FalkoB
8th Dec 2009, 19:39
I saw this post elsewhere and I thought it would be good to share it on this page as well.
Here it is:
Hey!
We had an interesting presentation from CHC the other day. I took a couple of notes, let me share them here. All of it is based on CHCs information so be careful with it. It my be a slightly distorted view since they just lost 2 contracts to Bond in GB. Maybe you shouldn't transfer this 1:1 to the rest of this industry but I'm sure it looks more or less the same everywhere right now. Here we go:
Their presentation started with "Gentlemen, this presentation is going to dissappoint you." So go figure how the rest of this went on... http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif
It looks like right now the only growing markets (for them!) are in Australia, Brazil and Norway. Their demand for pilots for the next period till 2012 shows some openings in Norway, none in DK, none in the UK (layoffs), perhaps some in Ireland and 0-4 pilots anually for their Den Helder base to keep their amount of staff stable until 2012. Currently there is an 11 month waiting list with no ad-hoc positions available and - actual quote - it's "Looking bad".
For their Den Helder base they currently support 7 oil companies / 2 contracts. Flights are 12-28 minute average flight times between landings. No equal time roster in NL, 9 working days, 5 days off (with at least a consecutive 2-day off period). 4 week schedules, 1 month in advance. Operating times 7:00-22:00 in 3 different 9hr shifts around the day.
Their experience requirements are dictated by their customers (Oil and Gas Producer Recommendations for Pilots).
- Captain: 3000hr, 1500 PIC, 100hr on Type
- Co-Pilot: 1000hr, 500hr Turbine, 100hr PIC, 50hrs on Type (anybody else wondering about 100hr PIC? http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif )
However, CHC can get waivers for Co-Pilot positions to start with ~250hrs TT if they give you extensive line training and make constant progress reports to their customers. That means you could start at around +-200hrs TT and due to the training etc. you'll have 250hrs by the time you start working.
The Minimum requirements before you are even eligble to knock on their venerable doors are:
- ATPL(H) frozen
- CPL practical done
- JAA IR done
- JAA 1st class medical
- the more hours the better (obviously a 3000hr pilot is prefered over a 220hr applicant...)
Their Interview is done in 3 phases:
1. Interview
2. Psychometric testing
3. Grading
The Interview is about your ability to work in a team and is done with their human ressource and crew training managers. Fail this and the doors are closed.
The Psychometric testing consists of intellectual tests, sensomotoric tests, personality tests and the obligatory interview with their shrink http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif
It's aiming to test your manual ability, multitasking, hand/eye/feet coordination and stress tolerance. Pretty much like the DLR test (--> Hesse / Schrader "Der Pilotentest" might help, the demand seems very similar to me)
Lastly the grading is basically simulator flying. This is done in an FNPT simulator in NL or any other simulator that CHC can use. This is done to judge your level of IFR flying skills, multicrew ability, workload and learning ability and multitasking again.
Should you screw #2 and #3 the doors are closed for 5 years (after that time they assume you might have advanced in your personality and / or skill...)
The current pass rates for the phases:
Phase.....Done.....Passed
-----------------------------
#1..........74..........48
#2..........48..........36
#3..........36..........27
IF you should get a job, then you get two 1 year contracts and when you're doing fine a fixed contract. This includes the type rating + training for CHC. You are on a 5 year bond, if you leave early you have to pay back the T/R and training.
You have to relocate within 60km around Den Helder (for reserve duty you have to be there within 15 minutes call time)
To put it in a nutshell: the prospects look grim right now.
What they recommend to get hired in the future is:
- Do your SE IR (that's enough for them, afaik Bond & Bristow want a ME IR)
- Shop around for your Instrument Rating and keep flying somewhere (ha.ha.)
...to be ready, when THEY hire again http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif Remember: They only give you 2hrs for grading with no 2nd chance. Well, it might be true: If there is a sudden demand you are definitely in a superior position if you already have the IR in your pocket.
But, and this is just my personal 2cents, on the other hand it is a somewhat crooked logic: you spend $90.000 for your IR and facing the industry right now you probably end up siting and waiting for perhaps the next 2 years hoping to find a job where you can fly IR (WHERE in EU if not off shore?). By the time you apply they expect you to be still current, up to date, proficient and knowledgeable in IFR flying for your interview because you only have one chance to pull off a decent IFR flight in their simulator. I'm not sure if I could do that after such a long time without IFR experience / training.
Honestly: If you have a decent job in your A109 stick with it and enjoy a hopefully safe job for the next couple of years until the situation gets better. By then you should be able to jump right into IFR flying and get a job with +3k hours without a problem.
If you don't care about the nice office view and IFR flying in particular I would try operators like ADAC, DRF, Air Rescue Luxemburg, etc. Not many, but some of them fly IFR for transfer flights. That should be much easier and safer with 1600h TT + 500hr ME.
