Vandals Destroyed nine Helicopters in Escravos,Nigeria

[ruma]

At least nine helicopters were destroyed by iritate locals in Escravos, South, south of the Niger delta of Nigeria yesterday. Among the helicopter badly hit during this riot was the new Bell 412, 5N-BHE flown in two days before the 'strike' to replaced the 412 that crashed last year. Pan African Airlines a subsidary of O-lug have been operating in this oil rich area for close to thirty years and this is the first time this type of human calamity is happening to their properties. Rumour had it that the Locals have permitted a mobile company to errect a mast in the village to enable them get connected to the world! not knowing that the mast will constitute hazzard to helicopter operation flying for Chevron in the oil terminal. Chevron and the aviation authorities have sued the mobile operator to court that the mast should be removed! The villagers are not happy because of this instead they are asking Pan African to relocate their Hanger and airfield!. Protest was arranged by the villagers and at the end of the day Many helicopters were left with their wind sheild smashed and cables, electronis damaged. No body was injured as at the time of this report.

[Captain Pheremone]

I can't believe.....wait I mean I can believe....... but have I still got a job???????

How did they get in the security area, fences, gaurds, dogs etc.:ooh:

[SASless]

Oh dear....another 412 gone to scrap! That is the third one in not so long....the first old 412 No Pee that sat around and collected dust....the one that crashed...and now this one. Price of oil goes up!

Wonder why the oil company could not have talked to the villagers first....then filed the lawsuit? May not have helped much...but what happened to being a good neighbor...could they not have put some similar system in use a long time ago for the village....surely they could find some extra pennies in the imprest fund for that kind of project.

[Musket33]

Wow! As I prepare to go fly this morning from Port Harcourt I find out about this incident on the internet. I love this hi-tech stuff.

[Captain Pheremone]

4 Interest....The antenna story was basically Cellphone Greed. Step 1. MTN was offered by the oil company, free use of a 400' radio mast inside security area, free electricity and access to all personnel. They demanded payment for this privilege. How ridiculous.
Step 2. Opposition cell company jumps at oportunity and business thrives.
Step 3. MTN realise mistake .......approach local village for space which they end up paying (big$$$$) for. Erect antenna 50m off rnwy centre line without consulting CAA, ATC, Oil company or anyone else.
Step 4. Refer to post 1 above.

[Greenie from Hell]

How did they get in the security area, fences, gaurds, dogs etc

Stole them, bribed them, and ate them.

[twenty eight]

Stole them, bribed them, and ate them.
Not necessary in that order.:eek:

[Phone Wind]

Is anyone really surprised? For years Chevron has probably been the company which contributed the least to the community. Their employees have lived inside a fortified camp and been heavily discouraged from any contact with the locals.
I know that it's the responsibility of Government to use money from oil revenues and this should trickle down to local communities, but anyone who wants to see how oil companies can be forced to put money into the local community has only to visit the Shetland Isles to the north east of Scotland.
Chevron has done what it wants in the area for years. When single engine helicopters were outlawed by the NCAA for offshore work in 1992, Chevron and its helicopter operator Pan African (now OLOG) just did what they always did - paid somebody to get an exemption. To this day, Pan African is the only operator in Nigeria allowed to operate single engine helicopters (despite the fact that it's parent company, OLOG's other company, Bristow, replaced its 206s with Twin Squirrels) and has even replaced most of its 206s with 407s.

However, I digress. Escravos is a private airfield licensed for day VMC only operations isn't it? Helicopters land next to large masts all the time in Nigeria. I'm sure there are bnever any approaches conducted using only the NDB and GPS in conditions less than strict VMC ;)

Of course, the NCAA, Uncle Tom Cobley et al should have been consulted, but this is Nigeria we're talking about. Look at all the huge masts close to Murtala Muhamed airport or the overpass being constructed close to the runway at the Port Harcourt NAF base.

The local people have a history of opposition to the oil companies (though the protests against Escravos have usually been moderately peaceful - vis. the women's protest), but maybe now, Chevron will have learned the expensive lesson, that talking is often cheaper and more effective than litigation. I guess it will only end up costing the insurance companies more and that insurance for aircraft in Nigeria will be increased another few percent, increasing the costs of operating there for all.

What a sad, explosive, disagreable, topsy-turvy place paradise is. :sad:

[Stan Switek]

To quote Lt Col. Bill Kilgore from Apocolypse Now, "F@#$ing Savages!"

[bluesafari]

Can anybody say what damage was really done to these aircraft? My information is that they were 'immobilised', what ever that may mean in this instance. Were they really destroyed?

[Captain Pheremone]

Damage basically superficial ....not write offs...BUT helicopters are expensive.