EC 225 Engineers

[Pablo332]

I hear a Prestigious VVIP helicopter operator in the Middle East is looking for engineers, EC225 Engineers being rewarded quite well. Does anyone have any details?

[NorthSeaTiger]

Would that be the Royal flight in Oman, been advertising recently.

NST

[AS332L1]

Contracts of 1-3 months initially 300 pounds per day presumably to try an lure premanent staff,has had a high turnover recently, lots of time away from home long stanbys etc. etc:suspect:

[Pablo332]

If any ones interested I’ve found out the starting pay is about £49,000 a year tax free, with special incentives on top of that for anyone with a 225 license. Very generous expenses while on course for those who don’t. Interviews to be held in Aberdeen soon.

[AS332L1]

That salary sounds a bit high for them to me?:rolleyes:

[Pablo332]

I’m sure if you wanted to go for less they could accommodate you.

[simpleton]

will not get many replies for that money - would not get out of bed for that - try adding another 30k.:=

[AS332L1]

And the special incentives are to be on stanby for most of the time and the rest of the time spend away from base in the desert:ugh:
Unless things have changed 40,000 is about the average salary

[Pablo332]

The £49000 doesn’t sound too bad when you consider that you need a topline of £73000 (excluding pension arrangements) in the UK to take home the same money.

The first year looks particularly lucrative. A 225 engineer would be looking at about £10000 in inducements plus about £8500 in ex’s when he goes on the 550 course. Every year every member of the family is given the cash for 2 business return tickets. Travel economy and that’s worth £2000 each a year.

A 332 Engineer would do even better out of the ex’s probably an extra £4000 in the first year.

The working day is 7am to 1:30pm, and I hear the hangers are air-conditioned.

Bar, gym, swimming pool, tennis courts etc all within walking distance, sounds OK to me. Would make a nice change from 12 hr shifts and hypothermia.

[AS332L1]

Beware all is not what it seems

[stan27]

Beware what, exactly? People are seriously looking at this. Any warnings or cautions about this contract would be very much appreciated.

[you want what??]

I'd like to know what the downside is, and when the interviews in aberdeen are!!! i have an L2 license and 225 experience, so that could be a good little number. and as a bonus ive really liked oman the 3 times ive been there, though twice was for a holiday, and once was with the RAF.

anyone who has any info about it, i would be greatful to hear from you. PM or publicly

[up the creek]

The pay is actually nearer to 36K tax free. :eek:

The expenses are to cover hotels, hire cars, food and travel (in fact everything). The housing is poor standard apartments and don't expect to be on the ground floor even if you have kids.

The flight money for leave tickets is 75% of the cost of the cheapest tickets available, the numbers aren't great.

Nice place, people and weather but lots of politics and as an expat you have no prospects for promotion past senior engineer.

[up the creek]

I looked at this and asked a few Q's from someone who knows a bit about the place. The answers I got are;

The salary is just over 36K tax free. Bonus is paid at the end of the contract but you might end up spending some of that in advance setting up and generally living. Don't forget there is no pension scheme so some of that has to be put aside for the future.The cost of living has gone up a lot too.

Booze is very expensive but there is a bar in the club house. Dress codes apply however so no jeans or polo shirts allowed. Described as a throw back to the days of the British military running the place. Officers mess and all that tosh.

The daily allowances when on courses are to cover everything including hotels, food an car hire. The only way to make money is to slum it or get a lot less cash and the company picks up the tab.

Leave flights are business class, 2 per year. If you want to take the cash you can but you get 75% of the cheapest flight the company can get, it is not so good when airlines offer discounts on most routes.

Accomodation is a shabby apartment on a shabby compound and don't expect ground floor accomodation if you have kids. It depends on whats available.

People, place and weather are generally fine but work has lots of politics at play and as an expat you will not be going up the ladder.

The choice is yours.

[Pablo332]

Rumor has it if you have the background they are looking for they will fly you out there to check the place out, talk to the guys already there etc.

[up the creek]

Not rumour, its a fact. Send in your CV and if they want to talk to you then pack your bags and take a look.

[AS332L1]

up the creek just about sums up the place the bonus is paid after two years then every year after that, the apartments were extended during the 90's now providing three bed 1 storey accomodation

[Pablo332]

Not sure who Up The Creek is talking to but after my phone conversation with the Helicopter Engineering manager I can confirm that the deal for a 225 Engineer is as per my previous post.(this includes 2yr bonus).

[up the creek]

I'm not sure but I think you are including the bonus in the salary but the figure I mentioned does not. As I said, the bonus is supposed to cover the fact that you don't get a pension and need to set aside some of this "bonus" to cover the future. That, coupled with setting up costs and the high cost of livning mean the bonus will be swallowed up pretty quickly.

Even though most places cover the shipping costs there are always extras that you are liable for. My only expat experience highlighted that buying new cars, TV's and washing machines etc mean you are in debt for the first few years. Then what happens if you don't like the place, job, people or are shown the door for upsetting the wrong person??? My advice is to tread very carefully and only jump if you are sure of a soft landing.

I have no idea what you mean about inducements as these have never been mentioned to me. Have these been confirmed to you or just talked about? Get that in writing if you are relying on it.

Good luck.:ok:

[up the creek]

Any one gone out there yet?

[AS332L1]

I guess its NFI! or everybody has gone and they are not monitoring pprune [wishful thinking?]