What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Texas
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OK, Here's what one Bristow friend tells me. CLA has jack to do with cost of living. In most places in Nigeria Bristow guys have to pay for food. Like in Lagos, some hotel took over running their staff house - food, cleaning, the lot except the bar. The guys there pay cash for every meal they take and it costs around $25 a day for 3 meals. They were paid this in local currency in cash. Now the money will be paid in their $ salaries and all the guys will have to arrive in country with a stash of around $1,000+. Great thinking in a country with a security situation like Nigeria guys 
It's not even as if you can just go out to an ATM and take the money when you need it (unless you want to have all your identity stolen and find someone has suddenly been using your card for buying a load of goods in Dubai or Hong Kong). Typical bean-counter nonsense where it's good for them and bu99er the poor guys who have to live with their narrow-minded accountant-think 
. I remember back in the days of Alan Bristow where Bristow had a real good name. Now it's just another garbage GOM company trying to cash in on the Bristow name. Guess what guys - it ain't working. You've fooled nobody. Go on back to your homes guys and get a life. I did it years back and I've never once regretted it because my quality of life is now so much better than when I was touring.
It's not even as if you can just go out to an ATM and take the money when you need it (unless you want to have all your identity stolen and find someone has suddenly been using your card for buying a load of goods in Dubai or Hong Kong). Typical bean-counter nonsense where it's good for them and bu99er the poor guys who have to live with their narrow-minded accountant-think . I remember back in the days of Alan Bristow where Bristow had a real good name. Now it's just another garbage GOM company trying to cash in on the Bristow name. Guess what guys - it ain't working. You've fooled nobody. Go on back to your homes guys and get a life. I did it years back and I've never once regretted it because my quality of life is now so much better than when I was touring.
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Join the best....Haha
Should I wee in my pants because I have to laugh so hard or am I high on weed. However, those folks who left Nigeria and were able to make a change for the better should consider themselves as lucky. But what about the others who are stuck in wankerville and can't get to some other place because of lacking opportunities?
And for Caverton management...kindly respond to emails when we send them because otherwise "joining the best" is just like another punchline and a waste of time.
And for Caverton management...kindly respond to emails when we send them because otherwise "joining the best" is just like another punchline and a waste of time.
Alouette,
There is always the wonderful world of transcontinental truck driving....you too could forge that special bond between Man, Machine, and the Open Highway!
There are always other opportunities out there....afterall most helicopter jobs are transitory events for one reason or another.
Look for the operator that is on an up-swing....and get aboard....ride that wagon until it reaches top dead center then heads down again. Repeat as often as necessary until you croak, retire, or marry a rich woman.
There is always the wonderful world of transcontinental truck driving....you too could forge that special bond between Man, Machine, and the Open Highway!
There are always other opportunities out there....afterall most helicopter jobs are transitory events for one reason or another.
Look for the operator that is on an up-swing....and get aboard....ride that wagon until it reaches top dead center then heads down again. Repeat as often as necessary until you croak, retire, or marry a rich woman.
Join Date: Sep 2003
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SAS,
I think you have the wrong order there. Surely it should be marry a rich woman (preferably young, pretty and athletic
). This will enable you to retire and as a result of spending more time with your athletic young inamorata you will soon croak 
alouette,
I suggest if you want to contact Caverton you just try a telephone call. On their website their number in PH is given as 084 571 450 or in Lagos 01 737 9255. I'm sure if you ask for their Operations Director, Sunny Adegbuyi you'll be given a number to contact him. Sunny is a good guy (ex Bristow). Despite the post from CM, I have heard that they really are getting up to 6 Bell 412s for delivery in the next 9 months and will obviously be in need of qualified pilots and engineers. However, pacta sunt servada (agreements must be kept) applies in their case and I have heard of numerous people still owed money by them after leaving. Be sure of getting paid in advance if you work for an employer like them as otherwise you might just find yourself staying on longer than you want in the hopes of getting what you're already owed
PW,
How can Bristow standards possibly fall lower? I heard they were pretty much at rock bottom already. It's obviously not the company which I left all those years ago. In those days the management was pretty dreadful (which is why I left) but at least we had standards. I observed the decline until I was forced into miserable retirement.
