely shocked to discover that most companies are in the flying game to make money. Well, that was about 30 years ago; I have got over it by now.

So, yes, there is always this tug-of-war between the bottom feeders and the outfits operating to higher standards. Sometimes the rope snaps (that is to say, there is an accident) and someone lands on his butt. And that's not always a bottom feeder, oddly enough.

I have voted with my feet a few times, as have most of us, I guess.

The situation in Nigeria is changing rapidly with CHC moving in and one thing and another. Since I am fixed-wing I am mostly a spectator to this but I am still somewhat involved. Most of you guys are committed.

(The difference between involved and committed: To give you ham and eggs the chicken was involved but the pig was committed.)

Each individual decision, regulators, management and ops, goes to make up part of the overall scene, especially how safe or unsafe it is. The more sense of empowerment, the higher the level of safety. Of course, now and then someone finds himself contemplating a sudden career change, meaning he just found the boundary of the possible. It can get pretty interesting to find a balance in all of this!

[Mama Mangrove]

The news (or lack of it) as to what really happened to the OLOG 412 saddens, but doesn't surprise me. There have been too many unanswered questions in Nigeria over the years. Some of them are plain cover-ups where there are so many answers nobody knows which (if any) is the true one. The 412 sounds like that.

Doesn't any PPRuNer know a reporter on Fox News, BBC, Washington Post, The Guardian, Canard Enchaine, Flight International, Rotor & Wing who wants to look deeper into these things? Accidents happen everywhere, but Nigeria has a bad reputation for accidents where the true cause is never known.

It wasn't always like that. Back in 1978 a Bristow Wessex lost its tail rotor and crashed with (miraculously) only minor injuries. This was in the days before OLOG when Bristow was a company with integrity. Despite weeks of looking the tail rotor was never discovered. Many years later it was found and the late Mike Griffin, a man of great integrity, would tell anyone who was interested all about the accident investigation and the actual cause of the accident. However, there was a much less thorough investigation as to who murdered Sheila Le Grys in her house in the Shell camp in Warri about the same time.

There have been many crashes in Nigeria the causes of which are unresolved or obfuscated, some of which took the lives of good friends, colleagues and aquaintances. They have involved different helicopter companies, airlines and oil companies. None are blameless.

What was the real cause of the ADC crash into Lekki Lagoon and what was really behind the Aero Contractors Twin Otter crash into the side of a mountain?

Why did a Bristow Bell 212 flying out of Eket for Mobil ditch when apparently serviceable, resulting in fatalities? Even worse, why has nobody yet been prosecuted over the death of Monty Hartley flying a Bell 212 of Bristow from Port Harcourt? What was the real cause of the Aero Dauphin 5N-BBS crashing at Brass whilst flying for NAOC? Does anybody seriously believe the official report? :mad: :yuk:

It's not just Nigeria. Why has there been nothing on the Heli Union SA365C3 which landed in the water in Douala (at least that one did not result in any fatalities.

And now this 412 fatal accident. Why do we allow these things to just rest with so many unanswered questions? ambidextrous, SASless and the others are right. Nigeria from a safety point of view is a world disgrace. There are no SAR facilities, too many unmarked masts, too much reliance on (illegal) GPS approaches, lousy communications. The list just goes on and on. What do the oil companies do about it? Nothing. Yes, it can be argued that many of these things are the responsibility of government, but where governments are unwilling to act, those same ouil companies who insist on all sorts of safety measures in 'first world' countries are quite happy to let things continue as they are in Nigeria, safe in the knowledge that when accidents happen, there will be little publicity in the world press, so they can continue saving a few dollars blood money on their transport budgets. :mad: :mad: :mad:

I have spent many happy years in Africa, but I'm not blind as to all the things that are so terribly wrong here. For those who have never worked here and are being asked questions as to your flying experience and accident history, maybe you should ask about the accident history of the company you're thinking of working for and whether they have any accidents whose causes have never been satisfactorily explained. Ask what measures your intended company has in place to rescue you if you sufer a catastrophic failure in a helicopter when you're out on a night medivac at the height of the rainy season. Ask how good their communications are when you're 100 miles offshore at night on a rescue mission. Ask if they have any proper medical facilities available near to where you're going to live if you suffer a serious illness at 2.00 in the morning. Ask if they have emergency repatriation facilities to a first world country if you're seriously injured and need to get decent medical care. Don't just come here for the money. Despite the money, many Nigerians have left to live and work in freezing Europe, paying high taxes just so they could have access to all those facilities I have just mentioned, whilst they also feel happier that their families are in a more secure environment. If you want to come here, come for the warm weather, to experience a different culture and broaden your horizons. But before you do, think about all the things mentioned on this thread and weigh them in the balance.

Sorry, don't usually go on so much, but the lack of any proper information as to what killed the 412 people and the lack of any changes as a result of it, have touched a raw nerve.

[chuks]

Four out of six of those mentioned are pretty well known, at least on the bush telegraph.

The ADC crash: The F/O rolled the A/C into an unrecoverable position while making a traffic avoidance manoeuvre.

The Aero Twotter crash: It was taken to be the case that the wrong waypoint (Abuja VOR rather than RWY 22 threshold) was used, resulting in a 1.8-mile error. If you look at the VOR22 plate, that extra 1.8 miles away from the threshold puts you just in front of the last hill, which is where they hit. The ILS G/S and DME were U/S at the time and the weather was heavy thunderstorms.

[Mama Mangrove]

chuks

Those answers were the official line, but what of all the other things? The pages of uncleared defects, the hydraulic leaks?

