What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
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Sorry, I didn't mean factions between the pilots and the engineers, I meant that within the pilots as a group there are different factions as within the engineers. Some of these factions have more muscle and less fear of the consequences than others.
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TomBola,
Since you are aware of factions within the pilots/engineers group, why don't you let us know what kind of factions there are. Is it old and young...black and white...religious maybe?
Since you are aware of factions within the pilots/engineers group, why don't you let us know what kind of factions there are. Is it old and young...black and white...religious maybe?
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archos,
no it's just that having a lot of nationalities, there have often been factions when there have been large numbers of one nationality like (in no particular order of preference or anything) Brits, Portuguese, Indians, South Americans. Some have been more favourably treated by management than others in the past and doubtless that will continue until CHC makes any changes in the management hierarchy.
I also heard from a friend that somebody brought a couple of Bell 407s into Lagos without doing anything like getting permission. Apparently they've been impounded for being illegally imported. Anybody in Lagos heard anything about that?
no it's just that having a lot of nationalities, there have often been factions when there have been large numbers of one nationality like (in no particular order of preference or anything) Brits, Portuguese, Indians, South Americans. Some have been more favourably treated by management than others in the past and doubtless that will continue until CHC makes any changes in the management hierarchy.
I also heard from a friend that somebody brought a couple of Bell 407s into Lagos without doing anything like getting permission. Apparently they've been impounded for being illegally imported. Anybody in Lagos heard anything about that?
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'Uncle Bob' was heard around Port Harcourt yesterday flying in an ACN Dauphin. But I hear he was just here doing his check ride ready for bringing the Caverton helicopter down next week. Their terminal building looks ready now so I would think they're getting close to starting something up from here. With the new airport road well under way I wonder if they'll find much business for their shuttle service they advertise on their website? I guess there's plenty of opportunity for charters anyway as Port Harcourt is really busy these days.
Tom,
Are you sure about those 407s? I know the Nigerian Police Force has just got some they're operating and Pan African has been operating them for some time. Are you sure it wasn't one of them? Actually there was an article in the papers here recently about someone building a heliport in Maryland in Lagos to operate single engine helicopters! Apparently he hadn't actually got planning permission from anyone and it's been closed down. Maybe the 407s were going to go there (though I heard a rumour that he was getting a couple of Astars).
I see that Shell are putting a lot of passengers on the Aero 737s now. Is this tied in with the reported demise of the Dornier 328s?
Aero seem to be losing more pilots to Bristow. I hear another one has just quit and is moving up the road. It doesn't seem to happen the other way very much. Despite some of the other posts, the Aero association really is just that it seems. It lets the pilots and mechanics keep in touch and put their views through a news group and then there are a few people who put the views expressed there to the management. It has the support of the management so it seems to be working well just as reported by Cold Filtered. Of course it's difficult to tell if it's Bristow or Aero now because the colour scheme of the new CHC/ACN S76 is so similar to the OLOG/Bristow S76 red, white and blue colour scheme that maybe one of the companies should think about changing if they want to preserve a decent corporate identity. Quite a nice, distinctive scheme is a white background with a couple of broad orange diagonal lines
Tom,
Are you sure about those 407s? I know the Nigerian Police Force has just got some they're operating and Pan African has been operating them for some time. Are you sure it wasn't one of them? Actually there was an article in the papers here recently about someone building a heliport in Maryland in Lagos to operate single engine helicopters! Apparently he hadn't actually got planning permission from anyone and it's been closed down. Maybe the 407s were going to go there (though I heard a rumour that he was getting a couple of Astars).
I see that Shell are putting a lot of passengers on the Aero 737s now. Is this tied in with the reported demise of the Dornier 328s?
Aero seem to be losing more pilots to Bristow. I hear another one has just quit and is moving up the road. It doesn't seem to happen the other way very much. Despite some of the other posts, the Aero association really is just that it seems. It lets the pilots and mechanics keep in touch and put their views through a news group and then there are a few people who put the views expressed there to the management. It has the support of the management so it seems to be working well just as reported by Cold Filtered. Of course it's difficult to tell if it's Bristow or Aero now because the colour scheme of the new CHC/ACN S76 is so similar to the OLOG/Bristow S76 red, white and blue colour scheme that maybe one of the companies should think about changing if they want to preserve a decent corporate identity. Quite a nice, distinctive scheme is a white background with a couple of broad orange diagonal lines
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Mama Mangrove
Perhaps ACN pilots are leaving because they are fed up with the salmonella laced food in the staff-house! I heard there were six to eight expats down with it last week. By the way a little bird told me that "Uncle Bob" has quit Caverton and will be moving back to ACN sometime in the middle of the year. Confirmation anyone???
