What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
Ah...dejavu all over again....memories of Colditz days....looking across the barbed wire at the Management Mansion....praying the bus would show up for a shopping trip for groceries while the management staff cars sat outside the office door all day....or arriving at the heliport looking at the bus leave for Ekpan knowing you now had a two hour wait...being told you had to go shopping on the scheduled shopping days despite being scheduled to fly on every one of them....my....how things have changed. Arriving in Lagos to discover your ticket has you going to Vancouver, BC.....after all that is close to Oregon isn't it? Or being routed to Dallas to start your trip from the east coast and then arriving in LHR to catch the bus to LGW with a two hour gap between flights...
I must lay off the anchovie sandwiches just before bedtime!
Did the old BHL management move over to ACN?
I must lay off the anchovie sandwiches just before bedtime!
Did the old BHL management move over to ACN?
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mangrove, your comments noted. The Meridien Hotel will be aquired for crew accomodation in Port Harcourt, a fleet of Cadillac Escalades will replace the crew transport, now that Bristow have vacated the Lagos Sheraton it has been inspected and will br used instead of sub-standard hotels, all crew travel will now be first class, or business class if no first class is available. Now stop whining and get back to work to pay for all these improvements!! 
management
management
CHC,
Does that mean Management will also contribute part of the stock option profits taken individually and a portion of other bonuses along with the pilots and engineers contributions to the costs of housing and transportation costs?
I do believe the complaint was the toilets don't work...the lights go out...the voltage drops below usable performance...the crew buses are an insult....and no one in the Ivory Palace seems to be willing to do something about it.
You cannot be management to begin with....you responded.
Does that mean Management will also contribute part of the stock option profits taken individually and a portion of other bonuses along with the pilots and engineers contributions to the costs of housing and transportation costs?
I do believe the complaint was the toilets don't work...the lights go out...the voltage drops below usable performance...the crew buses are an insult....and no one in the Ivory Palace seems to be willing to do something about it.
You cannot be management to begin with....you responded.
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why don't you guys address the folks in Vancouver?? You will get more results from there than spilling your guts on this site.
So far, my experience with CHC is very positive. Used to send an e-mail to Hoofdorp, wait maybe 4-6 days and re send. Days before an answer.
With CHC, I average 45 min to one hour before an answer. Mind the time change, so duriing office hours there. Reference e-tickets, 24 / 7.
Schreiners and APRAM couldn't beat that. APRAM never offered to cover my familys medical. Cut these people some slack, it looks ok to me.
Later,
So far, my experience with CHC is very positive. Used to send an e-mail to Hoofdorp, wait maybe 4-6 days and re send. Days before an answer.
With CHC, I average 45 min to one hour before an answer. Mind the time change, so duriing office hours there. Reference e-tickets, 24 / 7.
Schreiners and APRAM couldn't beat that. APRAM never offered to cover my familys medical. Cut these people some slack, it looks ok to me.
Later,
"Cut these people some slack, it looks ok to me."
And which window would you be looking out of then? Obviously one that doesn't look out over the ACN compound in PH!
MM,
just to balance your rosy view of the BHL acommodation; don't forget to include the Esa Akpan estate in Eket, which is less than salubrious !
And which window would you be looking out of then? Obviously one that doesn't look out over the ACN compound in PH!
MM,
just to balance your rosy view of the BHL acommodation; don't forget to include the Esa Akpan estate in Eket, which is less than salubrious !
"Salubrious"....sounds like some one I know after his fourth Gulder prior to heading out to the bush bar.
I would suggest 212man that the part of Eket that is hard to beat would be the Five Star Catering at the staff canteen down by the heliport.....now that was grand I hear. Eket during the days of the airstrip compound was good fun...if one always wore shoes in the bar during the day.
Wonder if the parrot was correct.....about a particular individual being a Wan.ker?
I would suggest 212man that the part of Eket that is hard to beat would be the Five Star Catering at the staff canteen down by the heliport.....now that was grand I hear. Eket during the days of the airstrip compound was good fun...if one always wore shoes in the bar during the day.
Wonder if the parrot was correct.....about a particular individual being a Wan.ker?
