What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
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Rotor Driver
Hi Rotor Driver
I am in complete agreement on your accessment concerning pay.
The only thing I see a lot of people are missing, is that the "JOB IS GETTING DONE." As SASless could tell you, we use to regularly break 100 hours every 28 days, in Eket. It was so common that management came to expect you to break the limits. About the only people who wouldn't get "bad boy" points for not breaking 100 hours were the Nigerian co-pilots. Since Mobil didn't put their foot down, NO PROBLEM. Bristow's management had an agreement, that as long as the job got done, it wasn't the Oil Companies concern. Until the OIL COMPANIES require the air law be followed, you will see more of the same situation. The current staffing situation is not a new phenomena. The fewer pilots assigned just means more profit for the operators. Until the NCAA or the Oil Companies forcefully enforce the Air Law, I wouldn't expect any changes. Trust me, when I say that upper mangement is fully aware of the situation.
Cheers,
Musket33
I am in complete agreement on your accessment concerning pay.
The only thing I see a lot of people are missing, is that the "JOB IS GETTING DONE." As SASless could tell you, we use to regularly break 100 hours every 28 days, in Eket. It was so common that management came to expect you to break the limits. About the only people who wouldn't get "bad boy" points for not breaking 100 hours were the Nigerian co-pilots. Since Mobil didn't put their foot down, NO PROBLEM. Bristow's management had an agreement, that as long as the job got done, it wasn't the Oil Companies concern. Until the OIL COMPANIES require the air law be followed, you will see more of the same situation. The current staffing situation is not a new phenomena. The fewer pilots assigned just means more profit for the operators. Until the NCAA or the Oil Companies forcefully enforce the Air Law, I wouldn't expect any changes. Trust me, when I say that upper mangement is fully aware of the situation.
Cheers,
Musket33
Paid Business Class Travel.....too many years sitting in steerage with someone's head pushed back into my nose and no room to squirm about....much less get comfy. Having clean sheets on the bed when you get to the work site would be nice too.....and a bath towel that is as least as big as one at Motel Six.
Basically instead of doing it on the fecking cheap.....at least do it with some sort of standard comparable to the UK, US, or Oz.
Basically instead of doing it on the fecking cheap.....at least do it with some sort of standard comparable to the UK, US, or Oz.
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Physical risk
Rotor Driver,
regarding your justified concerns about "physical risk from the local population" ...
Expat kidnapped in Port Harcourt
- A German expat working for BilfingerBerger(BB) was stopped at School Rd., near Amadi Ama roundabout, around 7.50 am this morning. his company vehicle was blocked by 2 other vehicles and a male in Army fatigues forced the driver to get out of the car. Another man in plain clothes stepped behind the wheel and drove off with car and expatriate. They headed in the direction of Eastern Bypass
The vehicle has since been found abandoned at marine base in the Koko-Ama area of Port Harcourt.
- Three Filipinos working for a U.S. construction firm were kidnapped in southern Nigeria early Friday. Four armed men blocked the vehicle of the Baker Hughes Inc. employees on the road, fired in the air and then took them hostage, according to a colleague who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.
- An armed robbery attack was carried out on a bus carrying staff of a contractor survey crew working for SPDC. The attack happened at about 14.00 hours yesterday the 3rd August, when the crew was returning to base, after the day's field work. The crew vehicle was attacked along the Egbema - Assa road by unknown armed men believed to be robbers, leading to the death of the five contractor personnel.
Apart from the various militant factions in the area, it looks like everybody wants to have a go at getting rich quick. Lawlessness is definately spreading fast.
NOW you can start calculating the hazard pay!
regarding your justified concerns about "physical risk from the local population" ...
Expat kidnapped in Port Harcourt
- A German expat working for BilfingerBerger(BB) was stopped at School Rd., near Amadi Ama roundabout, around 7.50 am this morning. his company vehicle was blocked by 2 other vehicles and a male in Army fatigues forced the driver to get out of the car. Another man in plain clothes stepped behind the wheel and drove off with car and expatriate. They headed in the direction of Eastern Bypass
The vehicle has since been found abandoned at marine base in the Koko-Ama area of Port Harcourt.
- Three Filipinos working for a U.S. construction firm were kidnapped in southern Nigeria early Friday. Four armed men blocked the vehicle of the Baker Hughes Inc. employees on the road, fired in the air and then took them hostage, according to a colleague who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.
