Lets get one thing straight....at no point am I trying to 'talk this up'. It is not the most fun place to be, I don't deny that, and there is a risk involved in being here. The total package now is 218200USD with no costs except your travel. You either want to be here or you don't, each to their own, I tried to provide factual answers to questions but someone has taken it on board to get a couple of negative issues and make mohammad out of mo. I can't be bothered now

So basically you are giving up a year of your life for 200K, which if you look at the hourly rate is probably less than either Abu Dhabi or Dubai.

Yeah, you sound very brave. Guess the women will just stand outside while you are nice and comfy. There are NOT enough bunkers! And you still haven't addressed the issue of not even being told the mortars are here. While management sits all cozy in the bunker - with you!

ME

yeah, but you lied about the facts, so :mad: you!

Jimmy understands English better than you do. But you probably don't know Jimmy. Since you come into the dining room, grab a styrofoam container and eat in your room. Hmmm, is that why you don't care about what kind of water they wash the dishes with?

lies in my opinion don't have to be just saying things that are untrue. They can also be twists of facts. or items not mentioned. I guess if I said there was a "system in place" for anything, at the end, I could just beg off and say "Didn't say it worked!"

Grade school stuff considering folks are considering these answers in deciding whether to change their whole lives around.

more lies, or just too stupid to ask around Mr. "Precious" ...

two controllers were here waiting for their visas which either did not come at all, or came late. One controller never did get reimbursed for airline tickets his wife had bought to meet him. The other's wife spent 3 days in Dubai -- ALONE - while here husband was stuck here in BGD.

anyone think being stuck here in BDG while your plans go up in smoke is 'a system in place' ?

Also, another controller was given his exit visa but....... drum roll please.... it had already been expired. If he had not double checked it himself he would have been up the creek.

ME

This has turned into the usual PPRUNE mud slinging.

People here have very different experiences. Personally I have had no issue with exit visas so far but I know many others who, as Meddle says, have awful problems.

What I would say, is that prior to me arriving, BaghdadKiwi provided me with a wealth of information about the place for which I was and still am very grateful.

If anyone would like information on being here then feel free to pm me.

The information I give will be to the best of my knowledge and based on my own personal experience - I can't speak for everyone.

I came here for a number of reasons and so far my experience has been positive. I am aware of a large number of people who are not so happy about their time here and find many issues, both Serco and Iraq related, very frustrating to put it mildly.

So, if you want to know anything, feel free to get in touch. My answers will be honest but based on my own experience.

Cheers for now :)

yeah, i just re read what i wrote, and it does sound a lot more personal than i intended.

I guess i object to folks whitewashing the conditions just because they don't happen to personally get affected.

for anyone who is thinking of coming, I would agree with J ripley, there are lots of different reactions to being out here. These reactions may be caused as much by the personal attributes of the individual as to the various and sundry 'stresses' we are all exposed to.

Myself, I am staying for the short term. Who knows, I may be getting 'take away' from the DFac and hibernate in my cabin like BGDwiwi next month.

ME

218,000 USD?
 

Lets get one thing straight....at no point am I trying to 'talk this up'. It is not the most fun place to be, I don't deny that, and there is a risk involved in being here. The total package now is 218200USD with no costs except your travel

Can you give a break down of the 218,000 USD pay? I was told it was closer to 200,000. 170,000 base + 10,000 travel, + 13600 1 yr bonus = 193600,000.

base has gone up by 10 percent effective 1 October (back dated), travel allowance is one extra per year, bonus increased to 10%

......waiting to get shot down in this as well but......

170000 plus 10%
Travel Allowance x one extra ie 12500USD in total
Bonus for one year 10% of base

All is pro rata from 1 October

= 218200USD/year

costs.....nil except your travel/holiday out of here which remains at 56 per year

new opportunities at BACC?
 

Are they taking any new applications? Looking to come back, can't stand this easy life Stateside.

Travel Bonus?
 

Is the travel bonus still given after each 10 week period, or did they reduce the work period to 8 weeks and then a 2 week vacation? Thanks

Travel allowance is paid monthly in your salary, so just over $1000 / month.

Leave is still effectively 4 x 2.5 weeks annually

Travel allowance
 

Thanks Monster. I have been trying to get this info out of SERCO. It's like pulling teeth. In 2 sentences you answered what they could not, in 3 emails.

Ciao.

