Life after offshore...

[rsevo]

Hello folks. I'm looking for a little advice to help me make the move from the offshore world to something a little drier.

I've worked on the Irish Sea for well over 10 years now. Very short sectors, 6 ldgs/takeoffs per hour, nearly 3800 hours, all weather, lots of night time etc. It's all good stuff, but having risen to the dizzy heights of SF/O, owing to a rather stagnant 'dead man's shoes' situation, I am in desperate need of a change to the onshore industry. For personal reasons I would also like to move a little further back down to the south.

My question really is, given that the only P1 and overland time I have was in an R22 during training for my licence, what is the best way to get onto the hard stuff? I would love to fly for the Police for example, but having sent a few CV's off in the past, without response, and knowing that they require P1 and overland experience, that's not going to happen just yet... So what is there for a chap in my position?

Any information or experience shared would be very much appreciated!

[Epiphany]

Jump ship to Bond when they take over your contract (Cork/Blackpool?) and then try for a transfer to the onshore side of their business. Or wait until things pick up and once there are jobs again you should be able to take your pick of onshore jobs even without overland VFR experience.

Just be aware that you may have to take a drop in salary from your offshore SFO pay. The biggest challenge you will find after 10 years as a co-pilot offshore is finding yourself single pilot and having to make decisions and learning to be flexible.

[rsevo]

Not at this base, no. It's always been "just around the corner", and then a change in shift patterns, or pilot numbers has wrestled the opportunity from my grasp. I could have moved whithin the company, but it was always a case of "just a year or two and...", plus the fact that the mix of people and flying here could not be beaten in terms of job satisfaction.

Epiphany, despite the wealth of rumours, no decisions have been made regarding the name above the door at Blackpool! You're right about the salary situation though of course, and I am prepared for that.

[Helibloke]

Do you guys log 50% copilot time or log the full hours as a cojoe?

[rsevo]

I'm not sure I understand entirely, but all the hours I fly are logged co-pilot, and occasionally P1u/s for all the good that does. Nothing is logged at 50% as far as I know.

[rsevo]

Ah right, well our requirements for command as far as I know are 2500hrs (P2), and suitablity as assessed by LPC/OPC. P1u/s to me has always seemed a little bit academic.

[rsevo]

They really do that? There have been so many changes regarding the way in which it can be counted, and what is needed to qualify, that I never really took it that seriously. I'm very suprised to hear that another employee would consider it as P1 equivalent.

[rsevo]

I didn't apply on the grounds that previous applications have gone un-answered, although not for London specifically I must say. I had come to the conclusion that not meeting the P1 and overland experience figures specified in the ads, put me into the 'No' pile without further consideration. :(

[heliduck]

I heard a story once about a fixed wing pilot - He had become discouraged after receiving no replies for years & stopped sending unsolicited resumes to Qantas. When he finally got an interview after applying for an advertised position they asked him why he had stopped sending resumes a few years previously!

Maybe not in all cases, but I'm sure a lot of those companies know who is keen to work for them after seeing the name appear in the resume pile so many times.

[Brilliant Stuff]

rsevo

Whatever you do DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!:=:=:=

Keep sending those resumes to all and sundry well those you do want to work for, one will have to bite one day.

Though if Bond do take Blackpool back I would imagine promotion is round the corner and you should keep your seniority for what it's worth.

Keep your chin up!!! :ok::ok::ok::ok:

[MBJ]

"Or wait until things pick up and once there are jobs again you should be able to take your pick of onshore jobs even without overland VFR experience."

Can't remember who posted this gem! I doubt this has ever been the case!

Good onshore jobs really go by word of mouth and knowing people. Forget sending CVs, take them personally and talk to the Chief Pilots of the onshore companies. Visit the Police Air Support Units. There may be some scope for co-piloting with an onshore corporate outfit if you have the right type.

You'll have to relearn how to navigate, and how to be nice to passengers!..and carry their bags.

It is a major culture shift anyway, for less money.

[Wizzard]

Why just limit yourself to Police/Ambulance? With your IFR experience you could try one of the V/VVIP outfits (Harrods?) initially as a co-pilot of course but then who knows?

Good Luck

[Epiphany]

MBJ. I posted that little 'Gem'. The gentleman is after a Police line pilot position and when things pick up again - as they undoubtedly will - then low paid Police line pilot jobs will not be difficult to obtain - as they were a short time ago for suitably qualified applicants.