- An armed robbery attack was carried out on a bus carrying staff of a contractor survey crew working for SPDC. The attack happened at about 14.00 hours yesterday the 3rd August, when the crew was returning to base, after the day's field work. The crew vehicle was attacked along the Egbema - Assa road by unknown armed men believed to be robbers, leading to the death of the five contractor personnel.
Apart from the various militant factions in the area, it looks like everybody wants to have a go at getting rich quick. Lawlessness is definately spreading fast.
NOW you can start calculating the hazard pay!
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Two years on from the CHC takeover of Schreiner, what have they achieved in Nigeria? From the comppany point of view, a big increase in fixed wing with more 737s on the way and a large number of new helicopters, with the last of the old Dauphins soon to be gone and replaced by newer machinery. An expansion of the facilities at NAF Base. However, ground operations close to being a shambles, inaduate provision for close to 50 pilots on site, new operations manuals still not approved but being used anyway! But there is closed circuit TV! Internet frequently breaks down which is not good in a comany which thinks it can do everything with a webcam and an intranet site. Everything ruled by HESS, but a safety management system which doesn't work. From the expats point of view, housing which is the same, except that now there is no manager on site and no camp boss the maintenance of the houses has deteriorated considerably (though at least the generators are now run morning and evening so the power supply is stable when people are getting ready to go to and returning from work). Rumors of a move to a new site somewhere out in the bush which will need a company of the Nigerian army to give decent security - but at least the transport problem will be solved as it will be too dangerous to go out anywhere after work! Food depends on who you ask, but the local management don't seem to care and have told the staff to deal with it themselves. Transport - the managers have nice shiny new jeeps, the staff transport is a total shambles and a considerable deterioration. Leave travel still a partial shambles thanks to the local travel firm they use. The so-called 4% pay rise actually closer to 3% and no increase in incentive pay despite increasing numbers of incidents such as those described by archos (which staff out here have not been told about by the managers). Progress? Judge for yourself 
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flungdung,
I like it here and I like the job. But that doesn't mean I'm blind to the realities of the situation and I'd like to see a better deal. I'm prepared to stay on and try to achieve change from within rather than walking away from it as all too many people do.
I like it here and I like the job. But that doesn't mean I'm blind to the realities of the situation and I'd like to see a better deal. I'm prepared to stay on and try to achieve change from within rather than walking away from it as all too many people do.
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While I respect your desire to improve from within, in my 30+ years of helicopter operations I have never seen a situation that was changed by people who want to improve the lot from within. As long as the revenue flows, managment will not feel the pinch to improve.
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Considerable improvements to terms and conditions have been realized by helicopter pilots over the last 5 years or so.
If you look at the US, the pilots of the following companies have done a great job for themselves. First they got a pilot union in place,then they negotiated necessary and constructive changes to terms and conditions:
1. LSSI - The instructors at Fort Rucker
2. AirLog
3. PHI
4. Air Methods
In Europe, several companies have found constructive solutions through negotiations with their respective pilot unions up through the recent years:
5. CHC Ireland
6. CHC Scotia
7. CHC Netherlands
8. CHC Denmark
9. CHC Helikopter Service
10. Norsk Helikopter
11. Bristows
Common to all agreements is that they take into consideration the short- and longterm interest of the company in question. A solution is only good if the company still thrives and remains competitive in the market place.
It's a long and winding road with lots of obstacles. Still, it seems thar terms and conditions for our group of pilots is moving in the right direction.
If you look at the US, the pilots of the following companies have done a great job for themselves. First they got a pilot union in place,then they negotiated necessary and constructive changes to terms and conditions:
1. LSSI - The instructors at Fort Rucker
2. AirLog
3. PHI
4. Air Methods
In Europe, several companies have found constructive solutions through negotiations with their respective pilot unions up through the recent years:
5. CHC Ireland
6. CHC Scotia
7. CHC Netherlands
8. CHC Denmark
9. CHC Helikopter Service
10. Norsk Helikopter
11. Bristows
Common to all agreements is that they take into consideration the short- and longterm interest of the company in question. A solution is only good if the company still thrives and remains competitive in the market place.
It's a long and winding road with lots of obstacles. Still, it seems thar terms and conditions for our group of pilots is moving in the right direction.
I'm curious as to why people add an 's' to Bristow?
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Maybe because it used to be Bristow's? Before he sold up and got into the cow-mattress business, that is.