What of the Memo from the-then Chief Pilot fixed wing of Aero about approaches into Abuja.

Yes, I too have heard all the rumours on the bush telegraph, but why has nobody ever come up with proper satisfactory answers. They may not bring Monty, Mike or Eugene back, but they may help to prevent them from happening again :\

[chuks]

It is a funny thing, but sometimes you get very authoritative inside information hot from the bush telegraph right after a crash that turns out just not to be so. I think that people just like to make themselves important by being listened to, whether they really know what happened or not.

How often do you read about some eye-witness in the US or the UK finally being charged with wasting the time of the police after sending them off on a wild goose chase? To fill my shell-like ear with nonsense in a bar after hours is much less risky than that, and I always try to bear that in mind.

I was flying a Twotter at the time of the ADC crash, when I was even slightly involved in looking for floating wreckage on the lagoons before the crash site was finally established.

In a bar (where else) I heard precise and detailed stories about one ADC captain refusing to fly that 727 after an engineer had poured lots of hydraulic fluid into a leaking system at Port Harcourt, so that another captain took over the aircraft for the fatal flight. Then they lost the hydraulics and went into lawn-dart mode.

Then there was another story about how the elevator or the horizontal stabiliser came off.

And the one that turned out to be true seemed to be the most far-fetched, that the crew got a TCAS alert, when the F/O, Pilot-Flying, made a turn to avoid but kept banking and rolled the A/C over on its back, so that it went in vertically from 15 thousand + feet at close to Mach 1.

The strangest thing was the reaction of the search teams, when they abandoned the search just when they had supposedly got the equipment finally in place for recovery. That was very weird, and the local papers didn't let out a peep.

I fully agree that we need to know what went on so that we can avoid making the same mistakes twice. But in Nigeria there are so many loose ends. You just cannot, try as you might, divorce the way we fly from the way we live. Cars without lights, cars without seatbelts, roads without markings, airports without full lighting or signage. (How often have I had a quiet laugh when a night-time Lagos transient is told to 'Report at Link 4,' when I think to myself, 'Good luck finding it, new boy!') It's all one big mess.

Jerry Agbey-Egbe was about the only guy on the local scene willing to go public over a lot of aviation safety issues. There is still a lot of disquiet over the manner of his death; was he really shot by robbers at random? I guess we shall never get an answer to that.

I think there is simply too much pressure to continue doing things in the old, established way. Rarely, people come into the system who really do try to make positive changes. But that goes against the accepted, age-old ways of getting along. And Nigeria is not alone in this; think about how often we see discussions about the Asian fear of 'loss of face' and the role of that in accidents.

It shiouldn't be the way it is, but this isn't a perfect world. It comes down to accepting the environment for what it is and then trying to make the best of it. I try to keep a positive attitude and encourage a pro-safety way of operating without ending up tilting at windmills.

How often one sees someone come out for one or two tours in Nigeria before they flounce off to denounce the whole aviation scene as unsafe, insane, unfair or whatever. (Mr Ebullient comes to mind, somehow.) Well, aviation is inherently unsafe! Every time you get in and set things to turning and burning you are taking a risk. It's just a matter of not trying to juggle too many balls at once, I guess.

If it is any consolation, I had a job in Miami, Florida for an outfit run by a bottom feeder's bottom feeder. I was lower than a snake in a wagon rut. You know how we cheer ourselves up by saying, 'Well, there is always someone worse off than me.' That was me! I used to come in at midnight with the A/C needing a 100-hour inspection and come back out at 0700 to find a sticker on the instrument panel stating that had been done. What, by the shoe-maker's elves? Where was the FAA in this? And if I had complained, who do you think would be in trouble? Doh! I did my hours, got my ATPL and made tracks out of there!

Terms and conditions in Nigeria were found to be ten times better than back there in the good old USA. Otherwise, why would I still be here? I am with you in trying to make some constructive complaints but Nigeria's not the only place with problems. The trick is finding the balance, yes?

[swirlybird]

Mama Mangrove, I am interested in anything you or any other Ppruner might know about 5N-BBS which crashed with Mike and Eugene sadly killed just over 2 years ago at the Brass Terminal.

You mentioned the final report, which is something I have been trying to get hold of. I was told that the Final report still has not been published. If you know otherwise I would much appreciate any info you have on how I could get hold of a copy.

I was very close to Mike but sadly due to the fact that I don't operate in West Africa the only information I am able to get hold of with regards to the accident are from friends that worked with Mike at Aero.

My current understanding is that the cause of the accident published in a draft of the final report is Tail rotor failiure on short finals to the Helipad at Brass.

The report apparently also states that the initial emergency which resulted in the turnback to Brass and a Mayday call from Eugene is unknown. (although they speculate that this was likely due to inadvertant selection of the floats in the cruise). For any AS365N2 operators reading this post- how likey could this be?

Apparently the report contains no reference to any of the eye witness/pax accounts or statements. Isn't this highly unusual considering that 8 out of the 12 occupants survived with minor injuries and were able to evacuate and swim away from the submerged helicopter?

Mike was a close friend and experienced Captain of the Dauphin helicopter at Aero in the region. Any rumours/news speculation that ppruners in Nigeria may have heard with regard to the accident/investigation would be much appreciated. Also please feel free to IM me if there is anything you do not wish to publish on the open forum.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

SASless,

The dust sticks up there, that's why we all pick our noses !! Not only are the 212 Check 2's now carried out at 3,000 hours, they are done without any spares as people aren't allowed to request any until the powers that be see physical proof that something is unserviceable. So a Check 2 that used to take around 2 weeks (with a work party), can now take up to 4 months !!

