What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
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Hi Neo
Having SasLess and Chuks back in Paradise, and writing a weekly blog sounds like a great idea. Until then, I'll continue to suffer in the city of Lost Wages.
Cheers,
Musket33
PS. Try putting a good word in to the Major for my old buddy Sasless.
Cheers,
Musket33
PS. Try putting a good word in to the Major for my old buddy Sasless.
Ah, I wonder why I become popular all of a sudden?
Did Tyreburst and the Mae-Jah die or have an ephipany? I know it ain't PeeWee singing my praises as he once suggested there were no anticipated openings in Bristow that fit my qualifications (or words to that effect)... or is it now that "he" is in Nigeria and can see the place first hand...my exit critique holds more veracity to him? I should get around to posting that someday....sort of a historical comparison of what was and now is....and see how close I was to calling it.
I was purely shattered to know there was no light in the window....really!
NEO....that is twice now you have hinted broadly that I am welcome to return....misery running out of company there?
Did Tyreburst and the Mae-Jah die or have an ephipany? I know it ain't PeeWee singing my praises as he once suggested there were no anticipated openings in Bristow that fit my qualifications (or words to that effect)... or is it now that "he" is in Nigeria and can see the place first hand...my exit critique holds more veracity to him? I should get around to posting that someday....sort of a historical comparison of what was and now is....and see how close I was to calling it.
I was purely shattered to know there was no light in the window....really!
NEO....that is twice now you have hinted broadly that I am welcome to return....misery running out of company there?
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Better you than me!
From what I remember, Musket33 could come up with some insights of his own. If he thinks this is such a great idea let him go first!
I could just see giving some real, deep insights into conditions in the Delta, from 'somewhere in southern Nigeria.'
You know how correspondents used to lead off articles about the Second World War with a tagline such as 'Joe Bloggs, somewhere in France...' Well the modern version wouldn't be because you didn't want to tell but because you wouldn't have a clue. One mud-hut village out in the middle of a mangrove swamp looks just like the next one, doesn't it!
I did PM that CNN guy who was trawling for help in giving insights into the cause of a recent minor disaster in the States, when a crew tried to get an aircraft needing about 6 thousand feet of runway off one about half that long. This calls for deep insight and lots and lots of 'Breaking News!' clips from an aviation specialist, of course.
Of course it could just be that I am a deep pool of boiling resentment over being forced to work for a living instead of being paid to stand in front of a camera reading off a tele-prompter.
That said, if this crusader for improved safety through improved public awareness of the latest outbreak of the dumb-*ss in aviation really wants to do some cutting-edge journalism then perhaps he shall grab this poison chalice and take a big, deep drink, coming to a bush bar near you 'any time from now.'
'Tonight, a CNN Special Report, live from Auntie's Kitchen! Eight hours Bottle to Throttle, or just, No Drinking Within 50 Feet of the Aircraft? We expose the shocking truth of the low conduct of off-duty pilots and engineers and the behaviour of the women who drive them to it! Next week, Mom always thought I played piano in a whorehouse...' Go for it, big fellah!
Remember what happened to the last guy who wanted to tell it like it is? No? Me neither, actually.
I could just see giving some real, deep insights into conditions in the Delta, from 'somewhere in southern Nigeria.'
You know how correspondents used to lead off articles about the Second World War with a tagline such as 'Joe Bloggs, somewhere in France...' Well the modern version wouldn't be because you didn't want to tell but because you wouldn't have a clue. One mud-hut village out in the middle of a mangrove swamp looks just like the next one, doesn't it!
I did PM that CNN guy who was trawling for help in giving insights into the cause of a recent minor disaster in the States, when a crew tried to get an aircraft needing about 6 thousand feet of runway off one about half that long. This calls for deep insight and lots and lots of 'Breaking News!' clips from an aviation specialist, of course.
Of course it could just be that I am a deep pool of boiling resentment over being forced to work for a living instead of being paid to stand in front of a camera reading off a tele-prompter.
That said, if this crusader for improved safety through improved public awareness of the latest outbreak of the dumb-*ss in aviation really wants to do some cutting-edge journalism then perhaps he shall grab this poison chalice and take a big, deep drink, coming to a bush bar near you 'any time from now.'
'Tonight, a CNN Special Report, live from Auntie's Kitchen! Eight hours Bottle to Throttle, or just, No Drinking Within 50 Feet of the Aircraft? We expose the shocking truth of the low conduct of off-duty pilots and engineers and the behaviour of the women who drive them to it! Next week, Mom always thought I played piano in a whorehouse...' Go for it, big fellah!
Remember what happened to the last guy who wanted to tell it like it is? No? Me neither, actually.
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NEO,
Do Bristow currently have a large number of vacancies in Port Harcourt? From everything I hear there will soon be a flood of applications from Aero pilots and engineers if the management decide to press ahead with a move to a location that will make Casa Woji look like the most secure area in Port Harcourt
. Just tell your managers to hang on a few months and if Aero should depart the relative security of Areta Towers Bristow will easily be up to strength. Should applications be addressed to Houston or Redhill? About the only pilots CHC will have left will be the new guys who are too naive to have any idea of what they're moving into - until the day when they either get hit as the bad guys overwhelm the mass of highly-trained Pointer Security 'operatives', or simply pick them off as they wait at the gate to get off the East West Road 
. A lot of people were wishing for the CHC takeover, without remembering the old saying of 'beware what you wish for, you might just get it'. 