I enjoyed reading that bit about working for change from within. I used to have that sort of fantasy myself, until I remembered to always wear a hat when out in the sun.
We used to say, 'Oh, if only those nice owners back in Florida knew what dis ol' debbil manager is up to here, our problems would be over!' So one of the supposed nice guys came out to sort out the mess left by some Botswana reject, when NOTHING changed. It turned out to be, just as that cynic SASless said here, all about money. Go figure!
All you have to do, if you really need crucifixion, is to stick to the letter of the Air Law. That can be good fun while it lasts. It usually won't be a manager selling you down the river but one of your fellow pilots looking for some Brownie points.
On the other hand, I have enjoyed, in a small way, seeing some of those opportunists get theirs. It could be too bad about their passengers, though.
On the whole, if you try to play the game straight there might well be a bit of change for the better, plus you will feel better about yourself. That helps no end when you are looking for another job.
The last time I was in that configuration, staring out the kitchen window at the contrails going so far over my head they seemed out of reach, a letter came fluttering over the transom telling of the messy demise of a guy who had sort of grabbed a seat off me. All I could think was, 'Well, I guess you were welcome to it after all!' I certainly wasn't going to get into a sordid bitch-fight over it in the first place and then finding out it came with a big helping of cumulo-granite, well....
I don't know how fast things are changing but it seems that people are becoming more aware of the downside to working in places like the Niger Delta, which can only be good from the workers' point of view.
I enjoyed reading that bit about working for change from within. I used to have that sort of fantasy myself, until I remembered to always wear a hat when out in the sun.
We used to say, 'Oh, if only those nice owners back in Florida knew what dis ol' debbil manager is up to here, our problems would be over!' So one of the supposed nice guys came out to sort out the mess left by some Botswana reject, when NOTHING changed. It turned out to be, just as that cynic SASless said here, all about money. Go figure!
All you have to do, if you really need crucifixion, is to stick to the letter of the Air Law. That can be good fun while it lasts. It usually won't be a manager selling you down the river but one of your fellow pilots looking for some Brownie points.
On the other hand, I have enjoyed, in a small way, seeing some of those opportunists get theirs. It could be too bad about their passengers, though.
On the whole, if you try to play the game straight there might well be a bit of change for the better, plus you will feel better about yourself. That helps no end when you are looking for another job.
The last time I was in that configuration, staring out the kitchen window at the contrails going so far over my head they seemed out of reach, a letter came fluttering over the transom telling of the messy demise of a guy who had sort of grabbed a seat off me. All I could think was, 'Well, I guess you were welcome to it after all!' I certainly wasn't going to get into a sordid bitch-fight over it in the first place and then finding out it came with a big helping of cumulo-granite, well....
I don't know how fast things are changing but it seems that people are becoming more aware of the downside to working in places like the Niger Delta, which can only be good from the workers' point of view.
Chuks dear lad,
Me a cynic? Captious? A Dog?
Perhaps you are much more perceptive than you seem?
I think I shall journey forth to the Legion Hall and partake of some malt medication and consider where I went wrong. Surely there is truth to be found in the bottom of dark bottles.
Me a cynic? Captious? A Dog?
Perhaps you are much more perceptive than you seem?
I think I shall journey forth to the Legion Hall and partake of some malt medication and consider where I went wrong. Surely there is truth to be found in the bottom of dark bottles.
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Chuks
Your so right about Bristow's being the possessive form of the noun Bristow. I thought 212man was there when the old man owned the company?
It's nice to think that things will change for the better from within. However, the course of an object doesn't change unless an external force acts upon it to cause a change. Sounds something like one of Newton's laws of motion. Don't forget the informal hierarchy use to improve the conditions of many employees. However, due to higher costs these privileged individuals are used in much smaller numbers.The bottom line is profit, or profit margin, to be more exact. From a historical perspective it seems everyone will keep complaining and nothing significant will change. I am hopefully waiting to hear that events prove me wrong.
Cheers,
musket33
It's nice to think that things will change for the better from within. However, the course of an object doesn't change unless an external force acts upon it to cause a change. Sounds something like one of Newton's laws of motion. Don't forget the informal hierarchy use to improve the conditions of many employees. However, due to higher costs these privileged individuals are used in much smaller numbers.The bottom line is profit, or profit margin, to be more exact. From a historical perspective it seems everyone will keep complaining and nothing significant will change. I am hopefully waiting to hear that events prove me wrong.