"I would suggest 212man that the part of Eket that is hard to beat would be the Five Star Catering at the staff canteen down by the heliport.....now that was grand I hear"
Now you've let the cat out of the bag: every one will want to go there now! Great for those who want to lose weight!
Now you've let the cat out of the bag: every one will want to go there now! Great for those who want to lose weight!
Ah, Sasless, Bertie the African Grey......how many hours of repeating that one phrase did it take... the look on the target's face when Bertie eventually said it was worth all the effort
How about Bertie trading stock tips with the G-man?
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: on my boat in the Caribbean
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ah, happy (?) days at Eket. I remember sitting by the pool when Bertie 'did his thing'. Bludeknock, also by the pool, replied 'no he isn't' and we all had to go in and have another beer we were laughing so much.
I made the mistake of going back after the move from the airstrip and it wasn't as much fun (not that it was ever THAT much fun). Anybody know if Izzy Freedman is still going strong in Bangkok?
I made the mistake of going back after the move from the airstrip and it wasn't as much fun (not that it was ever THAT much fun). Anybody know if Izzy Freedman is still going strong in Bangkok?
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gray14, no need to keep posting. We know who you are. You will definitely be one of we īBrassī as soon as we have sorted out buying the hotel and the Cadillacs for Port Harcourt. To help pay for this we are cutting back on staff in Douala and moving them into slightly cheaper housing. SASless - the move to the Meridien is to get rid of the`problems with toilets, voltage. As the company will not now be making any profit due to the enormous support it is going to be giving, all bonuses will be cancelled. There you see, we know how to make everyone happy all the time
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Lalaland
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SAS less
No we have not moved to ACN, we are temporarily on holiday in Thailand while money matters are being rejigged so we can build a Novotel in Eket to replace the Akpan estate . This will be built by a new OLOG subsidiary set up in the Turks and Caicos Islands to avoid nosey tax meddlers.
Gray14, we need loyal men like you in our company. Send your CV soonest.
Management
No we have not moved to ACN, we are temporarily on holiday in Thailand while money matters are being rejigged so we can build a Novotel in Eket to replace the Akpan estate
. This will be built by a new OLOG subsidiary set up in the Turks and Caicos Islands to avoid nosey tax meddlers.Gray14, we need loyal men like you in our company. Send your CV soonest.
Management
Finally, Bristow Management with a very firm grip on the real!!!!!!
Time to go fetch the rags to return my computer screen to a coffee free area.
Re-stated....when opportunity knocks...open the door!
Time to go fetch the rags to return my computer screen to a coffee free area.
Re-stated....when opportunity knocks...open the door!
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gray14 to send a CV to "bristowmanagement"? I managed to bail out of Bristows years ago. Wouldn't want to get stuck into that again.
Course though.....................what would it pay? (ha-ha)
Anyway, some pretty good pipe dreams there, guys. We are fat, dumb and happy here in Douala. Love that "33"!!
Later,
Course though.....................what would it pay? (ha-ha)
Anyway, some pretty good pipe dreams there, guys. We are fat, dumb and happy here in Douala. Love that "33"!!
Later,
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: THE MANGROVE SWAMPS (RETIRED)
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hmmm, been hearing from more old friends now to add some balance to what I posted the other day. Seems the only one who is both dumb and fat is Gray14. Still hasnīt told us why Cameroon is the best posting in West Africa, except mentioning '33' which was also available in Nigeria in my day.
Anyway, it has been mentioned to me, as here, that the accomodation at Akpan estate makes even Areta look good. There is also of course, the BRC in Lagos, which is in a barely safe area and I'm told has had a makeover using the remnants of a few tins of drab brown paint -sounds really nice!!! This is still better than the hotel which the Aero MD says is totally suitable for Aero crews - I hear this is the one which the Yugaslav fixed-wing crews rejected many years ago. All the feedback I get is that the MD of Aero is only interested in fixed wing and seems to think that the helicopter bunch are beneath him, flying around in their noisy, simple machines while he is busy with CHCs core business of trying to run an airline. I think maybe he should try standing on his head in a corner occasionally and remember the number of times fixed wing ambitions were nearly the ending of both Aero and Schreiner. However, from what I hear, Bristow is still the better deal if youīre a helicopter pilot. At least they still know theyīre a helicopter company.