Penny wise, pounds foolish............:rolleyes:

NEO.

[SASless]

Ah yes...but NEO...do recall...import duties must be paid on any spares brought into country....and that would require some money to be tied up while the spare sits on the shelf. Do you remember when LT cracked its tail boom and it took eleven weeks for the "spare" to be reworked and shipped to Warri? All that could have been prevented if there had been more than one Chadwick in country and LT could have been tracked...to eliminate the slight 1-1 vertical it had.....the one that physically separated your butt from the seat each time the blade came by. I won't mention the Training Captain's name that said it was okay to fly that way....he is still there I hear.....face sags a bit with age....but then what did a mere redneck know?

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Sounds pessimistic maybe, but it seems to all be part of a wider plan to strip the companies down to the bare minimum, get as much short term profit out of them as possible then walk away. This has been done to Bristow many times in the past 20 years, which is why they don't actually own anything anymore, except the antique 212's in Eket. No buildings, no spares, no nothing. They have become an employment agency with a lot of rich ex CEOs.

Now OLOG are in on the act, they want their pound of flesh. Pan African will probably get stuffed in time too. The recent pay rise they got looks good at face value, but all it has done is to bring them up to what everyone else has been getting.

Then ACN are waiting to see what CHC are going to do (or not). Nigeria isn't a great place to work at the moment if you're after any semblance of security.

[Mama Mangrove]

I hear there's a lot of political infighting going on at the moment between OLOG, Pan African and Brsitow Redhill as to who gets to control Nigeria. With the way things are going with OLOG in the GOM doesn't look as if aqny good will come of it for either Bristow Nigeria or Pan African.

The guys at Aero are still waiting to hear how much they're going to get stuffed by CHC on their new pay deal when they change from Euros to Dollars. They're being told that they may be pleasantly surprised, but that could just be to reduce the haemorrhaging of pilots and engineers they're suffering at the moment. All the staff are being sent new contracts to sign. At least they're presently being employed by a Cypriot-based company where their contracts may have some chance of a semblance of legal backing. What's the betting the new ones will be governed by the obscure, unenforceable laws of some unheard-of tax haven?

As for Caverton - who wants a contract with a Nigerian company governed by Nigeria law? That's just sure to be easily enforceable internationally :}

[SASless]

Has not Freddie moved from the double wide trailer in New Iberia to scrumptous digs back in Lagos? Last I heard he is both an OLOG VP for African Ops, MD of Bristow Nigeria, and on the Board of Directors of Bristow Nigeria. If that is true...then it would seem OLOG/New Iberia will run Bristow Nigeria.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

SAS,

I heard that too. Apparently he's living in style in Victoria Island somewhere. Shame they couldn't find the money to renovate the not so sumptious quarters at Esa Akpan................. But I suppose he's forgotten what it was like when he was there ?

[SASless]

NEO,

One should be careful what one says about senior management....mere staff cannot understand the importance of maintaining a lifestyle only to impress the customers and to have suitable digs to entertain them. The nuturing of customers certainly takes precedence over trivial matters like staff housing. Why, sir.....you do have most of a roof over your head do you not....and the gaping holes in the walls allow for ventilation.....adopting slick tailed rats for pets has always been a welcome diversion to the company bar.

Did the swimming pool...(promised long ago to replace the staff funded one at the airport) ever get built?

The real reason Fred has to live so far away....is if he is inside the BRC he has to live in seclusion....too many complaints delivered personally to him outside the chain of command....thus interfering with the evening cocktail hour.

If the Caverton shuttle gets up and running...reckon ol' Freddie will be a customer for the run to Ikeja from VI? Or...will there be a Bristow VIP shuttle in the works to compete with Caverton. They could dust off the Jet Ranger....throw some pledge on the fabric....and in the VIP business. Never mind the gouges in the interior from all the sand sample bags from Iran.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

SAS,

The only swimming pool is the one created during the rainy season by the inadequate drainage or the leaks from the appalling plumbing !! Another empty promise. They are always being told that profits are so slim they can't afford it. Wonder what the rent is on an apartment in VI these days ?

[Tokunbo]

Only problem with the Bristow VIP shuttle would be the couple of years to get hold of a site and build a heliport - though with the OLOG connection maybe he could persuade Chevron to let him use their pad at Lekki :ok:

[SASless]

From the latest Quarterly Report on the web....


I understand now why they cannot afford to fix a leaky toilet!

In Nigeria, flight activity and operating revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2004 increased 14.8% and 31.3%, respectively, over the quarter ended September 30, 2003. The increase is primarily due to the addition of two medium aircraft in November 2003 and two large and one medium aircraft in April 2004. These additional aircraft accounted for 882 flight hours and $5.2 million in operating revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2004.



Operating expenses for our International Operations increased in the quarter ended September 30, 2004 to $45.3 million, or 23.9%, from $36.5 million in the quarter ended September 30, 2003. The increase was primarily due to higher salary costs, maintenance costs and lease fees due to increased operations in our international areas. The operating margin in our International Operations increased to 15.1% in the current quarter from 12.8% in the prior year quarter.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

With hardly any investment in Nigeria (except more managers in Lagos to do what two used to get done).

No on site spares or new engineers to fit them, a trickle increasing to a torrent of imminent pilot resignations, unhappy clients, unhappy workforce (although that isn't important these days), and a pretty gloomy outlook. How the mighty have fallen:sad:

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Please don't tell me everyone is content with this ?!! No F/W licence, so where are my razor blades................................??