Tower Ranger

First, how the heck are you? Longtime no talk...

Re your post about the total $ amount being close to what a controller gets in AUH or DXB, you are quite right -- in terms of "hourly rate".

BUT...

A. The actual amount that goes into one's bank account each month is quite a bit more on the Baghdad contract of course.
B. As all housing and meals are supplied, and there is basically nowhere other than "Big Al's" restaurant and a small convenience store to spend one's money, the amount one saves, or has left in one's account at the end of each month, is MUCH greater than in the UAE. Even if one only pays an average rent in DXB or AUH, and doesn't go to Barasti or Irish Village often... ;)
C. Many of the controllers at BACC are over the age Serco will consider for those other contracts (Bahrain included); and definitely past the age most other countries / ANSPs will accept.

So, for some "old guys", it can be a good gig.

grizz

and this is probably the most frustrating thing out here. Simple things, easily taken care of, just aren't.

The management seems to feel that they do not need to respond to the employees. Either administrative, or just general concerns. Their attitude is, "Hey, if you don't like it, just leave"

this place could be very decent, but I have no hopes with the present management in place. Serco should clean house, morale would improve overnight.

ME

........
There was an internal audit done six weeks ago. An admin notice was published stating that: “**** ********” – visa permitting – will be visiting from 27 November to 1 December. He will be undertaking an independent audit of the operation on behalf of Serco. This “audit” is advance prep for an ICAO audit that will occur "sometime" in the future.

“**** ********” is the recently departed UAE GCAA ex advisor to the DANS, the ‘notso’ Great Dane, who prior to that role held the actual position of DANS.

This appointment as an auditor, it has to be said, is very strange for the following reasons.
He has no qualifications whatsoever concerning audits. Not even that of an ISO certified internal auditor.
Whilst holding the GCAA DANS position every time Serco did their annual audit he threw it directly into the bin saying “It is worthless”.

For Serco to appoint such an under qualified person to conduct such an audit is indicative of lip service being paid to quality.

To infinity and beyond and, hopefully, back in time for tea.:ok:

Un*******believable.

He ran an acrimonious vendetta against Serco, and now they hire him......

Interesting times.

Ferris
He is working on behalf of a sub contracted danish company which he considered integral to his last tenure at the GCAA, however they were one of the reasons for his departure from GCAA.

As you say, he spent a lot of time running an acrimonious vendetta against Serco.
The phrase 'Thick as thieves' comes to mind.

Cheers:ok:

Quite! Lip service is what this place is all about. I am wondering whatever happened to previous audit done months ago?

Any and all audits here, and company surveys for that matter, seem to never have a 'reveal' feature. We are just left wondering.

Wish I was there for the company bigwigs' visit this week (well, not really) but with travel status presently uncertain, am glad I am on this end of the world.

ME

Indescribable incredulity :mad::mad::mad:

The said individual spend the last 15 years denigrating SERCO, was responsible for having two competent SERCO managers removed from the GCAA contract, one because the SERCO Manager stood his ground on a fundamental safety concern, thumbed his nose at the GCAA's own regulatory department who were barred from entering their own EACC, has no auditing qualifications or experience.

Under his direction safety investigations never fully investigated structural contributory factors only where to lay the blame often without full knowledge of the facts.

SERCO have released the fox into the hen house with no thought to the eventual outcome.

clipped_wings
Succinctly put.
He used to be referred to as: "The world's loudmouthed expert on everything".

:ok:

You guys Ok over there?
 

Heard there was an explosive device that landed right beside your workplace? I hope they weren't aiming at you and you are all safe and sound. Is any one now having second thoughts about being there?

Hi! Just wondering are they still hiring new staff? And if someone knows do they need tower controllers? I am 26 years old, and have ADI/AIR/GMC rating (5 years) issued in accordance with ICAO nad ECAC standards, with ICAO level 5 of English... Any info is welcomed..

Regards,

Hiring?
 

The turn over rate is high. A tower controller is leaving tomorrow. You never know when they will hire. The best thing to do is sign up for email notifications from Flight Global and the SERCO Middle East company site. You can input your CV into their system in advance. This way you will be ready to submit an application when they start hiring.
http://www.serco.com/middleeast/
Search Aviation & Aerospace Jobs on Flightglobal Jobs

Good luck.

What is going on in Sarajevo, so bad, when you want to go to Bagdad?

