What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
They made good time .. they only left here on the 5th.. presumably 5NBGO has got there as well? It left a few days before.
Bit of a change for the crews.. it was well into the minus degrees c a couple of days before they left.. I guess it'll be in the 30's at least there?
Bit of a change for the crews.. it was well into the minus degrees c a couple of days before they left.. I guess it'll be in the 30's at least there?
Last edited by exlatccatsa; 16th Dec 2008 at 17:54.
Mama,
I have plenty of "good" to say about Bristow....but one has to admit the Nigerian part of Bristow is not quite the Cat's Meow. There are plenty of good people there...always have been. In all fairness, one has to admit there have been some very interesting decisions made over the years that beg criticism.
As to "hating" Bristow...not at all. There are a few folks that I do not swap Christmas cards with and that is where most of my comments both derive and are directed.
Just as you rightly point out....ACN nowadays are having some serious problems but they too stem from the Top and not from the bottom up.
I have described my theory about life cycles of helicopter companies....and point out they all have their ups and downs...much as do sine curves. I always supported the notion one was wise to determine when an outift was at the bottom and turning up as being the time to climb aboard and ride that horse until the it eventually takes it dive towards the bottom....and repeat the cycle by finding one in ascent and go for that one.
Just as some Bristow folks jumped ship for ACN a few years back....perhaps there will be some coming back for another hitch with Bristow.
It is refreshing to see new....modern aircraft arriving and the old relics being replaced....that is good news for everyone.....as I am sure the old hands that have been in country for many years will be given priority on the new seats rather than folks being brought into country just to fly the new aircraft.
I have plenty of "good" to say about Bristow....but one has to admit the Nigerian part of Bristow is not quite the Cat's Meow. There are plenty of good people there...always have been. In all fairness, one has to admit there have been some very interesting decisions made over the years that beg criticism.
As to "hating" Bristow...not at all. There are a few folks that I do not swap Christmas cards with and that is where most of my comments both derive and are directed.
Just as you rightly point out....ACN nowadays are having some serious problems but they too stem from the Top and not from the bottom up.
I have described my theory about life cycles of helicopter companies....and point out they all have their ups and downs...much as do sine curves. I always supported the notion one was wise to determine when an outift was at the bottom and turning up as being the time to climb aboard and ride that horse until the it eventually takes it dive towards the bottom....and repeat the cycle by finding one in ascent and go for that one.
Just as some Bristow folks jumped ship for ACN a few years back....perhaps there will be some coming back for another hitch with Bristow.
It is refreshing to see new....modern aircraft arriving and the old relics being replaced....that is good news for everyone.....as I am sure the old hands that have been in country for many years will be given priority on the new seats rather than folks being brought into country just to fly the new aircraft.
I Try To Be Good !!
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Phone,
Apparently the ExxonMobil contractor security advisor who was called with the first report and asked to advise the gate and clinic is known for his Coke bottle shoulders. So he performed almost as expected by doing absolutely nothing except issue a broadcast while the bus was still on the road advising the inhabitants of MHE to stay indoors !! Totally incompetent.
Word is the Bristow boss is going to report him to the very top of the ExxonMobil tree as he clearly isn't up to doing much other than Bus Monitor (his nickname among the contractors).
Let's hope the "lessons learnt" as the new parlance says actually get put into practice. The convoys are still suspended so hopefully this time real changes will occur.
Apparently the ExxonMobil contractor security advisor who was called with the first report and asked to advise the gate and clinic is known for his Coke bottle shoulders. So he performed almost as expected by doing absolutely nothing except issue a broadcast while the bus was still on the road advising the inhabitants of MHE to stay indoors !! Totally incompetent.
Word is the Bristow boss is going to report him to the very top of the ExxonMobil tree as he clearly isn't up to doing much other than Bus Monitor (his nickname among the contractors).
Let's hope the "lessons learnt" as the new parlance says actually get put into practice. The convoys are still suspended so hopefully this time real changes will occur.
Did you fly the S92 out here? What's it really like to fly? Is it smooth with that active vibration damping? Can it really maintain 150 knots out here with a full load?
That S92 really does look the business and the cabin looks as if it will make the passengers pretty happy. Does it have a baggage compartment big enough to hold the bags for 19 or is it going to be a problem with baggage bulking it out as with all the other types here (including the EC225 from what I'm told)? Is the bicycle because the cabin is so long 
?
?