[SASless]

NEO....what you need a razor blade for...not comtemplating putting an end to this are you? You need a reason to hang on? Look at the bright side....when all the other guys start bailing out....your position on the seniority list will improve greatly. That way the crewbus will pick you up last and drop you off first. Now there's a deal to live for!

While reading some financial reports filed by OLOG to the SEC....there was a paragraph that noted two accidents were under investigation. One in Alaska and the Bell 412 crash in Nigeria that killed Dave Ellis, the Captain, his co-pilot, and two passengers. There has been some discussion of this before.

I could not find any record of the NTSB having an open investigation on this....nor does it make sense for them to do so...foreign registered aircraft....foreign location....foreign operator....and all.

Anyone have any official information about the crash and its causes beyond second/third hand...someone told me that...kind of report?

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

SAS,

True about the seniority, but with an American board of directors pulling the strings (control and purse), that would make my salary a glitch on their otherwise flat financial reward graph, leading to an excuse to make me disposable !!:ok:

[SASless]

Ah I forgot....the OLOG Seniority and AGE reduction program....as practiced in the UK and Eket.....reckon they do senior management that way as well?

Stamp all personnel folders with a "Must fire by date"....based upon a floating combination of age and years with the company modified by number of increments being paid.

The Little One being still on base pay with no increments due to run-ins with the Ethics and Standards Board....escaped the Eket thing....too few increments to qualify for the cut-off.

By the way...how is Hypen Smyth?

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Correct. All the really senior pilots bar one have retired and gone back as contractors leaving cheapies, just the way they want it.

[alghaita ganga]

Here's a little quiz to see if you can spot aqny of the companies you know (or knew) in a certain African country.

Well established overseas company with other contracts makes a partnership with Nigerian company who leave the overseas company to operate and manage everything. Company gets offshore contracts with major oil companies. Small operating bases established after contracts awarded. Everyone makes money.

Local company decides to get into aviation, looks for overseas partner. Maybe gets small contracts with local oil companies. Spends a small amount of money on support infrastructure, has a few problems with the NCAA. Makes small amount of money for a while and then gives up.

Local company decides to get into helicopter operations, has no offshore experience, contracts or contacts, brings in Polish or Russian helicopters which nobody wants, with non English speaking crews, and bases them where there is no work. Company goes down the potty.

Local company decides to get into helicopter operations, has no offshore experience or contracts, spends huge amount of money on superb facilities, hires very expensive foreign consultants who know nothing about helicopters, fire consultants, buy very expensive helicopter only suitable for European operations, hire a few expats to make it look as if they're very serious, start talking about bases everywhere, worry about money so cut back on spending but hire lots of low paid local staff to make things look busy. Company goes down potty.

Know any of these? :E :E :E

[Tokunbo]

3. Okada :ok:

You could have added:

Company goes down the potty, you'd never know the boss or his family lost any money as they still have all their toy train sets, big mansions overseas and Mercedes. It's just the poor suckers who worked for them or invested money who lose the lot :}

[Mama Mangrove]

SASless,

I hear Fred is not living in VI, but in a quite modest flat in Ikeja somewhere.

Caverton have been very quiet recently and I haven't seen their 109 for over a week now. I did hear a rumour that they're close to signing a lease deal with Heliportugal for a Dauphin, presumably for the shuttle to VI. There still seems to be some construction work underway at their heliport site, though it looks a long way from completion yet.

Any news from Cameroon as to whether Schreiner/CHC are likely to renew their contract with Exxon for support of the pipeline/FSO operation? I hear that a lot of their pilots are spending part of their leave time in Sudan because CHC are having problems finding crew to go there (not helped by the fact that the Schreiner Libya operation is involved in this!).

I'm a bit busy at the moment. Let's hear more from African PPRuNers as to what happened in Escravos, the continuing exodus from ACN and Bristow, what's happening to the FW division of ACN. :ok:

[SASless]

Just read an e-mail about the Great Helicopter Bashing at Escravos by one who was present for the festivities. Makes for a really good story....glad to know it was someone else that got that pleasure.

Accounts of security guards removing their uniforms and taking to the bush....machete wielding locals looking for the people in charge....tear gas...gunshots....heck...it could have been New Little Siberia in a few weeks.

[anjouan]

SASless,

I'd be interested in reading a more detailed account of what went on in Escravos if you (or the friend who e-mailed you) can post it. Especially if, as you say, it makes for a really good story. It sounds as if it must have been a really frightening experience for the people there. I hope nobody was hurt?

[Gunship]