Perhaps ACN pilots are leaving because they are fed up with the salmonella laced food in the staff-house! I heard there were six to eight expats down with it last week. By the way a little bird told me that "Uncle Bob" has quit Caverton and will be moving back to ACN sometime in the middle of the year. Confirmation anyone???
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Do you guys want to talk straight?
Let's talk straight.
CHC sent somebody on the end of last year "to check" how the things were going in PH.
PH, the next big business target for CHC. Imagine 4,000 USD an hour for AS365, at least.
Something forgoten, how the people use to perform and maintain a fleet of 16 helicopters in this kind of environment.
They just thought about money, like they did when they bought Court to enter in Angola, and now, they have 1(one) helicopter there, waiting for the remaining peanuts from Heli Union up North of Angola.
Once there was not chances to get in Nigeria, they bought Schreiner but, here the things are not like in Angola where a Sk 76 Cpt. earns something like the minimum salary in any country within Europe.
But let's come back to the beguining, they sent that fellow to check whatever and, sudently, he desapeeard from Nigeria, and nobody else knew why he left. Rumors say that was due drugs test (Dr. Kupa) .
Then, another fellow, big chief, Brian Glegg, came in April to talk (?) with the boys and, talking with two or three boys now and two or three boys after, saying this now and a completly diferent thing after, and another diferent thing next day, when everybody was waiting for a general meeting, wich was easy, once all crew use to join at dinner time at the SH, happened that, he never did, and worst, when he left, told the Ops Man that the boys were very happy.
Happy about what?
Gentlemen, this people are big because they treath you guys like catlle.
Their grafics are alloways growing because all of us do the best as we can, because all of us have a professional education that nobody in this world recconises, and this raffle people, some of them ex-pilots (wich are the worst) try to smash you and, undirectly, your relatives.
As a result, some of the best and young guys, quit, and gone across the road towords Bristow, where finaly, they realise that they have to improove in a sense to keep you as a future support for the operation.
I'm an insider, if anyone wants to contact, the address is good.
Is time to call the bulls for theyr names.
Let's talk straight.
CHC sent somebody on the end of last year "to check" how the things were going in PH.
PH, the next big business target for CHC. Imagine 4,000 USD an hour for AS365, at least.
Something forgoten, how the people use to perform and maintain a fleet of 16 helicopters in this kind of environment.
They just thought about money, like they did when they bought Court to enter in Angola, and now, they have 1(one) helicopter there, waiting for the remaining peanuts from Heli Union up North of Angola.
Once there was not chances to get in Nigeria, they bought Schreiner but, here the things are not like in Angola where a Sk 76 Cpt. earns something like the minimum salary in any country within Europe.
But let's come back to the beguining, they sent that fellow to check whatever and, sudently, he desapeeard from Nigeria, and nobody else knew why he left. Rumors say that was due drugs test (Dr. Kupa) .
Then, another fellow, big chief, Brian Glegg, came in April to talk (?) with the boys and, talking with two or three boys now and two or three boys after, saying this now and a completly diferent thing after, and another diferent thing next day, when everybody was waiting for a general meeting, wich was easy, once all crew use to join at dinner time at the SH, happened that, he never did, and worst, when he left, told the Ops Man that the boys were very happy.
Happy about what?
Gentlemen, this people are big because they treath you guys like catlle.
Their grafics are alloways growing because all of us do the best as we can, because all of us have a professional education that nobody in this world recconises, and this raffle people, some of them ex-pilots (wich are the worst) try to smash you and, undirectly, your relatives.
As a result, some of the best and young guys, quit, and gone across the road towords Bristow, where finaly, they realise that they have to improove in a sense to keep you as a future support for the operation.
I'm an insider, if anyone wants to contact, the address is good.
Is time to call the bulls for theyr names.