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Is it smooth with that active vibration damping?
212man, is that the case or am I being fed BS??
UL, without getting into too much thread creep, it is true that with 3 AVCs and less than perfect T&B, row 1 is a bit rough. The Norwegians nicknamed it the naughty seat! However, in Nigeria, every seat will be the good boy seats as the cabin is airconditioned!
I'm sure it will be a very popular machine for crew and pax alike. Good luck to all involved.
I'm sure it will be a very popular machine for crew and pax alike. Good luck to all involved.
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Don't Go To Bristow - Escape
It's obvious that many CHC pilots with Aero will be thinking of joining Bristow right now as CHC goes down the pan. Don't do it! Friends still in Nigeria tell me that morale within Bristow is at rock bottom as well, they're desperately short of pilots but that idiot Wee Dick is offering copilot jobs or saying that they have plenty of pilots 
. Old friends at Eket are desperate to leave and if you're in Lagos and caught in the bar after 1900, prepare to be sacked by A$$lick in person and be on a flight out the next day . It's obvious from what's being posted here that XOM have been up to their old tricks and their so called security advisor couldn't give sensible advice on how to keep your dog chained up in the back yard 
. Take the impending finish of Aero as a sign, broaden your horizons, get out of Nigeria. Whatever you do, don't look to Bristow - it's still the same company with old colonial attitudes because the old colonial managers are still there, just under some new management. There really are other jobs out here where you can have a life 
. OK, the money may be a bit less, but it's enough. The management may not be much better, but who cares - the lifestyle is far better. Nigeria now really sucks, no matter who you work for or where you're based. Evergreen will be there under the Virgin Nigeria banner and then you can transfer to them and experience really bad management and you have as much likelihood of being paid on time as you do with Caverton by all accounts.
Think of Aero's misfortune as a lucky break - you've finally been forced to get out of the hell hole that Nigeria's become and find a worthwhile job.
. Old friends at Eket are desperate to leave and if you're in Lagos and caught in the bar after 1900, prepare to be sacked by A$$lick in person and be on a flight out the next day . It's obvious from what's being posted here that XOM have been up to their old tricks and their so called security advisor couldn't give sensible advice on how to keep your dog chained up in the back yard . Take the impending finish of Aero as a sign, broaden your horizons, get out of Nigeria. Whatever you do, don't look to Bristow - it's still the same company with old colonial attitudes because the old colonial managers are still there, just under some new management. There really are other jobs out here where you can have a life . OK, the money may be a bit less, but it's enough. The management may not be much better, but who cares - the lifestyle is far better. Nigeria now really sucks, no matter who you work for or where you're based. Evergreen will be there under the Virgin Nigeria banner and then you can transfer to them and experience really bad management and you have as much likelihood of being paid on time as you do with Caverton by all accounts.Think of Aero's misfortune as a lucky break - you've finally been forced to get out of the hell hole that Nigeria's become and find a worthwhile job.
Don't sugarcoat it BBO....tell us what you really think of things!
Nigerian In Law
Altru-what ? Dangagan, you are on the wrong thread, you should be posting on the airline pilot's side with words like that !! 
Once again we arrive at the "choice" issue where this thread always seems to end up when Nigeria and conditions/incidents are discussed.
A number of people have asked to transfer out of Eket to other locations citing the ambush and discovery of the subsequent security c*%k ups. To where ? Another operation where the security oversight and support is exactly the same ? Out of the frying pan etc
As BBO rightly says (I think), there is a big wide world outside Nigeria and indeed outside Bristow/ACN/CHC. The choice is down to the individual. As has been said time and again, most recently by Phone Wind people have their own reasons for taking a job in Nigeria especially with the current insecurity situation. That is the issue; surely it is a personal decision on whether to come, stay or go as the case may be.
No amount of derisory advice or cajoling is going to change a person's mind, he/she will weigh up the pros and cons based on his/her personal circumstances.
NEO
Once again we arrive at the "choice" issue where this thread always seems to end up when Nigeria and conditions/incidents are discussed.
A number of people have asked to transfer out of Eket to other locations citing the ambush and discovery of the subsequent security c*%k ups. To where ? Another operation where the security oversight and support is exactly the same ? Out of the frying pan etc
As BBO rightly says (I think), there is a big wide world outside Nigeria and indeed outside Bristow/ACN/CHC. The choice is down to the individual. As has been said time and again, most recently by Phone Wind people have their own reasons for taking a job in Nigeria especially with the current insecurity situation. That is the issue; surely it is a personal decision on whether to come, stay or go as the case may be.