Mama Mangrove ... here is the latest news for you from Helismoke... (they are damn lucky. God Bless. Short brief on camp/airfield attack in Escravos, Nigeria, by a Pan African pilot who was there:
If you read this and want to forward it to anyone feel free!
On Friday the 4th of February I had ridden my bike to the Chevron hangar at our Escravos Base at around 0505, and noticed a lot of police at the gate putting on gear. They waved to me and I waved to them and went out the main gate and kept going to the runway.
About every 50 meters on the runway was the local security guards, most in riot gear, but once again no warnings, no sirens, nothing; they just waved. I figured a security exercise was going on, as that happens every so often.
I went into the hangar and went to the company computer, and at about 0510 Jim B.came in as the the phone rang. He answered it and said "The camp's being overrun?!" and "How many intruders?".
He put down the phone and at that time shots were being fired on camp.
I then got a call from John G., our manager at camp, who said the camp is closed, intruders inside the barbed wire and some buildings being invaded by intruders.
Jim called the other PAAN employees into the crew room while I turned off the hangar lights, as it was still dark.
Jim was at the kitchen hall window and said "Smoke, look at all the people on the runway!". I ran over and saw lots of people coming through a hole in the wire opposite the control tower, and the guards were just watching them go by (A smart move on their part).
Jim called one of the managers and told him we needed help, and fast, as we were marooned.
One of the Pan African managers (Still in camp) said it would be awhile because the soldiers were scattered everywhere, and one of the camp security guards had run by him as the guard was ripping off his uniform.
In the meantime intruders were in the camp trying to get into some of the employee rooms, and most were carrying machetes.
The director of PAAN called and said to lay low for awhile until help could get to us. I thought about writing that down, but then things got too busy real quick:
We made sure everyone was in the crew room, about 10 in all, and two guards showed up before we locked the doors.
Jim said, "Are you guys our reinforcements?"
They said "No, we came in through a hole in the parts room".
Needless to say, we were pretty happy about that.
We went back into the hallway, peeked out the window and saw the crowd head for the helicopters while the two expat engineers put equipment in front of the hole.
The good news is that the crowd went first to the work stands and then climbed onto the helos. As you know, Chevron policy says you can't climb onto the aircraft without using the stands for safety reasons, so at least they were following Chevron safety standards.
If they hadn't, Jim and I would've had to go outside to issue the Chevron "Stop" cards to the crowd due to using unsafe work practices.
They then smashed the windshields of two of the Bell 407's and one of the 412's, and they were using the fire extinguishers as hammers on some others. They pulled the fuel hoses out to each aircraft, so by now it was getting real interesting!
They then looked at the hangar, and headed right for us.
I then decided to head to the crew room with Jim and lock the doors.We stayed in the crew room as they tried to pry the air con unit out of the wall to get in, but luckily it held. Up to that time Jim and I were like Meerkats looking out the window, popping up and down as the situation dictated, but then we figured it was time to lay low.
One of the pilots had called just before we locked the crew room door and said the crowd had machetes and was looking for anyone with authority. I offered Ernest (An Air Log engineer) $60.00 to swap my white uniform shirt for his blue one, but he didn't think it was enough.
At 0745 we got a call that soldiers were coming to get us out, and a little later an armed detachment of soldiers arrived as other soldiers were shooting teargas at the crowd along the runway, and they got us out in one of their trucks. We got teargas in our eyes, and we could see soldiers firing round after round of teargas at the crowd as one kid kept throwing buckets of water on the gas grenades, but we made it to camp without further incident.
At that time camp was in a lockdown. At 0900 I could hear some shouting outside my camp room and then someone banged on my door. I said "Dave ain't here!". More banging on my door and a South African pilot identified himself and wanted in to give me a briefing. He must not have seen "Cheech and Chong", because he wanted to know who Dave was.No sense of humor.
Every three or four hours an announcement over the PA advised all camp residents to stay locked in their rooms, and this went on for three days, with cautious meals in the dining hall.
They couldn't get the holes fixed in the fences for three days as everytime a work crew went to do the work, armed villagers showed up, and the work crews thought discretion was the better part of valor and left.
They got some Dash 8's in on Monday the 6th to evac 400 Chevron personnel, and soldiers and teargas kept the crowd back each time the aircraft landed and took off.
I had a feeling something like this was going to happen:
Last week I'm flying a Bristow 212 (5N-ALU) with a Bristow F/O (Young Nigerian named B., real sharp guy) and we got word one of the Radio room guys woke up dead, and they wanted me and B. to fly to Whiskey Tango with the occupied coffin and one pax.
When I got in the aircraft at the head of the casket (to ease in the loading due to narrowness of the cargo area), the lid kept popping up. I kept trying to ignore anything under the lid and hurried to get it loaded.
I'm not real fond of carrying bodies in the first place, but it's usually in bags, and this coffin was real Dracula looking. Add the fact that the lid kept popping up, and I was really getting antsy. After it got loaded, I told B. that if the lid popped up inflight, he'd be the only one left to make the landing at Warri.
When I got back to the aircraft to do the startup, I noticed 3 cargo straps across the coffin really strapped tight. I guess they didn't understand my warped sense of humor, and they didn't want to take any chances with me bailing out if the lid popped up one more time, I thought that was a hoot.
Hopefully this mess should be settled by the start of my flying to my next shift, but I feel sure it's going to continue, and right now we aren't being paid enough for that stuff. We can't carry weapons, and that's the hard part, as most of us are ex-military and some of us were former contract pilots for the US DEA in Guatemala, Columbia and Peru, and also have time in lots of other war zones.
The next year in Nigeria is going to get very interesting!
Fly Safe, Smokey

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=163113

[Mama Mangrove]

Thanks Gunss, I see the post is now on the African Aviation thread.

I guess after seeing something like that OLOG/Bristow/PanAfrican and CHC/Schreiner and Caverton will have even more difficulty in keeping and recruiting pilots and engineers than they do now. I hear all three of the Nigerian operators have big problems with crewing at present.

[Gunship]

Yeah MM .. I think we all love flying .. fling wings the lot but there comes a time in a man's life when you've gotta say what the f...

Is it really worthwhile ?

That's the only question I would ask those guys to answer ..
'
maybe I am getting too old but I do not think it is ... not with rubbish like this going on - nobody needs it (without a Gunship on standbye anyway) ;)

Cheers and thanks for a great thread :ok: (I have been lurking for 2 years) ;)

[SASless]

Personnel Security has been a problem for years in Nigeria. Hiring a local guy and giving him a stick does not quite work as a real deterrent to burglars.....putting curtains in vans does not deter armed robbers. The latest account of the measures available to protect the staff confirms the lack of real concern given this problem. Remember all the hijackings and pilots being held hostage a while back.....