We donīt get much input these days about whatīs happening with Pan African. Has Escravos been overrun recently?
Not much about Caverton either. I hear their heliport is finished but still no sign of anything like their long-advertised shuttle service. About the only thing happening seems to be that the 'Yellow Peril' (literally from the rumours I hear!!) is airborne quite a lot these days. I also hear that they still can't recruit crews, except from the Far East because of their pay and conditions. Even one Portuguese engineer from Heliportugal wonīt go back there any more because of the conditions. Does anyone know whatīs really happening?
A Very Merry Christmas to all my ex-colleagues, in whichever companies in Africa.
Mama
Anyway, it has been mentioned to me, as here, that the accomodation at Akpan estate makes even Areta look good. There is also of course, the BRC in Lagos, which is in a barely safe area and I'm told has had a makeover using the remnants of a few tins of drab brown paint -sounds really nice!!! This is still better than the hotel which the Aero MD says is totally suitable for Aero crews - I hear this is the one which the Yugaslav fixed-wing crews rejected many years ago. All the feedback I get is that the MD of Aero is only interested in fixed wing and seems to think that the helicopter bunch are beneath him, flying around in their noisy, simple machines while he is busy with CHCs core business of trying to run an airline. I think maybe he should try standing on his head in a corner occasionally and remember the number of times fixed wing ambitions were nearly the ending of both Aero and Schreiner. However, from what I hear, Bristow is still the better deal if youīre a helicopter pilot. At least they still know theyīre a helicopter company.
We donīt get much input these days about whatīs happening with Pan African. Has Escravos been overrun recently?
Not much about Caverton either. I hear their heliport is finished but still no sign of anything like their long-advertised shuttle service. About the only thing happening seems to be that the 'Yellow Peril' (literally from the rumours I hear!!) is airborne quite a lot these days. I also hear that they still can't recruit crews, except from the Far East because of their pay and conditions. Even one Portuguese engineer from Heliportugal wonīt go back there any more because of the conditions. Does anyone know whatīs really happening?
A Very Merry Christmas to all my ex-colleagues, in whichever companies in Africa.
Mama
Mama....
Ever the thouhtful insight as ever!
Smack on target I would say....10X'd them!
Merry Christmas to those in Paradise!
Put on the funny hats and pull those strings at the company provided dinner....have a Gulder for me!
Ever the thouhtful insight as ever!
Smack on target I would say....10X'd them!
Merry Christmas to those in Paradise!
Put on the funny hats and pull those strings at the company provided dinner....have a Gulder for me!
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Afrika sometimes
Age: 68
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Apart from the (presumably) joke postings by chcmanagement and bristowmanagement, there seems to be a common thread running through many of the recent postings, that the pilots in Bristow and Aero mostly feel that their managements are not providing the benefits they should be for working in this dangerous part of the world and don't take any notice of what's being said to them. If you doubt it's dangerous, just look at the state of the ATC services there and then ask how someone can be safely expected to fly on an IFR contract in the Niger Delta area. If you doubt it's dangerous read the report in the Daily Champion of the second pipeline explosion in a few days. This was supposedly carried out by īthe Martyr's Brigade' a new splinter force from the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force who claim that they will be pursuing armed struggle to lioberate the peoples of the Niger delta region and has said that it will be carrying out more acts of sabotage and at a great pace. The President has ordered all security personnel in the area on to a high alert. Maybe thatīs why Gray14 says Cameroun is the best deal in West Africa. You don't hear of oil camps being overrun, pipelines being sabotaged, helicopters being hijacked, or people there living in substandard accomodation. I'm sure the management there is no better, but maybe they take care of their people better in a country which is a lot nicer from the outset. Shame there are only a couple of helicopters in the entire country.
Dangerous? Security (or the lack of it a problem) a problem? Hang on....did not one set of managment staff state that was just not so....immediately prior to being robbed as they left the property headed for the luxury digs they had reserved for the night?
A brief article about the situation.....mentioned by Tombola
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24125623.htm
A brief article about the situation.....mentioned by Tombola
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24125623.htm
