Al Yamamah
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: UK
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Give the guys at Barkston Heath a call - a whole bunch of them are ex-Saudi. If you're a Hawk or Tornado QFI then you'll be in Dhahran which is better than Riyadh where the PC-9 and C172 guys are. If you're a pilot then the money's v good and the pension is excellent but the life style sucks. If you're a nav and so will be sitting in the back of a Tornado driven by a Saudi then you'd need to be a braver man than I Gunga Din.
Join Date: May 2001
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Hornet, is it worth the money? How badly do you need it? The British Waste o’space (BWO’S) contract pays fairly well – but probably not enuff if your wife decides to give up her job and join you! However, until you get 4 years under your belt (and that only applies to Tornado), the money is definitely not enuff to get involved in BWO’S versus RSAF – because that is what the contract boils down to.
In the blue corner you have BWO’S trying to screw as much money as possible out of a dying contract. In the red corner you have the RSAF who know they are being screwed and are determined to get as much as they can for their money – guess who is in the middle? (The MOD team would say they were – but it is impossible to guess which side they are on – their own, I suspect).
Well, I was – and, believe me, it leads to all sorts of problems. You work for the company but the RSAF screws you because you actually work for them! (You won’t find this in your contract, but that is what the company have told the RSAF). You try to get the company to back you, but they screw you too because you are part of the outgoings and, if you try the law, they blame the customer because they know you cannot win in court with a customer who is not part of UK or European legislation.
Get the picture! Short time, limited objective, quit when you get there – that’s the way to go. Like troops on the ground in Afghanistan – make sure your exit is unobstructed. The latter is a bit of a snag because exit from Saudi requires the RSAF to sign your exit visa and, at the moment, that is causing major problems. Can you imagine being held prisoner in Saudi as a normal part of your contract? It is happening right now to a bunch of decent guys on a government-to-government contract.
Watch the tax problem too – get there before the end of this tax year, otherwise you have to wait for April 2004 to get your income tax free. Be careful not to get fired before the end of the next tax year too – if the contract ends before April 2003 then the taxman will screw you anyway!
Remember – only do it for the money – anything else is rubbish.
In the blue corner you have BWO’S trying to screw as much money as possible out of a dying contract. In the red corner you have the RSAF who know they are being screwed and are determined to get as much as they can for their money – guess who is in the middle? (The MOD team would say they were – but it is impossible to guess which side they are on – their own, I suspect).
Well, I was – and, believe me, it leads to all sorts of problems. You work for the company but the RSAF screws you because you actually work for them! (You won’t find this in your contract, but that is what the company have told the RSAF). You try to get the company to back you, but they screw you too because you are part of the outgoings and, if you try the law, they blame the customer because they know you cannot win in court with a customer who is not part of UK or European legislation.
Get the picture! Short time, limited objective, quit when you get there – that’s the way to go. Like troops on the ground in Afghanistan – make sure your exit is unobstructed. The latter is a bit of a snag because exit from Saudi requires the RSAF to sign your exit visa and, at the moment, that is causing major problems. Can you imagine being held prisoner in Saudi as a normal part of your contract? It is happening right now to a bunch of decent guys on a government-to-government contract.
Watch the tax problem too – get there before the end of this tax year, otherwise you have to wait for April 2004 to get your income tax free. Be careful not to get fired before the end of the next tax year too – if the contract ends before April 2003 then the taxman will screw you anyway!
Remember – only do it for the money – anything else is rubbish.
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Somewhere in Jeddah FIR
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Generally have to agree with you, cyrus. I expect that's why the company also holds our passports. Safe keeping, yeah right...
I guess we're all 'Foreign Mercenaries' really.
Tax, what tax?
EO
I guess we're all 'Foreign Mercenaries' really.
Tax, what tax?
EO
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Hapton
Posts: 16
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Any one out there with family? What's it like for them? Wife and 2 young kids!
Heard pay is £75k+/yr tax free. Is it worth a short term - 2 yr cos of tax - post? Can you manage to bring a big wad back?
Heard pay is £75k+/yr tax free. Is it worth a short term - 2 yr cos of tax - post? Can you manage to bring a big wad back?
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: saudi arabia
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Agree with all negative points discussed however there are numerous benefits. I am out here with wife and 2 kids (5 + 6yrs old).