No amount of derisory advice or cajoling is going to change a person's mind, he/she will weigh up the pros and cons based on his/her personal circumstances.
NEO
Last edited by Nigerian Expat Outlaw; 18th Dec 2008 at 05:50. Reason: Can't spell !!
There is a very good reason the guys are riding on top of the vehicle rather than inside.....the aluminum armor plate will stop 7.62 ball ammo only....7.62 AP or anything bigger merely goes all the way through.
But....that being said....being sat behind the Ma Deuce when the Boys decided to take some pot shots at you with their AK's.....well that would be a bit of good sport!
But....that being said....being sat behind the Ma Deuce when the Boys decided to take some pot shots at you with their AK's.....well that would be a bit of good sport!
SASLess
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Merry Christmas...
And a Happy New Year too!
You guys back in Nigeria: Keep your heads down and your tails up and do not forget to keep the rest of us up to date on the latest happenings in the Centre of Excrement.
I read this avidly; it justifies my present existence outside of anything remotely exciting. Well, I did almost get stomped by a bull camel on the way to work one morning at MLE2 but I think he had me mixed up with a helicopter pilot there.
Once I showed him my "pahticulahs," that I had an ATPL(A) and not (H) he simply snorted and turned back to his cows, whom I had been looking at, yes, but not THAT way! Gawd!
You guys back in Nigeria: Keep your heads down and your tails up and do not forget to keep the rest of us up to date on the latest happenings in the Centre of Excrement.
I read this avidly; it justifies my present existence outside of anything remotely exciting. Well, I did almost get stomped by a bull camel on the way to work one morning at MLE2 but I think he had me mixed up with a helicopter pilot there.
Once I showed him my "pahticulahs," that I had an ATPL(A) and not (H) he simply snorted and turned back to his cows, whom I had been looking at, yes, but not THAT way! Gawd!
BB,
Since when did a Bristow Pilot get Air Con....at least until the 92 arrived....then it is a guess how long it takes for that particular system to find its way to the Deferred Defects Sheets (plural).
Since when did a Bristow Pilot get Air Con....at least until the 92 arrived....then it is a guess how long it takes for that particular system to find its way to the Deferred Defects Sheets (plural).
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Good Photo!
SASless,
Apart from the beard you haven't changed a bit since your photo behind the 50 Cal.
Banger - No need for A/C - the mend boys will add ventilation holes free of charge!
Trog
Apart from the beard you haven't changed a bit since your photo behind the 50 Cal.
Banger - No need for A/C - the mend boys will add ventilation holes free of charge!
Trog
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No sense of history...
Bristow operated at least seven aircraft with air-conditioning. 5 Dornier 328s and 2 Beech 200s. Okay, the wings didn't rotate but they were still operated by Bristow Helicopters Nigeria Ltd.
Then I think there was an HS-125 based at Redhill, making at least 8 aircraft by my count.
The Beeches were kind of hit-or-miss for cooling but those Dorniers had a pair of hefty air cycle machines, one for the cockpit and one for the cabin. The cockpit had those 5 CRT displays pumping out a lot of waste heat so that you really did need the air con in there. Without it it could get up to, oh, 25° in there, which was considered pretty brutal by your average Dornier Captain.
I remember once going over to look at the then-new EC-155 at Osubi. I leaned in and accidentally pushed up against the pilot's seat back cushion, which was soaked like a wet sponge with sweat. Eeeuuw! That was when it was new; I bet the cockpit smelled like a mouldy jock strap after a few months in the tropics.
Then I think there was an HS-125 based at Redhill, making at least 8 aircraft by my count.
The Beeches were kind of hit-or-miss for cooling but those Dorniers had a pair of hefty air cycle machines, one for the cockpit and one for the cabin. The cockpit had those 5 CRT displays pumping out a lot of waste heat so that you really did need the air con in there. Without it it could get up to, oh, 25° in there, which was considered pretty brutal by your average Dornier Captain.
I remember once going over to look at the then-new EC-155 at Osubi. I leaned in and accidentally pushed up against the pilot's seat back cushion, which was soaked like a wet sponge with sweat. Eeeuuw! That was when it was new; I bet the cockpit smelled like a mouldy jock strap after a few months in the tropics.