:confused:;)

Not bad at all :) Adventure spirit :ok:

Keep your post.
job at ICAO HQ, Montreal,Canada, is real adventure...:}

@knuckles

Thanks for info! Just yesterday I have signed up for e-mail notifications on both sites, and today giving final touches to my CV and will send it ASAP...

When I get there (fingers crossed) ;) beer is on me!

@prascho - ? :rolleyes:

prascho...

Same question from me. What's "bizarre"?

What does bizarre mean? definition, meaning and pronunciation (Free English Language Dictionary)
:rolleyes:

prascho
Most readers on here would be able to understand the definition of Bizarre without resort to a dictionary.
Do you, therefore, mean Bizarre in the sense that:
1. It is Bizarre to want to work in Baghdad?:sad:
2. Bizarre to have a beer in Baghdad?:ok:
3. The staff turnover rate is high?:{

Happy New Year:ok:

P.S. Grizzled, Happy New year to you. As they say in Ireland: "May your shadow never grow less"

Happy New Year to you too Verc! Hope 2012 is especially rewarding and fulfilling for you!

And the same to all my ATC friends and colleagues (and, in my case, brother and nephew and daughter too!) the world over. Especially to those in such challenging places as Baghdad.

Prascho… As Vercingetorix wrote, we know what the word means. We are simply wondering what you meant.

prascho...

Oh Christ, not you again!

(just do a search!)

Farrell

Farell..............
Oh not you again !?!1?!
Is there a place in this world without you :*

(just do a comment)

PRASCHO

grizzled:
That is the game friend of mine.
What does it realy mean?

Farell, my lovely english language teacher, pls tell us

Hello Prascho

Are you going to waste the time of these good folks about applying in Baghdad?
If you didn't get into Muscat, what on earth makes you think that you are going to get in over there? :)

How are that benchmark of ATC - Bulgaria doing?....and how are the girls?

Farrell

Farell, once again.

Who is exactly going to waste the tame of these really nice folks?!?!?!
M8 find out forum for English language teachers here is not one of them, is it. And u r bloody right. Bulgaria is one of the best ATC units in Europe. There r many issues about that just read m8 just read more. U r teacher, r not u.
Being ATCO is so cool. I know that fact and I'm not going to stop u dreaming about that but really don't waste our time with your so stupid post here.
About the word "BIZZARE" and what it means.
Who has to find out what it means has already found it out.

BR PRASCHO

P.s and HAPPY NEW YEAR Farell spend more time with your wife and don't try to be 1 of us. The last 1 is too late for u.

I'll get banned if I say what I want to say....so I guess I will just have to hold my tongue.

As I said in a previous post:

"In all seriousness, a propaganda video of the sort that you have just spewed out is no reflection on professionalism or indeed competence.

And I am presuming with your tirade on both Airways and DGMAN that you feel you are more qualified than the powers that be here that made the decision to go down this path and therefore are no longer interested in pursuing a career here - which is a very quick turnaround from your comments over the past few months on this thread looking for room-mates, Audi dealers and quote "a reason to leave my job".

Why do you want to leave such a bastion of professionalism and competence that is Bulgaria and trade it for such a "backward system with a long way to go" that is Oman?
Just for the money? That's not what you said on your original application. You gave a whole host of other bull**** reasons like people and lifestyle and "Oman's reputation in the region." right?

Seeing as though you were one of very few Bulgarians who were offered a position, it will not be too hard to pull your application and shred it for you.

After all 8,150 EUR tax-free a month is not too much to lose for shooting your mouth off anyway, is it?
Not when you can have your pick of jobs in the ME due to, as ATCO1962 says, you being part of the global standards benchmark that is ATC Bulgaria, assuming they pay the same as the "backward system" here in Oman.....oh, they don't do they?!

My advice is for you to wind your neck in - or there may be a chance the only time you see Muscat is from a postcard that BHD might be good enough to send you."

The same holds true for now. A useless waste of time and space who did nothing but whinge, complain and pass comment on a place he knew nothing about.
The fact that a full year has gone around and you are still hunting for a new place to work speaks volumes. What about Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi or Ireland?.....all of those not good enough for your supreme abilities.

Can't believe that the best you have in your arsenal of smart-arse comments is to have a go at my job!
Amazing what someone will say when they can hide behind an alias, isn't it?

On that note, I'm off to bed to dream about being you. :rolleyes:

Farrell