I used to love showing up at Lagos International...along with lots of Chevron people.....they were met by armed police hired by the oil company....and I sometimes had to make my way to the taxi rank to find my way to the Staff House. Granted nothing happened....but the possibility existed.

What bugged me most was the attitude held by some of the Powers that Were about such things.

Nope...times are changing...and not for the better.....hope the operators rise to the occasion and take the necessary precautions to safeguard the people.

Dollars to Dog droppings....you can hold the stakes in yer mouth....the wages will not go up.....nothing will change. Any takers on that bet?

[Gunship]

SASless .. you are right nothing will change - this is Africa.

The only way this situation will really be solved is when the corruption will stop from the Goverment / Oil Companies will stop and guaranteed that will never be stopped .. sadly.

In a way I "feel" for the locals ... I said just in a way mate ;)

Eischhhh Africa ... :}

[SASless]

Guns...

I have a lot of sympathy for the locals...Billions of dollars of oil gets pumped out of the ground right next to their thatch huts...they have no electricity....no clean water....poor schools...no real protection from corrupt government. It is understandable they should not be too happy with the oil company and the government.

I also question why the people have let this go on for so long....and wonder just how long it will be until a strong dynamic leader brings the many factions together and brings about real change. It can only be a matter of time.....hopefully, it will be a political upheaval and not a civil war again.

As to the operators and oil companies....the oil companies will take care of their own....and the operators will continue to put their folks at risk I fear.

There are plenty of old 61's and SuperPumas that could be used to do passenger shuttles for the helicopter crews but we will never see that.....ever tried to get a seat on the oil company flight to be bumped by a woman going to Lagos for a shopping trip? Never mind you have to get to Lagos to catch a flight out of the country for your time off.

[Gunship]

SASless ..

There are plenty of old 61's and SuperPumas that could be used to do passenger shuttles for the helicopter crews but we will never see that.....ever tried to get a seat on the oil company flight to be bumped by a woman going to Lagos for a shopping trip? Never mind you have to get to Lagos to catch a flight out of the country for your time off.

This is disturbing practise !

Damn I can just imagine the anger from crews.

I really admire the guys that's still there. A lot of Saffers I pressume ?

Cheers,

No more Gunzzz

[anjouan]

Gunss, SASless,

The concern by the helicopter operators and the oil companies for the security of the crews, both pilot and engineers is about diametrically opposed to the concern they have for their profits - it's lip service only. People stay here for one of two reasons only - they like the touring rosters or they like being in Africa. :{

Actually Gunss, there aren't many saffers here, except on the Pan African contract in Escravos. The majority of the expat pilots seem to be Indians, Ozzies, Brits and Portuguese, though quite a few Ozzies and Brits seem to be leaving lately.

SAS, I guess things might change one day, but it's a bit like the punchline in an old joke I heard. God says to the President of Nigeria, 'yes Mr President, things will eventually get better in Nigeria , but not in my lifetime!'. :} :} :}

[Mama Mangrove]

It seems that Caverton is still around as their 109 was seen yesterday over Lagos.

I also hear from a friend in Portugal that a Dauphin has been seen flying around Estoril in the last few days. It's a dark blue colour with the Heliportugal logo on the top and the Caverton logo on the tail, but still on a Portuguese registration. Perhaps the rumour which has been around for a while of them bringing another helicopter to Nigeria, is about to prove true. Certainly they're now advertising a shuttle service in Port Harcourt on their website. No sign of 'Uncle Bob' to confirm or deny the rumours though.

[ColdFiltered]

I think Uncle Bob is doing the ferry flight.

[Mama Mangrove]

I hear that a Dauphin has been seen outside the Caverton hangar in Lagos in the last few days, so I guess Uncle Bob made it okay. It looks as if they'll be moving that to Port Harcourt soon as their website is advertising a shuttle service soon to start there. Don't know what sort of response they'll get, but I wish them luck. Has anybody heard if they've recruited any more Dauphin pilots? I would think that they would be in fierce competition with CHC/Aero as they offer a better touring roster.

I also hear that there's trouble afoot in Port Harcourt with the CHC pilots and engineers not being happy with the new salary they're likely to get soon as the CHC take over results in the loss of their old euro salaries. Somebody told me that he thought they may get the same salary in US$ as they now get in euros, plus some kind of benefits package as a sweetener. Any PPRuNers from Aero care to comment? With the probability of Aero trying to take the Shell contract from Bristow after many years, as the Dorniers become unflyable and Shell advertising for tenders to operate the contract, I would think the last thing CHC would want to do is to upset its pilots and engineers. They're short enough of staff now and loss of more could lead to them finding it impossible to crew and operate what they have, let alone being able to take on anything new. A few of their people have already left to join OLOG/Bristow because of the better salary and discontent with the living conditions.

[ColdFiltered]

I don't believe that CHC will pay people in Nigeria any different from the rest of the group or they will risk upsetting the pilots and engineers from other bases around the world. What might make a difference is the daily allowance paid when on-site. Being in Nigeria should attract the top rate of allowance unless CHC have bases in Baghdad, Grozsny or Kabul!