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I hear that Aero Contractors has now started losing some people to Caverton Helicopters as well as Bristow. Perhaps this is because Caverton have now started operating their Dauphin. I hear it's been flying around Lagos quite a bit recently and it was also seen in Port Harcourt a few days ago - on its way to Malabo apparently. There doesn't seem to be any move to start their shuttle operation in Port Harcourt as yet but that may be because they're getting ready for the one in Lagos. A friend reports that the new Caverton heliport in Lagos appears to be nearing completion and there's been some piling work going on in the river, maybe for their helipad. It's good to see that Caverton seems to be gaining some momentum and getting more work after some of the negative comments about them last year.
Aero have lost at least one (maybe more) engineer to Caverton and I hear that there may be one or two pilots moving that way too. I wonder if the new CHC pay deal will do anything to change that. A number of managers from Canada have been in Nigeria for the last few days and were due to present their new proposals to the pilots and engineers.
Aero have lost at least one (maybe more) engineer to Caverton and I hear that there may be one or two pilots moving that way too. I wonder if the new CHC pay deal will do anything to change that. A number of managers from Canada have been in Nigeria for the last few days and were due to present their new proposals to the pilots and engineers.
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MM
I think you'll find that most of the CHC people are fairly pleased with the new proposals from management. As for Caverton, until they start getting serious about a decent roster and setting a published pay structure, I don't think too many people will be moving over to them.
I think you'll find that most of the CHC people are fairly pleased with the new proposals from management. As for Caverton, until they start getting serious about a decent roster and setting a published pay structure, I don't think too many people will be moving over to them.
"Does anyone know how a low time pilot could get a job there in nigeria?"
By becoming a high time pilot first. Or being Nigerian. None of the big three operators or Caverton would take a low time expat.
That's not meant to be rude; all the expats are captains and therefore have to meet the client's minimum hours requirements. All the clients are oil companies (except Caverton) and therefore have high experience requirements. That aside, Nigeria is not really a place for someone with low experience to build hours.
By becoming a high time pilot first. Or being Nigerian. None of the big three operators or Caverton would take a low time expat.
That's not meant to be rude; all the expats are captains and therefore have to meet the client's minimum hours requirements. All the clients are oil companies (except Caverton) and therefore have high experience requirements. That aside, Nigeria is not really a place for someone with low experience to build hours.
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PR
The 109 Power seems to fly around the Lagos area almost every day. I think it has a contract with the Nigerian Ports Authority.
genocchio
It depends how low time you mean. Although it's true what 212 man says about Bristow and Aero having to take high time pilots because they have offshore contracts, I don't know if the same is true of Caverton. They have an application form on their web site and you could try there Caverton
The 109 Power seems to fly around the Lagos area almost every day. I think it has a contract with the Nigerian Ports Authority.
genocchio
It depends how low time you mean. Although it's true what 212 man says about Bristow and Aero having to take high time pilots because they have offshore contracts, I don't know if the same is true of Caverton. They have an application form on their web site and you could try there Caverton
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froggy,
Yes, saw the Dauphin, but I think it's leaving again very soon. Are you sure about "Uncle Bob"? When I saw him he just looked much older, fatter and sadder.
Yes, saw the Dauphin, but I think it's leaving again very soon. Are you sure about "Uncle Bob"? When I saw him he just looked much older, fatter and sadder.
Nigerian In Law
Tom,
Older, fatter and sadder he may indeed look (don't we all ?), but you can't buy the amount of experience stored inside that brain anywhere.
Cheers,
NEO
Older, fatter and sadder he may indeed look (don't we all ?), but you can't buy the amount of experience stored inside that brain anywhere.
Cheers,
NEO
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I thought I saw Uncle Bob in Port Harcourt yesterday, but he seems to have a near clone in Caverton! 
This guy looks about the same age and height but fatter and balder - or maybe it really was UB? Maybe they've started a cloning or breeding programme for his replacement.
This guy looks about the same age and height but fatter and balder - or maybe it really was UB? Maybe they've started a cloning or breeding programme for his replacement.
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Despite, it seems, more people on the verge of quitting ACN for Caverton, maybe some of them may think again when they find out about the 'caring' attitude their possible new employer has towards compassionate leave 
Heard their new Dauphin flying from Lagos to Owerri yesterday. Sounded like Bob, but couldn't be sure.