I think you have the wrong order there. Surely it should be marry a rich woman (preferably young, pretty and athletic
). This will enable you to retire and as a result of spending more time with your athletic young inamorata you will soon croak alouette,
I suggest if you want to contact Caverton you just try a telephone call. On their website their number in PH is given as 084 571 450 or in Lagos 01 737 9255. I'm sure if you ask for their Operations Director, Sunny Adegbuyi you'll be given a number to contact him. Sunny is a good guy (ex Bristow). Despite the post from CM, I have heard that they really are getting up to 6 Bell 412s for delivery in the next 9 months and will obviously be in need of qualified pilots and engineers. However, pacta sunt servada (agreements must be kept) applies in their case and I have heard of numerous people still owed money by them after leaving. Be sure of getting paid in advance if you work for an employer like them as otherwise you might just find yourself staying on longer than you want in the hopes of getting what you're already owed
PW,
How can Bristow standards possibly fall lower? I heard they were pretty much at rock bottom already. It's obviously not the company which I left all those years ago. In those days the management was pretty dreadful (which is why I left) but at least we had standards. I observed the decline until I was forced into miserable retirement.
Sunny is a very nice gentleman.....hope he says the same of me having lost his license for him once upon a time. Actually it was El Toro that lost the license for him....who was the NCAA to tell the Bull what to do?
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Yes, RS and RC have both left and are going to work in Australia. They're just following the latest trend after a good pay rise in Austtralia and a shortage of suitably qualified pilots there.
I'd believe the EC225's coming when they actually arrive in Nigeria - after all the ferry crews have already been to France once and been sent home before leaving. There's still a lot of speculation as to what may happen between CHC and Aero on the RW side, but apparently no final decisions have been made yet. My own feeling is that the two companies will split, as they have on the FW side and if I were a Canadian living in Canada now, unless I was looking to change and become non-resident, I'd be actively pursuing other vacancies within CHC Global.
As for Bristow, their standards will not improve. They have too many unhappy people with low morale looking for something and when their pay review is announced and they lose their present CLA cash payments, more of them will continue to drift away and be replaced by people who, no matter how willing, don't have the experience of living or working in Nigeria
. It won't be a case of last one leaving turn out the lights, but more of, 'does anyone here know how to restart the generator so we can turn on the lights?'. 
I'd believe the EC225's coming when they actually arrive in Nigeria - after all the ferry crews have already been to France once and been sent home before leaving. There's still a lot of speculation as to what may happen between CHC and Aero on the RW side, but apparently no final decisions have been made yet. My own feeling is that the two companies will split, as they have on the FW side and if I were a Canadian living in Canada now, unless I was looking to change and become non-resident, I'd be actively pursuing other vacancies within CHC Global.
As for Bristow, their standards will not improve. They have too many unhappy people with low morale looking for something and when their pay review is announced and they lose their present CLA cash payments, more of them will continue to drift away and be replaced by people who, no matter how willing, don't have the experience of living or working in Nigeria
. It won't be a case of last one leaving turn out the lights, but more of, 'does anyone here know how to restart the generator so we can turn on the lights?'.
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Management and Restructuring
There's a text message doing the rounds at the moment;
A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (Ford) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both teams practised long and hard to reach peak performance before the race, but on the big day the Japanese won by a mile.
The Americans very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for their crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion was that the Japanese had 8 people paddling and one person steering, while the Americans had 8 people steering and one person paddling. Feeling a deeper study was in order, the American management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion. The consultants advised, of course, that too many people were steering the boat while not enough people were paddling. Not sure of how to utilze that information, but wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese, the rowing team's management structure was totally reorganised to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager. They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1 person paddling the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the 'Rowing Team Quality First Programme' with meetings, dinners and free pens for the paddler. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices, and bonuses.
The following year the Japanese won by 2 miles.
Humiliated, the American management laid off the paddler for poor performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles and cancelled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and the next year's racing team was outsourced - to India.
