ALS Nairobi Kenya ?

[l8starter]

Does anyone have any up to date information on this company based at Wilson ? They've been advertising for ERJ145 crew, of which I believe they have two, which are being used on UN contracts ?

Any info generally and contacts in particular, or the right name to try and speak with, would be gratefully appreciated. Feel free to PM.

Many thanks.

[Johnson121]

Buddy- Stay away, you do not go there. highly unprofessional from management to the current DFO.

[l8starter]

Bummer ((, but many thanks J121 !

Anyone else out there care to share their experience ?

[dotcom]

Go look at the CVs of their management on their website......need I say more

[l8starter]

Well dotcom, it may very well be a local shop for local people run by local people, and fair enough, it's their country.

Be that as it may, I'm quite happy for you to say more, if it's informative and helpful, because if they do take foreign crew, then I need to know.

I've been unemployed for a while, and find myself considering working in areas I may not have previously considerd. I don't have much experience in that part of the world, and no experience of working on a UN contract, but it appeals. So I am quite keen to find out what sort of operation it is, and what their UN contracts are all about. And since going to Nairobi to ask them directly is not viable, the next best thing is to try and and get some first hand information here. Difficult as that is proving to be . . . .

[Whenwe]

If you have more than 4000 hours with all the appropriate licences and ratings, check out Solenta Aviation at Solenta Aviation Website (http://www.solenta.com)

Good company, give them a try.

[Foxcotte]

I8starter

I dont have any personal experience of ALS, but just from general observations .... they are a quietly big company now. Started off a little informal but have steadily increased in size, range and aircraft. A major part of their business is leased aircraft operating as national airlines or on contract right the way across Africa - west coast, south, central and east. I believe it is still a family run operation - auditors love that their paperwork is neat & tidy, but pilots find it very hard to 'break' into the clique or stay employed. If they like you, great, but for others they can be pretty 'mean' it seems. However some pilots have been there for a long time - happily stationed somewhere flying as a regional airline. They have a wide range of aircraft - ATR, 737, B1900, DH8 etc.

Again no facts, but it seems they have some pretty tough employment terms...

[l8starter]

Whenwe

Many thanks for the link. I've heard that they have a good name, but prefer South African nationals, which is understandable ! But your suggestion is very much appreciated, and I tick the boxes experience-wise, so you never know. Thanks again !

Foxcotte

Many thanks for your input, and taking the trouble to post, appreciated !! I've been around enough to know that you can't escape the company politics wherever you are; and your face may, or may not fit, which can depend on lots of things.

I'm quite prepared for basic living conditions, and operating in and out of some ****ty places. But if it's on a UN contract, then I would welcome the chance to do some flying that means something a bit more than just earning somebody else a profit, etc etc. That may sound naive, or altruistic, or both. I've had over 15 years in aviation, and none of it has been easy - none of it - but I have at least had a career, which many people aspire to and struggle to achieve. So not complaining, but it would be nice to give a little back before I pack it in. I just want to know what I may be going to - forewarned is forearmed, as they say. So if you come across anyone with first hand information in ALS, or currently operating in DRC or Sudan for the UN, it would be more than helpful to hear from them.

Many thanks again !

[Johnson121]

They have no ATR or 737 nor any airline contracts. all false information.

Poor company to work for look elsewhere.

[4runner]

They operated a wet lease Dash 8 for us for a few years. Best motley group of aviators I ever met. Muindi maniacs, Somali lobster smugglers, Nairobi ninjas, Macedonian mayhem and some in between shenanigans. The only difference you'll make in Africa is your own sense of disgust with NGO's. Enjoy it, you won't change it and you'll come out a better aviator and individual.

[noflynomore]

But if it's on a UN contract, then I would welcome the chance to do some flying that means something a bit more than just earning somebody else a profit, etc etc. That may sound naive,

I'm afraid it is.
Working anywhere near the UN operations is a very sobering and shocking experience unless you are immune to the sight of incompetence, corruption, greed and theft on an international scale.

[wabulabantu]

As a whole, there is plenty to be cynical about the UN, especially peacekeeping operations. UNHAS, on the other hand, does provide an invaluable service to all humanitarian organizations, providing essential scheduled services to airstrips that would otherwise require an expensive charter.

There's certainly something to feel good about in doing that.

[noflynomore]

Well, having flown extensively for one of those organisations my remarks were based on NGO ops as much as UN (as the two are so often so closely connected)
I found little to make me feel good about the whole charade. but then I wasn't getting 5% of contract prices, stealing the cargoes of drugs I'd just flown in and flogging them on the black market, or paying $500 per day each to rent a fleet of jeeps with heavily armed militia thugs to "guard" staff - thus directly funding the warlords and the atrocity we were there to mitigate. Some mitigation, that!

[physicx]

ALS from my perspective is a company run by family(Need i say more)! Getting in is a matter of knowing the family or the right people. Their main jobs are out in war torn African countries for UN, WFP and ICRC(without wars they would be out of business). They have been doing it for years without thinking out of the box and newer firms seems to be undercutting them with modern larger planes. Like any Kenyan aviation companies do not expect replies via email or online applications! Following up on most jobs is next to impossible! you are expected to stalk your employer as a sign of seriousness.

[Spam Up]

Hello All,

I see they looking for crew again, anyone have up to date information ?

Spam

[netra]

I applied 2 weeks ago via Brookfield. no answer till today.