Cheers,
musket33
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Musket,
Just call me an old idealist if you will. I guess you work for Bristow (and yes I know AB) where the overseas operations are still ruled by the same bunch of dinosaurs who have not been moved on by OLOG. But, as has been mentioned here a few times recently, CHC pilots overseas may be on the verge of forming a Global Helicopter Pilots' Association (provided enough pilots can be galvanised to actually change from their normal state of inertia). If you look at the list from chc&p, many CHC group companies have now got collective bargaining agreements which have helped to improve their pay and conditions from within by people who decided to stay on and make things better. Whilst, in terms of aerodynamics, Newton's first law is normally interpreted as the course of an object doesn't change unless an external force acts upon it to cause a change, Newton's first law of motion, sometimes called the law of inertia, was actually adopted from the work of Galileo. It states that a particle's velocity will not change unless a force is applied to the particle. This means that if a body is at rest it remains at rest unless a force is applied. If a body is moving with some velocity, it will continue to move with the same velocity unless a force is applied, whether from within or without. It can't change position, without getting a velocity. It can't change its velocity from zero without getting an acceleration. Many companies are like this, but they can be put in motion and then have their course changed by enough pilots getting together and acting as one to be that force required. Being a confirmed pessimist, I don't expect it to happen, but you just never know.
Just call me an old idealist if you will. I guess you work for Bristow (and yes I know AB) where the overseas operations are still ruled by the same bunch of dinosaurs who have not been moved on by OLOG. But, as has been mentioned here a few times recently, CHC pilots overseas may be on the verge of forming a Global Helicopter Pilots' Association (provided enough pilots can be galvanised to actually change from their normal state of inertia). If you look at the list from chc&p, many CHC group companies have now got collective bargaining agreements which have helped to improve their pay and conditions from within by people who decided to stay on and make things better. Whilst, in terms of aerodynamics, Newton's first law is normally interpreted as the course of an object doesn't change unless an external force acts upon it to cause a change, Newton's first law of motion, sometimes called the law of inertia, was actually adopted from the work of Galileo. It states that a particle's velocity will not change unless a force is applied to the particle. This means that if a body is at rest it remains at rest unless a force is applied. If a body is moving with some velocity, it will continue to move with the same velocity unless a force is applied, whether from within or without. It can't change position, without getting a velocity. It can't change its velocity from zero without getting an acceleration. Many companies are like this, but they can be put in motion and then have their course changed by enough pilots getting together and acting as one to be that force required. Being a confirmed pessimist, I don't expect it to happen, but you just never know.
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TomBola
Hi TomBola,
I worked for Bristow Nigeria 13 years, but left for the final time about about 18 months ago. In some ways I feel people who work in Nigeria for an extended period become like longterm prison inmates. After being out of the environment it's hard to believe the amount of abuse people are willing to tolerate.
As for the question of expatriate pilots organizing in Nigeria, I have a question other readers might be able to explain. All the operators have an allocation of work permits issued from the Nigerian government. The only reason foreign pilots are allowed to work in Nigeria is due to a shortage of National pilots. I just wonder were the breakeven point is for training more national pilots, who are less expense, compared to raising the cost of expatriate pilots falls? Any comments would be of interest.
Cheers,
musket33
I worked for Bristow Nigeria 13 years, but left for the final time about about 18 months ago. In some ways I feel people who work in Nigeria for an extended period become like longterm prison inmates. After being out of the environment it's hard to believe the amount of abuse people are willing to tolerate.
As for the question of expatriate pilots organizing in Nigeria, I have a question other readers might be able to explain. All the operators have an allocation of work permits issued from the Nigerian government. The only reason foreign pilots are allowed to work in Nigeria is due to a shortage of National pilots. I just wonder were the breakeven point is for training more national pilots, who are less expense, compared to raising the cost of expatriate pilots falls? Any comments would be of interest.
Cheers,
musket33
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Diogenes the dog...
or 'cynic,' used to go about the Agora in daylight with a lit lantern. When people asked him what he was up to there he answered, 'Looking for an honest man.' (Most people wouldn't get the joke in that, I assume.)
Dogs have a cynical outlook (well, what else would you expect, really?). Fine words don't do it for them, they just look at the reality of things. So from that we get 'cynical.' Too many people think that to be cynical is to be negative but that is not necessarily so.