Sadly, THE END
Here's something else to think about. Ford has spent the last 30 years moving all its factories out of the US, claiming they can't make money paying American wages. Toyota has spent the last 30 years building more than a dozen plants in the US. According to the last quarter's results Toyota made $4 billion profit, while Ford racked up $9 billion in losses. Ford folk are still scratching their heads. If this weren't true, it might be funny.
Sound like any other American company in Nigeria you know?
A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (Ford) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both teams practised long and hard to reach peak performance before the race, but on the big day the Japanese won by a mile.
The Americans very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for their crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion was that the Japanese had 8 people paddling and one person steering, while the Americans had 8 people steering and one person paddling. Feeling a deeper study was in order, the American management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion. The consultants advised, of course, that too many people were steering the boat while not enough people were paddling. Not sure of how to utilze that information, but wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese, the rowing team's management structure was totally reorganised to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager. They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1 person paddling the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the 'Rowing Team Quality First Programme' with meetings, dinners and free pens for the paddler. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices, and bonuses.
The following year the Japanese won by 2 miles.
Humiliated, the American management laid off the paddler for poor performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles and cancelled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and the next year's racing team was outsourced - to India.
Sadly, THE END
Here's something else to think about. Ford has spent the last 30 years moving all its factories out of the US, claiming they can't make money paying American wages. Toyota has spent the last 30 years building more than a dozen plants in the US. According to the last quarter's results Toyota made $4 billion profit, while Ford racked up $9 billion in losses. Ford folk are still scratching their heads. If this weren't true, it might be funny.
Sound like any other American company in Nigeria you know?
VIH wins Angola helicopter contract
Victoria firm to help African country with election
Bruce Constantineau, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, August 21, 2008
Victoria-based VIH Helicopters Ltd. has won a six-month, multi-million-dollar contract to help Angola hold its first national elections in 16 years.
Six VIH helicopters will be used for pre-election and post-election transportation work in the southwestern African nation, where elections will take place on Sept. 5.
VIH operations manager Corey Taylor said the helicopters will be used to fly international observers throughout the country and to help set up polling booths before the election. Some helicopters will be used as mobile polling stations during the election, flying to remote communities and offshore oil rigs.
Taylor said the contract also calls for the helicopters to provide a kind of national transit service after the election because many roads are impassable and need repairs.
The six VIH helicopters will be part of an international contingent of 30 copters under contract to a private company working for the Angolan government.
Despite Angola's history of civil war and political violence, Taylor said VIH has been assured the work will be no more dangerous than working in Canada.
"There's unrest in some areas of Angola, but we're not going anywhere where we think there's potential for violence," he said in an interview. "We certainly don't expect to have any bullets flying at the helicopters or anything like that. Otherwise, we wouldn't do it."
Taylor said a VIH helicopter compound in Sudan was hit by a mortar round a few years ago.
"We pulled the plug instantly on that contract," he said. "We have civilian crews and nobody is interested in that type of thing."
VIH is sending two Sikorsky S-92s, two Sikorsky S-61s, a Bell 212 and a Eurocopter EC135. Taylor said it costs about $1.4 million to transport three or four helicopters from Canada to Angola on a Russian Antonov transport plane.
Victoria firm to help African country with election
Bruce Constantineau, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, August 21, 2008
Victoria-based VIH Helicopters Ltd. has won a six-month, multi-million-dollar contract to help Angola hold its first national elections in 16 years.
Six VIH helicopters will be used for pre-election and post-election transportation work in the southwestern African nation, where elections will take place on Sept. 5.
VIH operations manager Corey Taylor said the helicopters will be used to fly international observers throughout the country and to help set up polling booths before the election. Some helicopters will be used as mobile polling stations during the election, flying to remote communities and offshore oil rigs.
Taylor said the contract also calls for the helicopters to provide a kind of national transit service after the election because many roads are impassable and need repairs.
The six VIH helicopters will be part of an international contingent of 30 copters under contract to a private company working for the Angolan government.
Despite Angola's history of civil war and political violence, Taylor said VIH has been assured the work will be no more dangerous than working in Canada.