Pay is good but not good enough (Tornado ADV). Starts at around £80000 with bonus of £4000 at end of second year, £10000 at end third then £10000 every six months. Also bonus related to company performance each April which can be up to £3600.
Accomodation (Tabuk) is good (all free) with 3 bed villas. Compound is brand new with 2 pools, good gym with steam rooms, saunas, squash, tennis, 5 a-side courts, supermarket, library, video library, cafe, beauty salon/hairdresser (wife uses last way too much). Biggest plus point is the school. Class sizes of 10-12max, huge facilities ie computer, printer, tv + video in each classroom as well as main computer room with 20 PCs in all intranet and internet connected. School is ofsted inspected and teaches national corriculum.
Where in UK can you let your kids play outside and not worry which nutter is going to do harm to them. Weather fantastic which leads to outdoor lifestyle all year round.
2 months hols per year, company pays for 2 family air tickets if on cycle leave. We split into 3 trips, wife and kids spend all school hols in UK (120 days last year).
Lots more plus points but am boring myself now. Lots of negative points too as work can cause you to pull hair out (if I had any). Guess its raining in the UK again though!
Pay is good but not good enough (Tornado ADV). Starts at around £80000 with bonus of £4000 at end of second year, £10000 at end third then £10000 every six months. Also bonus related to company performance each April which can be up to £3600.
Accomodation (Tabuk) is good (all free) with 3 bed villas. Compound is brand new with 2 pools, good gym with steam rooms, saunas, squash, tennis, 5 a-side courts, supermarket, library, video library, cafe, beauty salon/hairdresser (wife uses last way too much). Biggest plus point is the school. Class sizes of 10-12max, huge facilities ie computer, printer, tv + video in each classroom as well as main computer room with 20 PCs in all intranet and internet connected. School is ofsted inspected and teaches national corriculum.
Where in UK can you let your kids play outside and not worry which nutter is going to do harm to them. Weather fantastic which leads to outdoor lifestyle all year round.
2 months hols per year, company pays for 2 family air tickets if on cycle leave. We split into 3 trips, wife and kids spend all school hols in UK (120 days last year).
Lots more plus points but am boring myself now. Lots of negative points too as work can cause you to pull hair out (if I had any). Guess its raining in the UK again though!
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land
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Being accompanied is the only way to be; singlie status (bachelor) is not exactly a barrel of laughs. Limitations mean that wives cannot drive and are rarely able to work so nippers provide an outlet. Beware though that certain locations can only provide education up to 10/11 yrs of age; after that it has to be Boarding School. The big cities do provide useful distractions in the way of some up market shopping malls but other locations are much less well served - useful if you're trying to save money. At the end of the day, it's not everyone's cup of tea but, as listed above, there are compensations.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Bonnie Scotland
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I have just survived the first 6 months as a Hawk IP and have just brought out my young family. I would recommend a detailed research into the job that you are applying for, as each location/job has it's pros and cons.Find out where and what you what you what to do and get the real picture from someone there, if you need the Hawk perspective just ask.
Which I don't think quite means "Please bring me a beer, a bacon sandwich and an uncensored copy of The Sun"!
Thanks for the e-mail, YY!!
BTW - don't want to be a spoil sport, but Capt PPRuNE gets rather concerned at non-English prose in case it contains something which is un-PPRuNe and could cause offence!
Thanks for the e-mail, YY!!
BTW - don't want to be a spoil sport, but Capt PPRuNE gets rather concerned at non-English prose in case it contains something which is un-PPRuNe and could cause offence!
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Clipperton island
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Well, I'm afraid in such postings you don't fly a lot, and get bored to death - especially if you are unaccompanied, want a picture ?
I have some experience of this country... 4X4 drives are nice, but after some months..
Yes, there is some money - but is simply worth it ?
I have some experience of this country... 4X4 drives are nice, but after some months..
Yes, there is some money - but is simply worth it ?
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: A Sunny Place
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It's not all doom and gloom out here, you do need elephant's skin, a very slow fuse, a willing smile and an ability to deal with large 'children' but as previous posters have indicated you need to talk to the guys in post. I fill an aircrew ground slot, Tornado IDS Sq in Eastern Province as a secondee. It's as cyrus says, you do as the customer(RSAF) wants and the 'Company' doesn't give a fig or is it date? But hey, the moneys good, the weather is warm and the holidays long, and no one shoots at you!!