Companies that come up with ISO 9001 certification or perhaps a program with a catchy name like 'Syphilis,' htings that are going to cause quantum change, whatever that means... the cynics just hunker down around the bar, looking down into their free pints (!) waiting for the BS storm to subside before they say something that might get them in trouble when the neddies come around to explain how everything is going to be transformed.
I was once caught standing there on the ramp at Tan Son Nhut after having just inspected what was left of our tool store after a 122 mm. rocket had made free with it. There were bits and pieces of building all over the place and what was left mostly came up to my ankles.
A little jeep pulled up with the CO being chauffeured by the XO. A quick glance at the situation and the CO said, 'Your boots are dirty, Trooper,' before signalling the XO that this concluded his situational assessment so that they went whizzing off to the next crisis spot.
'I think we are f*cked,' was my cynical reaction to this. That was way back at the beginning of my career (?) in aviation and not much has happened to change my own assessment of management since then.
A lot of what is going on in the Niger Delta looks like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. But then I am a cynic!
Dogs have a cynical outlook (well, what else would you expect, really?). Fine words don't do it for them, they just look at the reality of things. So from that we get 'cynical.' Too many people think that to be cynical is to be negative but that is not necessarily so.
Companies that come up with ISO 9001 certification or perhaps a program with a catchy name like 'Syphilis,' htings that are going to cause quantum change, whatever that means... the cynics just hunker down around the bar, looking down into their free pints (!) waiting for the BS storm to subside before they say something that might get them in trouble when the neddies come around to explain how everything is going to be transformed.
I was once caught standing there on the ramp at Tan Son Nhut after having just inspected what was left of our tool store after a 122 mm. rocket had made free with it. There were bits and pieces of building all over the place and what was left mostly came up to my ankles.
A little jeep pulled up with the CO being chauffeured by the XO. A quick glance at the situation and the CO said, 'Your boots are dirty, Trooper,' before signalling the XO that this concluded his situational assessment so that they went whizzing off to the next crisis spot.
'I think we are f*cked,' was my cynical reaction to this. That was way back at the beginning of my career (?) in aviation and not much has happened to change my own assessment of management since then.
A lot of what is going on in the Niger Delta looks like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. But then I am a cynic!
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Musket33
Sorry - but you started it .... Bristow is a proper noun, and you should have used the contraction "you're" - NOT the possessive adjective 'your' at the beginning of your sentence.
But 'chuks' thanks as ever for your lucid though oft wasted wicked wit - as refreshing as a JD and lime!
But 'chuks' thanks as ever for your lucid though oft wasted wicked wit - as refreshing as a JD and lime!
The only waste of Chuks' wit is those that it is aimed at rarely appreciate the humour in it, quite unlike those that are lucky enough to be present when the ice pick nicks a major nerve!
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tistisnot
Hi Tistisnot,
Your absolutely correct that Bristow is a proper noun. That is why it is capitalized. However, I thought "your" was a possessive pronoun, showing ownership?
Cheers,
musket33
Your absolutely correct that Bristow is a proper noun. That is why it is capitalized. However, I thought "your" was a possessive pronoun, showing ownership?
Cheers,
musket33
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Gentlemen, please do not set the grammar and spelling police loose on this forum (thread). I enjoy the banter and information too much to see it degenerate into a discussion of proper placement of apostrophes.
Your right, to often people get on there high horses to show how good they're grammar is too the audience hear. Two my mind my grammars' as good as you're's!
Seriously though, I too enjoy reading chuks' (as in pprune name, Chuk's as in real name!) cynical observations; possibly enhanced by the fact that I can visualise him saying them
Seriously though, I too enjoy reading chuks' (as in pprune name, Chuk's as in real name!) cynical observations; possibly enhanced by the fact that I can visualise him saying them
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212man
I take just slight issue with you there ... some on the forums get their knickers in a twist over V1/CDP Perf Class/Category 50fpm/150fpm ROC LTE/LTA and all those good things we are meant to understand but still cannot explain to customers in words not better than gobbledeegook as to why we are unable to give them more payload today .....
Regrettably, it does detract (perhaps in the eyes of the perverted mind only?!) from the impact of the argument if the details and/or grammar therein are incorrect!
Regrettably, it does detract (perhaps in the eyes of the perverted mind only?!) from the impact of the argument if the details and/or grammar therein are incorrect!