Here it is:
Hey!
We had an interesting presentation from CHC the other day. I took a couple of notes, let me share them here. All of it is based on CHCs information so be careful with it. It my be a slightly distorted view since they just lost 2 contracts to Bond in GB. Maybe you shouldn't transfer this 1:1 to the rest of this industry but I'm sure it looks more or less the same everywhere right now. Here we go:
Their presentation started with "Gentlemen, this presentation is going to dissappoint you." So go figure how the rest of this went on... http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif
It looks like right now the only growing markets (for them!) are in Australia, Brazil and Norway. Their demand for pilots for the next period till 2012 shows some openings in Norway, none in DK, none in the UK (layoffs), perhaps some in Ireland and 0-4 pilots anually for their Den Helder base to keep their amount of staff stable until 2012. Currently there is an 11 month waiting list with no ad-hoc positions available and - actual quote - it's "Looking bad".
For their Den Helder base they currently support 7 oil companies / 2 contracts. Flights are 12-28 minute average flight times between landings. No equal time roster in NL, 9 working days, 5 days off (with at least a consecutive 2-day off period). 4 week schedules, 1 month in advance. Operating times 7:00-22:00 in 3 different 9hr shifts around the day.
Their experience requirements are dictated by their customers (Oil and Gas Producer Recommendations for Pilots).
- Captain: 3000hr, 1500 PIC, 100hr on Type
- Co-Pilot: 1000hr, 500hr Turbine, 100hr PIC, 50hrs on Type (anybody else wondering about 100hr PIC? http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif )
However, CHC can get waivers for Co-Pilot positions to start with ~250hrs TT if they give you extensive line training and make constant progress reports to their customers. That means you could start at around +-200hrs TT and due to the training etc. you'll have 250hrs by the time you start working.
The Minimum requirements before you are even eligble to knock on their venerable doors are:
- ATPL(H) frozen
- CPL practical done
- JAA IR done
- JAA 1st class medical
- the more hours the better (obviously a 3000hr pilot is prefered over a 220hr applicant...)
Their Interview is done in 3 phases:
1. Interview
2. Psychometric testing
3. Grading
The Interview is about your ability to work in a team and is done with their human ressource and crew training managers. Fail this and the doors are closed.
The Psychometric testing consists of intellectual tests, sensomotoric tests, personality tests and the obligatory interview with their shrink http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif
It's aiming to test your manual ability, multitasking, hand/eye/feet coordination and stress tolerance. Pretty much like the DLR test (--> Hesse / Schrader "Der Pilotentest" might help, the demand seems very similar to me)
Lastly the grading is basically simulator flying. This is done in an FNPT simulator in NL or any other simulator that CHC can use. This is done to judge your level of IFR flying skills, multicrew ability, workload and learning ability and multitasking again.
Should you screw #2 and #3 the doors are closed for 5 years (after that time they assume you might have advanced in your personality and / or skill...)
The current pass rates for the phases:
Phase.....Done.....Passed
-----------------------------
#1..........74..........48
#2..........48..........36
#3..........36..........27
IF you should get a job, then you get two 1 year contracts and when you're doing fine a fixed contract. This includes the type rating + training for CHC. You are on a 5 year bond, if you leave early you have to pay back the T/R and training.
You have to relocate within 60km around Den Helder (for reserve duty you have to be there within 15 minutes call time)
To put it in a nutshell: the prospects look grim right now.
What they recommend to get hired in the future is:
- Do your SE IR (that's enough for them, afaik Bond & Bristow want a ME IR)
- Shop around for your Instrument Rating and keep flying somewhere (ha.ha.)
...to be ready, when THEY hire again http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif Remember: They only give you 2hrs for grading with no 2nd chance. Well, it might be true: If there is a sudden demand you are definitely in a superior position if you already have the IR in your pocket.
But, and this is just my personal 2cents, on the other hand it is a somewhat crooked logic: you spend $90.000 for your IR and facing the industry right now you probably end up siting and waiting for perhaps the next 2 years hoping to find a job where you can fly IR (WHERE in EU if not off shore?). By the time you apply they expect you to be still current, up to date, proficient and knowledgeable in IFR flying for your interview because you only have one chance to pull off a decent IFR flight in their simulator. I'm not sure if I could do that after such a long time without IFR experience / training.
Honestly: If you have a decent job in your A109 stick with it and enjoy a hopefully safe job for the next couple of years until the situation gets better. By then you should be able to jump right into IFR flying and get a job with +3k hours without a problem.
If you don't care about the nice office view and IFR flying in particular I would try operators like ADAC, DRF, Air Rescue Luxemburg, etc. Not many, but some of them fly IFR for transfer flights. That should be much easier and safer with 1600h TT + 500hr ME.