[Tokunbo]

If they're not going to pay any differently let's hope that at least they'll do something about the lousy housing the rotary people have to endure in Port Harcourt. Surely the recent fire in a house must have drawn the attention of someone in CHC International management in Canada to the fact that the houses are dangerous and sub-standard except if judged by the standards of a Mumbai slum. The lack of any decent sporting facilities is also pretty poor and don't even start to talk about the years of broken promises regarding the swimming pool such as the loss-making fixed wing division have enjoyed for years in Lagos. :}

It's no good providing new helicopters as the only investment if they don't invest more in trying to hold on to people as well.

[L'WAAPAM]

Ok, so I missed this thread...........................OOOPs

What is they call it "Division of attention"...."......."Capacity!!!!"

Cant remeb.....?????........................DOH!!!!!

Oh F@@CK it so I'm a bit DIM but I'm REALLY NICE!!!!!!

So apart from the who's, who's and the where, why and for all post's,

WHAT IS IT LIKE IN NIGERIA????????????????????

SASless: Points noted(Thank you)

Anyone got any constructive points about it???? I'm looking for the 2005 here and now Update!!!!!!

GOOD or BAD, HIT ME BABY!!!!!!!!!

L'

[Phone Wind]

L'WAAPAM,

Good things,

It's always warm, even when it rains, Star and Gulder are sold in 600 ml bottles, are strong, usually cold and usually cheap (except in the Jolly Sailor where they are now usually warm and expensive :E ) and the Sheraton where they are just expensive. New helicopters are finally arriving after years of underinvestment.

Bad things,

Schreiner has now been taken over by CHC but it's too late even for them to get rid of the Mumbai Monument in Port Harcourt NAF base. That hangar/office building is a nightmare, even if it is a bit better than the truly appalling old AGIP base. When it rains it's like being inside a drum with a tonne of peas being dropped on it and it's oriented to constantly subject the engineers inside to unacceptable levels of helicopter noise as the door opens directly onto the ramp. As Tokunbo says, the ACN housing in Port Harcourt is well below standard despite being refurbished to cope with the extra people the change to a 6:6 roster brought. It really needs someone from a First World company to check out the electrics in the houses as, in my opinion they're very dangerous (though not as much as the generator fuel tank!). As for the air conditioners :yuk: - the management is proud of the fact that with the aid of super-service company D:mad: x, they can keep their clapped-out old wall units going for up to 20 years :\ . Okay, housing is scarce and expensive in Port Harcourt, but this could have been dealt with years ago by buying land and building their own staff house. A few years ago there were even plans for that, but the attitude of the then-management was that they were an aviation company, not a property company. Compare this with the houses Bristow live in or the hotel where Pan African pilots often stay, which has nice rooms, good food, swimming pool and sporting and leisure facilities.

The traffic in Port Harcourt is really awful.

You are Welcome to Nigeria :E

[SASless]

My, how things change.....one goes through the entire thread and several posters cite problems with life at BHL but note the pay might be a differential....and note life at ACN is okay but the pay might be a problem.

No one has reported a robbery or shooting of an ACN crew but several instances of BHL crew buses being robbed...some shot up...some occupants being wounded.

Did the crew bus get shot up in Lagos and two pilots get wounded?

Did the crew bus with driver alone get shot up and the driver get wounded?

Did the visiting BossFellah and his entourage get robbed of their watches in PHC during a visit?

Are not the quarters at PHC grand villas a very long way from work?

Are the guys still enjoying the wonderful cuisine at the oil company mess in Eket?

Are there still problems in commuting to Lagos to go on leave?

ACN runs their own airline...thus no problem for them.

How many ACN helicopters have been hijacked? How many ACN crews have been held hostage? Any BHL aircraft and crews hijacked and held hostage?

Mama, NEO, Chuks, and the others might be able to give us an update of past events and the changes that have taken place to improve the situation. They seem to be hacking it....thus it cannot be all that bad there. After all there is golf at Eket, cheap beer, and Night Fighting to be done.

[chuks]

Well, if I had to choose between pay or conditions I would take the pay, thank you very much!

And as to conditions, one can do a bit to make things more liveable just by using some initiative. It isn't always necessary to wait for Headquarters to sort out local problems.

I have worked for all of the 'big three' Nigerian companies (Pan African, Bristow and Aero) at various times, plus a local Lebanese gentleman and usually found something or other to keep me showing up at work and something else that was annoying. The thing is that swapping jobs usually left me with the feeling that I might as well have stayed where I was, not that I ever regretted moving on or even being moved on.

Anyone looking in on this, trying to decide whether or not to try working in Nigeria, well, all I can say is that pay and conditions are such, nowadays, that many people have found they can do just as well elsewhere without taking the sort of risks associated with the Nigeria of today! I have had several friends tell me that they are doing just as well back in Europe in financial terms.

There is some hope that a pilot shortage will develop to the point that more money will have to be on offer. But pilots often seem to jump at an offer of work without weighing up all the odds, so that this might be a while coming.

I guess the place gets under your skin somehow. God knows why, but it does. Spend a few years there and you may find yourself unfit or unwilling to work elsewhere. I cannot explain this. Read 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad for a glimpse of what I am here writing about.

Bear in mind that Conrad himself went to the Congo to be a boat captain, got mired in company politics and then went down with a heavy case of malaria that left him unable to work as a captain before turning to writing as a way to make a living. He only spent a few months there but he seems to have got it right.

