Oil Patch Operations and Aviation Safety Issues
Join Date: Sep 2004
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cpt, you hit the nail on the head regarding audits.
Nowadays its all about the crews having the necessary certificates in their files, I have probably more certificates in my file now than ever before, watch a one hour video on fire fighting or dangerous goods, and I am given a certificate that I am trained on that subject.
In the past when you had a St Johns trained First Aid Attendant on site, you know that person went through proper training, not anymore, on the last mini course I did, they didn't even mention treating burns, you would think in Aviation that would be a must.
At the end of the day its all about the company covering their rear ends to appease the auditors and the ISO authorities.
Nowadays its all about the crews having the necessary certificates in their files, I have probably more certificates in my file now than ever before, watch a one hour video on fire fighting or dangerous goods, and I am given a certificate that I am trained on that subject.
In the past when you had a St Johns trained First Aid Attendant on site, you know that person went through proper training, not anymore, on the last mini course I did, they didn't even mention treating burns, you would think in Aviation that would be a must.
At the end of the day its all about the company covering their rear ends to appease the auditors and the ISO authorities.
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Depressing.
Having worked in the oil patch (non-flying) until a few years ago, I can categorically say that the previous posters such as cpt, skydriller and Tynecastle are correct. Oil companies will do the minimum they can get away with, in order to look good.
What to me is even more depressing though, is the stupidity displayed by management in our industry. I've worked for one operator where all managers had a definite interest in their employees' well-being, and we were treated very fairly. People who were technically good, but lacked interest in the people who worked with/for them, simply didn't make it into management. This company consistently turned a healthy profit, year after year.
Then there's the example of Southwest Airlines, another company almost fanatical in it's concern for it's employees. The financially healthiest airline in the US, the only one to continue with a profit agter 9/11, or to avoid lay-offs.
Yet these beancounting
still don't get it.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES, AND THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
If you keep staring at the bottom line, you will never see the reasons why the ink is turning from black to red.
Having worked in the oil patch (non-flying) until a few years ago, I can categorically say that the previous posters such as cpt, skydriller and Tynecastle are correct. Oil companies will do the minimum they can get away with, in order to look good.
What to me is even more depressing though, is the stupidity displayed by management in our industry. I've worked for one operator where all managers had a definite interest in their employees' well-being, and we were treated very fairly. People who were technically good, but lacked interest in the people who worked with/for them, simply didn't make it into management. This company consistently turned a healthy profit, year after year.
Then there's the example of Southwest Airlines, another company almost fanatical in it's concern for it's employees. The financially healthiest airline in the US, the only one to continue with a profit agter 9/11, or to avoid lay-offs.
Yet these beancounting
still don't get it.TAKE CARE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES, AND THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
If you keep staring at the bottom line, you will never see the reasons why the ink is turning from black to red.
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Buitenzorg, those things are brought up to management, and the immediate reply is "We aren't an airline, those things don't apply." They can't make the connection, so they will never learn to manage efficiently. The only thing management thinks about other than the next quarter's profit is how to get rid of the union. The idiots will never, ever learn. We really want to be proud of our company, and to see it make a good profit. But crappy treatment reduces that desire to just about nothing very quickly. And the idiots will never, ever learn.
Join Date: Aug 2003
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I am not even sure about the only SAR being where it is legislated or in the "developed" world.
Gomer would know exactly but there is only very limited SAR cover in the GOM. Exxon are currently drilling 219 miles out and using an ERA 332L for support....but no SAR out there. The USCG couldn't even begin to respond to an emergency that far out in the GOM. Shell and BP are also drilling deep water wells but no SAR there either.
What would happen if a 332L had even a controlled or semi controlled ditching 150-180 miles out in the GOM?
The operators and the oil companies need to get together and fix this problem.
HH
Gomer would know exactly but there is only very limited SAR cover in the GOM. Exxon are currently drilling 219 miles out and using an ERA 332L for support....but no SAR out there. The USCG couldn't even begin to respond to an emergency that far out in the GOM. Shell and BP are also drilling deep water wells but no SAR there either.
What would happen if a 332L had even a controlled or semi controlled ditching 150-180 miles out in the GOM?
The operators and the oil companies need to get together and fix this problem.
HH
Join Date: Jul 2002
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SAR in the GOM is sparse at best. The USCG has the responsibility, but they don't get started very quickly. The only saving graces here is that there are lots of helicopters and boats out there, and the seas are generally comparatively benign. I've gone out on searches on which the Coast Guard was called first, and we only started an hour or more afterwards, had to fuel, plan, etc, and were still the first on the scene. The Coast Guard will come, eventually, but it apparently takes awhile to get things started.
I'm not aware of Exxon using Era for anything in the GOM, nor had I heard about any 332Ls flying in the GOM, but I could be wrong. In any case, there is lots of drilling going on far out there, and there is no dedicated SAR for any of it. We're going out with one-way fuel, little or no weather reporting, no ATC coverage (neither radar nor radio) but it's all perfectly legal. The oil companies have no responsibility for any of this, of course.
I'm not aware of Exxon using Era for anything in the GOM, nor had I heard about any 332Ls flying in the GOM, but I could be wrong. In any case, there is lots of drilling going on far out there, and there is no dedicated SAR for any of it. We're going out with one-way fuel, little or no weather reporting, no ATC coverage (neither radar nor radio) but it's all perfectly legal. The oil companies have no responsibility for any of this, of course.
Thread Starter
Where are the politicians on these issues....we know the FAA is out to lunch...the oil companies are out to lunch...and the helicopter operators....well most of them are out for their two beer lunches bought with their cash bonuses and stock option money.
The only people that are further out....are the pilots and passengers....
Now I wonder....if as part of your standard pax brief....what if you guys threw in some facts and data about SAR response times, water temperatures, and survival times....presence of hazards in the water....like sharks....and the percentage chance they have of getting into a raft following an uncontrolled ditching....what do you think their reactions would be?
I know what the mangement would say after they returned from the daily feast at the Blue Dog....
Sorry Gomex....needed to poke a stick at the Air Dog bosses....
The only people that are further out....are the pilots and passengers....
Now I wonder....if as part of your standard pax brief....what if you guys threw in some facts and data about SAR response times, water temperatures, and survival times....presence of hazards in the water....like sharks....and the percentage chance they have of getting into a raft following an uncontrolled ditching....what do you think their reactions would be?
I know what the mangement would say after they returned from the daily feast at the Blue Dog....
Sorry Gomex....needed to poke a stick at the Air Dog bosses....
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Its been a few years since I flew with Bristow in Nigeria, but I remember flight following was available for the entire leg of the flights I made. We operated from both Lagos and Warri to the Bongo field and maintained flight following with land based stations until establishing contact with the rigs. Then on the return trip we flight followed with the rig untill establishing contact with the land based station.
Of course I must agree with the lack of SAR.
Of course I must agree with the lack of SAR.