"There's unrest in some areas of Angola, but we're not going anywhere where we think there's potential for violence," he said in an interview. "We certainly don't expect to have any bullets flying at the helicopters or anything like that. Otherwise, we wouldn't do it."
Taylor said a VIH helicopter compound in Sudan was hit by a mortar round a few years ago.
"We pulled the plug instantly on that contract," he said. "We have civilian crews and nobody is interested in that type of thing."
VIH is sending two Sikorsky S-92s, two Sikorsky S-61s, a Bell 212 and a Eurocopter EC135. Taylor said it costs about $1.4 million to transport three or four helicopters from Canada to Angola on a Russian Antonov transport plane.
Aser
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Bristow pay review
I hear that the BHNL pay review has been announced.
Why are the Bristow management not shouting about it from the rooftops?
It has been delayed for two months so it must be good!
Anyone have any details?
Why are the Bristow management not shouting about it from the rooftops?
It has been delayed for two months so it must be good!
Anyone have any details?
You assume it is a pay deal....singular usage.
Also...if one gives up information as a Bristow Manager then one gives up power and is thus susceptible to being de-throned.
What is wrong in telling of the results in the monthly pay packet....surely each person involved will see the difference and be suitably impressed and appreciative.
Also...if one gives up information as a Bristow Manager then one gives up power and is thus susceptible to being de-throned.
What is wrong in telling of the results in the monthly pay packet....surely each person involved will see the difference and be suitably impressed and appreciative.
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Silence, please!
Why are the Bristow management not shouting about it from the rooftops?
Join Date: Jul 2006
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I'd suggest that the fact that neither Bristow management is shouting about it from the rooftop, nor has anybody come up on here to say how great it is speaks volumes. I'd predict an actual rise of 3% or less overall, dressed up to sound better and that when people discover what they're actually getting, the likes of ADA and Gulf helicopters will have fewer problems with numbers in the next few months, whilst Eket will have the opposite problem. It's all just a game of the balance between numbers and quality of life 
That doesn't mean CHC are doing any better - people are just waiting to find out whether CHC or Aero will win the war or lose the peace
That doesn't mean CHC are doing any better - people are just waiting to find out whether CHC or Aero will win the war or lose the peace
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Bristow pay revelation
Pay review is:
4.5% on basic.
CLA now $5500 per annum paid monthly with salary
That is it.
The door that the management failed to see opening, and are still blind to, has now been blown off the hinges.
I am not far off the bottom of the Bristow dung pile and for those of you whose calculators have Nigerian batteries my pay after the 4.5% raise and not including CLA is now $118,000 per annum. In addition there is the 7% company contribution to my pension.
ADA pays $112,000 without the requirement for armed escorts.
4.5% on basic.
CLA now $5500 per annum paid monthly with salary
That is it.
The door that the management failed to see opening, and are still blind to, has now been blown off the hinges.
I am not far off the bottom of the Bristow dung pile and for those of you whose calculators have Nigerian batteries my pay after the 4.5% raise and not including CLA is now $118,000 per annum. In addition there is the 7% company contribution to my pension.
ADA pays $112,000 without the requirement for armed escorts.
How does the new pay rate compare to the Bristow Australia pay rate?
One would have to assume paying Oz taxes would be a fair trade for the Aussie lifestyle as compared to no tax and the Eket lifestyle.
One would have to assume paying Oz taxes would be a fair trade for the Aussie lifestyle as compared to no tax and the Eket lifestyle.
Join Date: Sep 2001
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MP,
Have you been looking at my pay slip? Bang on the button - 2.98% overall
.
nbl,
I guess that since the sad demise of John Hanley, Bill Lee is probably quite busy now and it probably takes a while for anyone applying to get a reply - if at all. I have a friend working in Kandahar for ADA and he was saying that he has difficulty getting replies to e-mails at present.
The recent fall in the value of the £ against the US$ is probably worth more than the value of the pay rise to be honest, but for those paid in $ and living in Europe, every little bit helps
Have you been looking at my pay slip? Bang on the button - 2.98% overall
.nbl,
I guess that since the sad demise of John Hanley, Bill Lee is probably quite busy now and it probably takes a while for anyone applying to get a reply - if at all. I have a friend working in Kandahar for ADA and he was saying that he has difficulty getting replies to e-mails at present.