[Droopy]

Ah, Nightfighting...SASless, I have to say that I've misbehaved in many parts of the world but I never ever ever ever entertained the idea in Nigeria.........much as I need to lose weight, that's not the way to do it :suspect:

[SASless]

We could write a book about the dangers of Night Fighting in Nigeria....midnight visits from the police who magically discover drugs in the one place they look. Nice police officers showing up to arrest folks for taking porn shots of innocent young women. Valuables disappearing about the same time a girlfriend ditches you. Heavens be....if the story behind the Captain Hyphen-Smyth School for Unwed Mothers in Eket ever got out. The image of one of Redhill's Third Floor Czars riding through Eket town and seeing the small one in the chain gang of criminals headed for court while in his uniform......yes....there are some stories there.

:E

[Makila]

Post deleted.


'Outing' members whose real names you either know or think you know is regarded as a cardinal sin on PPRuNe.
You might think it's clever - we don't.
Everyone who registers is entitled to anonymity if they wish, and we enforce their wish strictly.

You're a new member so take this as the first and last warning: Do it again and you'll be banned from PPRuNe.

Heliport

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Nice post chuks, and so true. There are so many things people could list that are wrong in Nigeria (and other countries), but it's rare to note the plus side. And there is one, isn't there ? After all, if there wasn't, what are we doing here when North Sea pilots bank almost the same after tax etc ?

Yes, Africa has it's problems, but over the years I've met a couple of Americans who were working way past their sell by dates as drilling superintendents etc because they felt safer in Nigeria than places like Houston or Dallas. 10,000 muggings/street thefts a day in London. And a bunch of people who pass each other every day without saying a word.

Nuff said:ok: :ok:

[SASless]

Tax hike could halt Nigerian oil projects - Shell

Mon March 21, 2005 5:23 PM GMT+02:00
ABUJA (Reuters) - A proposed hike in Nigerian oil taxes could halt new offshore oil projects just as the country is trying to attract new investors, Royal Dutch/Shell said on Monday.

The criticism by the Anglo-Dutch giant, by far the largest investor in Nigeria, is more harsh than previous industry reaction to the proposed measure, which would raise corporate income tax from 50 to 85 percent on multi-billion-dollar deep-water developments and could be applied retroactively.

"Not only would the passage of such a bill imply the government is reneging on existing agreements and eroding trust, but it would also render new projects unsustainable and liable to termination," said Chima Ibeneche, managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Co., operator of Shell's deep water projects in the country.

Shell is in the final stages of building a $3.5 billion offshore development at Bonga, where production is set to start mid-year and rise rapidly to 225,000 barrels per day.

Any increase in tax would hit the profitability of such ventures, which would be all the more painful for Shell because Bonga is already two years delayed and 30 percent over budget.

"It is essential that the basis of these investments is not tampered with in any way that will adversely affect the economic returns to investors or the investment climate of the future," Ibeneche said.

Nigerian Presidential Adviser on Petroleum and Energy Edmund Daukoru has said he hopes that the legislation will not affect existing contracts, but the House of Representatives appear to have other ideas.

The proposed bill would have to pass through the Senate before going to President Olusegun Obasanjo for signing into law. Obasanjo could refuse to sign, but the assembly can over-rule him with a two-thirds majority.

The uncertainty over Nigerian oil contracts comes just as the OPEC member nation gears up for a new licensing round including 12 deep water areas to be auctioned by August.

"The proposal would send signals such as would severely jeopardise prospects for future investment in general and stunt if not effectively stall growth in the deep water oil and gas industry at this most critical time," Ibeneche said.

[Makila]

Heliport

I note the thread above my deleted post has removed a surname pretty swiftly- I bet you didn't notice.

Now that was clever- read back through this and other
West African threads and you will uncover peoples surnames,
or abbreviated versions usually by the same guy.

On the pprune edge.......................!!

[Heliport]

Makila
The post above yours had already been edited when I looked at this thread, but you seem to be missing the point:

People's names (full, abbreviated, nicknames) often appear in posts. 'Outing' forum members who post anonymously is absolutely forbidden, strictly enforced and almost inevitably leads to an immediate and permanent ban from all the forums.
I warned you rather than banning you because you're very new and may not have known the rule. Well, you do now.

If members choose to reveal their real names although posting under a username (as many do in this forum) that's up to them - but it's not for others to blow their anonymity.

If you mean there are other forum members who've been 'outed', then either I haven't spotted it and the member hasn't complained, or I know that member doesn't object.

You are indeed "on the Pprune edge" because you clearly did so maliciously - you coupled it with an offensive comment about the member you named.
The rule is simple. Either stay and comply with it, or find another forum more to your liking - your choice.

Heliport

[Phone Wind]

What's happening with CHC/Aero in Nigeria at the moment? I heard that the pilots and engineers had formed a union.... oops........, an association because they were not happy with the proposed pay changes shortly being introduced by their new masters :oh:

[Boudreaux Bob]

I got offered a job to fly in Escravos on 206s. Can anyone tell me what to expect there? Not sure the pay is right. Was offered four thousand dollars a month. That seems too low but it is tax free if I stay long enough. Good place? The gym recreation setup sounded ok, tennis is good exercise.

[anjouan]

BB

Before accepting I suggest you read the recent threads on this Forum and the Africation AviationForum about the recent events in Escravos. Basically, it was over-run by the local villagers and the Pan African pilots and engineers were sheltering in their rooms and the hangar until the military eventually restored order. During the course of the occupation of Escravos several helicopters were damaged by the mob. $4,000 a month sounds pretty pathetic to be living under that sort of threat, whether it's tax-free or not :yuk:

Even with a bit of unrest amongst the staff at Aero (as mentioned in Phone Wind's post) the pay is better than that and the other OLOG company in Nigeria, Bristow, pays a lot more than that.