What are your thoughts??

[Sir HC]

Heres the scenario, have heard that Heli-Aust have the contract for the 2005-2006 fire season and are bringing in Canadian machines with American pilots (or vice versa, I cant remember). Good for those two countries and I suppose Heli-Aust would make a small amount out of it but what about other companies that are wholly Australian where the profits would stay in Australia? It seems to me that Heli-Aust is just getting a bit greedy and those who award the contracts have no idea of the term shopping locally. What do you fellows think of the situation?Cheers

[tommacklin]

I understand your grievance but in the big picture, I guess business is business. The world is such a small place nowadays as far as doing business goes and it would not be unrealistic to have an Australian company winning business in the US/Canada for a similar contract, it just depends on who makes the successful bid.

It is nonetheless, a bitter pill to swallow.

I recently made an unsuccessful bid for a State contract which was awarded to an out-of state bidder. I will have another attempt at it next year and will have to adjust my bid/operation in order to win it, but I want it. Business stinks sometimes. I should consider working a regular job but I doubt I'd last five minutes.

[Auscan]

Is there a completely Australian owned company that can support three 212's for the remainder of the year outside of fire season? You have to remember that yes for 3 months of the year those machine's are out flying and making money. But if there is a slow fire season as in the last two years it is hard to support those helicopters for the remaining 9 months. Otherwise we would all own Skycranes and call them pet names. How many Australian operators invested in mediums in the last 3 years and havent turned a blade with them? I know of a couple at least. Lets not forget that a few Australian operators have shipped their machines and pilots overseas in the last 12 months also. Once again at least 2 that I know of. Our industry is truly becoming a global business and the borders are breaking down. I totally understand your gripe but I dont think you should blame the operator or the crew. In my mind it is the government who opens the door to such happenings. Just my 2 cents.

[Max Dover]

Discrete Air Operator's Certificate

It is the Discrete AoC that allows foreign operators to come here during their off-season.
Who controls this - CASA!
With all the compliance issues Australian operators have to contend with these days - this one issue is has now been completely abused.
The original spirit of a DAOC was to let an operator establish his equipment in country but was always considered a temporary measure. Now there are over thirty (30) of them -another complete CASA c##ckup!
Yeah - let's go global. Pineapples from South America, dumped beef from the US, cheeses from Europe after nuclear accidents this list goes on and on..................
When are Australians going to wake up that free-trade means the US gets what it wants for free and Australians get nothing!
Also - I bet Heli-Aust are only making a pittence out of it with the ridiculous hourly rate that has been quoted.
Hardly seems worth the trouble but then they have been doing that for a while - charging low rates that is!:yuk: :yuk: :yuk:

[Lowlevldevl]

Yeah, I heard American machines and Canadian pilots. I guess thats how they get around the work visa issues. As long as the Canuks are less than 30 y.o they should be eligible for working holiday visas.
Thats just a guess by the way.
To be fair, we can't really expect to be able to work over there if they're not allowed to work here but, in Canada there's a pilot shortage. Here there's not. Aussies and Kiwis wouldn't be working in Canada if they didn't have a pilot shortage right now. This is going to cost Australian pilots jobs. Aussie operators are free to send their aircraft to the northern hemisphere, they just have to bid competetively, but they can't always crew them with Australians,certainly not in the US and with enormous difficulty in Canada.
The operators aren't so much the losers here but pilots are for sure.
It'd be different if there weren't local pilots who could crew these aircraft but thats not the case.

[Auscan]

Australian Companies have had machines and crews all working in North America in the last year. So its not really a valid argument. I know the crane has been in Australia for a number of years now and still no Aussie pilots or co jo's. Europe is a different story. The govts insist on some form of training for local pilots in the machine. Thats the way it should be. And who's not to say that Heli Aust wont be training local guys on the machines. Pineapples from South America and dumped beef from the states is hardly the same. Its not like these operators are rejects from the rest of the world. Once again the operators in Australia need to be able to support the helicopters 12 months of the year. $20,000 a month for a 212 stacks up when you are only flying 3 months. If there is an australian operator out there who will do that then tender away. Obviously these Australian companies have crunched the numbers and realised its better business to bring someone in and take a little than commit themselves and loose a lot. What do you think?