You may well be referring to the better paid corporate sector jobs that demand more in the way of qualifications, experience and contacts. I was not. However, these jobs were available only a couple of years ago. I know because I had plenty of freelance work and job offers from charter and corporate operators who 'could not find pilots'.

[Blind Bob]

I feel the need to comment on a few things in the previous posts. Going to Bond Offshore Helicopters will not get necessarily get you into Bond Air Services (Onshore Police/EMS operator). They are 2 separate companies.
And the last time I applied for Police work they required 1500 hrs PIC onshore, 500 Twin PIC, 100 night PIC and significant low level experience. After all, hovering over cities at 50"MSD and landing on slopes in forest clearings to land dog teams is a different ball game to offshore. But I wish you all the best.:D

[SASless]

I believe in hand delivering the CV....shaking hands with folks....and if you get offered a cup of tea....you know you either have a chance or they are nice folks to work with. If you get shown the door and never get past the gate keeper....that should be a sign to you about both of the above.

[Epiphany]

Minimums are always dependent upon supply. When I was flying for the police in UK the company hired a pilot with no twin time even though the stated minimums were 500 hours twin. No other applicants with minimum total flying hours prepared to work for the wages.

I fly offshore now and am glad that I did the onshore bit first but it is a steep learning curve which ever way you make the change. Police work can be demanding but have you tried landing on a rig helideck on a black night in poor weather? If rsevo does that every night he will find police flying fairly straightforward.

[jockspice]

I've been trying to find permanent work in the onshore side of things by doing all of good advice in previous posts, including meeting face-to-face and continuously updating CVs etc, but so far, no luck. I'm at the "top of the list" when recruiting starts again, but that won't feed the family now. :}
I'm ex-mil, with 2100 hours twin turbine on BH, so low level, mountains, NVG etc and a current TR and IR on the AS355, but the only people seeming to get work are the freelancers. I do have a lack of corporate experience, unless you can count VIPTAX around several theatres!
How easy is it to become a freelancer, since that seems the only option open to me at the moment?

[Epiphany]

Freelancing in UK (at least when I did it) was more a matter of knowing the right people in the charter operators i.e the ops managers, chief pilots and ops staff. Having a few relevant, current type ratings also helps.

Once you do get offered some work just do a good job, be flexible and at all costs do not upset the customer. You are then likely to get offered more work and through this you will meet other people who may offer you work.

Upside is the variety, good daily rate of pay and spending time at the kind of places that wealthy people go to.

Downside is that you are the first to go when work dries up, you never want to turn work down for fear you may not be asked again, you are a slave to your mobile phone and customers can be a pain in the a*rse (always late, changing plans at the last minute leaving you to grovel to ATC and apologise to everyone else).

Must admit that I loved it though!

[timex]

At the moment you will be very lucky to find a job in the HEMS/Police line of work, nothing going at all. Quite a few guys I know have decided to stay in the Mil until things pick up, but all of them are just waiting license in hand ready to leave when the time is right, a few of them are getting IR's while they wait.

[rsevo]

Thank you all for the wealth of differing opinions! One thing I'm fairly sure of is that who you know, is of as much importance as what you know, if not more in some cases. My problem of course is that I know very few people having only flown here. It's certainly done me no favours at all to stay as long as I have.

It's obviously quite daunting to step away from a steady well paid job, but it's something I have to do.

Wizzard, I was in no way limiting myself to Police/HEMS jobs, I merely gave an example of somewhere I'd like to be at some point. I'm just trying to find out what else is around as someone who's basicly been living in a hole for 10 years! I would love to be involved in aerial photography/filming as well for example, but where do you start...

I'm basicly trying to get as much info as possible at this stage. :)

[Bladecrack]

One thing I'm fairly sure of is that who you know, is of as much importance as what you know, if not more in some cases

It may not be fair but its just the way things are. When I started out I sent CV's to the big North Sea and charter companies every 6 months for about 5 years while I worked as an FI to build time. I never once got an interview, and often not even a reply. My first real commercial job came from a friend giving my name to the CP at a charter company, and with a quick informal interview I was in. Nowadays I'm happy working in a corporate job Monday to Friday, and N. Sea doesn't appeal at all to me...

My advice is get out and about and meet as many pilots and crews doing the kind of work you would like to do, and if you are keen, enthusiastic and stick at it something will come up eventually.

Good luck.

[rsevo]

Thanks for that Bladecrack!