The recent fall in the value of the £ against the US$ is probably worth more than the value of the pay rise to be honest, but for those paid in $ and living in Europe, every little bit helps
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Cicero had it right
Yet another Randy Organ triumph of bureaucracy over common sense 
. Staff are going to have to wait until September to get their pay rise. Even though it's back dated to July 1 people are going to lose interest (in both senses). The numpty obviously has a total grasp of life in Nigeria . I can just see the guys in Escravos visiting their local Western Union office to pick up some Naira, or the guys in Eket asking the armed convoy with all the XOM staff in it as well to please stop off at Diamond Bank on the way in at 0645 so they can cash a cheque. I'm sure the convoy at Warri Texaco won't mind diverting into town, rather than just driving across the road so they can visit the Bureau de Change . This has got to be the worst conceived Bristow pay review in Nigeria ever. They just start settling people in Eket down a bit and now the whole apple cart has just been upset again. I can't wait to get my official notification - toilet paper is getting scarce down here with all the BS we're being fed 
.
As Marcus T Cicero said, "As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap".
. Staff are going to have to wait until September to get their pay rise. Even though it's back dated to July 1 people are going to lose interest (in both senses). The numpty obviously has a total grasp of life in Nigeria . I can just see the guys in Escravos visiting their local Western Union office to pick up some Naira, or the guys in Eket asking the armed convoy with all the XOM staff in it as well to please stop off at Diamond Bank on the way in at 0645 so they can cash a cheque. I'm sure the convoy at Warri Texaco won't mind diverting into town, rather than just driving across the road so they can visit the Bureau de Change . This has got to be the worst conceived Bristow pay review in Nigeria ever. They just start settling people in Eket down a bit and now the whole apple cart has just been upset again. I can't wait to get my official notification - toilet paper is getting scarce down here with all the BS we're being fed . As Marcus T Cicero said, "As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap".
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soggy,
Good point about the change in the relative values of the £ and $, but aren't a lot of 'old school' Bristow still paid in £ and unaffected by such things? Anyway, any favourable change in rates, can surely be reversed overnight?
NEO,
I seem to remember you said, let's wait and see. Having now 'seen' some idea of what Bristow are offering, what have you seen of its reception by the 'troops' in the front line bases?
CW,
No matter what, I don't see many people being tempted to leave for ADA and losing at least $6,000 per annum. That place still sucks and they've upset too many people for most experienced pilots to want to leave for that part of the world, no matter how hard Bristow tries to pi$$ off its own people.
SAS,
Pilots are leaving CHC and Bristow already to return to Australia. I don't know about the relative pay, but most of the guys I've spoken to who are returning have said that they'll lose very little and much prefer a 2/2 touring roster to 6/6 in the swamps. I can't see a couple of percent increase making anyone reconsider that, particularly when they're going to upset a lot of people again on the CLA issue. Has there actually been an official announcement on Bristow pay as yet, or is it just expected to be in the same ball park as CHC's raise?
Good point about the change in the relative values of the £ and $, but aren't a lot of 'old school' Bristow still paid in £ and unaffected by such things? Anyway, any favourable change in rates, can surely be reversed overnight?
NEO,
I seem to remember you said, let's wait and see. Having now 'seen' some idea of what Bristow are offering, what have you seen of its reception by the 'troops' in the front line bases?
CW,
No matter what, I don't see many people being tempted to leave for ADA and losing at least $6,000 per annum. That place still sucks and they've upset too many people for most experienced pilots to want to leave for that part of the world, no matter how hard Bristow tries to pi$$ off its own people.
SAS,
Pilots are leaving CHC and Bristow already to return to Australia. I don't know about the relative pay, but most of the guys I've spoken to who are returning have said that they'll lose very little and much prefer a 2/2 touring roster to 6/6 in the swamps. I can't see a couple of percent increase making anyone reconsider that, particularly when they're going to upset a lot of people again on the CLA issue. Has there actually been an official announcement on Bristow pay as yet, or is it just expected to be in the same ball park as CHC's raise?