Do Bristow currently have a large number of vacancies in Port Harcourt? From everything I hear there will soon be a flood of applications from Aero pilots and engineers if the management decide to press ahead with a move to a location that will make Casa Woji look like the most secure area in Port Harcourt
. Just tell your managers to hang on a few months and if Aero should depart the relative security of Areta Towers Bristow will easily be up to strength. Should applications be addressed to Houston or Redhill? About the only pilots CHC will have left will be the new guys who are too naive to have any idea of what they're moving into - until the day when they either get hit as the bad guys overwhelm the mass of highly-trained Pointer Security 'operatives', or simply pick them off as they wait at the gate to get off the East West Road . A lot of people were wishing for the CHC takeover, without remembering the old saying of 'beware what you wish for, you might just get it'.
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Exceeding Limitations!
Hi Chuks,
I believe the maximum number of tours in Nigeria is three. Were I to return it would be my fourth, and that would definitely put me over the redline. Besides I failed to show the Major proper respect on my last departure, so am no longer welcome.
Cheers,
musket33
I believe the maximum number of tours in Nigeria is three. Were I to return it would be my fourth, and that would definitely put me over the redline. Besides I failed to show the Major proper respect on my last departure, so am no longer welcome.
Cheers,
musket33
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Three tours?
Man, I stopped counting at my fifth Final Farewell Party.
I did PAAN, then some time with a local Lebo, had my first FFP, went with PAAN again, had my second FFP, went with Aero, had my third FFP, came back with PAAN, had my fourth FFP, went with some Brit outfit whose name escapes me, went back to PAAN, had my fifth FFP, came back with that Brit outfit again and then just got the f*ck out of Dodge after that! Three tours is just warming up!
I was visiting one of my former colleagues who flat-out told me that I must be at least a half-ball out of level to even think about going back to that hell-hole but what can I say? It's like the Boy Scouts for perverts, the Foreign Legion without having to eat cheese or speak French, life without having to pretend to care about all the lame stuff that makes up so-called 'normal life,' changing lightbulbs and paying bills and having to pick stuff up and put it away instead of having Sunday, Saturday, Friday,
Patience, Prudence, Charity, Blessing or Mohammed, even, come along after you to sort out all those mundane details.
Here some cop pulls you over, it means business rather than 'Ah! How is family?' and so-on and so forth. I have to remember not to hand over €50 along with my licence. Of course on the other hand, there are no bars on the windows, no curtains on my transportation and what sounds like firecrackers in the middle of the night is just that.
I did PAAN, then some time with a local Lebo, had my first FFP, went with PAAN again, had my second FFP, went with Aero, had my third FFP, came back with PAAN, had my fourth FFP, went with some Brit outfit whose name escapes me, went back to PAAN, had my fifth FFP, came back with that Brit outfit again and then just got the f*ck out of Dodge after that! Three tours is just warming up!
I was visiting one of my former colleagues who flat-out told me that I must be at least a half-ball out of level to even think about going back to that hell-hole but what can I say? It's like the Boy Scouts for perverts, the Foreign Legion without having to eat cheese or speak French, life without having to pretend to care about all the lame stuff that makes up so-called 'normal life,' changing lightbulbs and paying bills and having to pick stuff up and put it away instead of having Sunday, Saturday, Friday,
Patience, Prudence, Charity, Blessing or Mohammed, even, come along after you to sort out all those mundane details.
Here some cop pulls you over, it means business rather than 'Ah! How is family?' and so-on and so forth. I have to remember not to hand over €50 along with my licence. Of course on the other hand, there are no bars on the windows, no curtains on my transportation and what sounds like firecrackers in the middle of the night is just that.
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Did anybody hear the radio in Port Harcourt today? It seem Caverton have much piss off one very big ogga who says many things about how they are 419 company and fly poor helicopter. Not a good advertissement for their new service PH to Owerri. Why does somebody wish to do something like that over this scenery in a single engine heli?
A long time ago I enjoyed a slow country bus ride, at night, from Owerri to PH. Any helicopter ride, single engine, incompetent pilot, bogus or time-ex parts, stove oil instead of Jet A, etc would have been safer. Anybody know what a/c Caverton is using for this?
Gotta love that "unbeatable convenience".
____________________________________________________________ ____
Caverton begins shuttle service into Port Harcourt NAF Base
By Wole Shadare
CAVERTON Helicopters has formally commenced its Shuttle Express Service between Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri and Nigeria Airforce Base in Port Harcourt.
This is in response to the closure to the Port Harcourt Airport for repairs. It would be recalled that with this closure of this airport, flight originally meant to terminate in Port Harcourt, will have to be diverted to Owerri Airport, which is one of the closest to Port Harcourt bound passengers will have to incur additional inconvenience of connecting Port Harcourt road, a journey of two hours.
Confirming the commencement of the shuttle service, the Managing Director of Caverton Helicopters, Mr. Sola Falola, said that with the Airport Shuttle Service a trip from the Owerri Airport to the heart of the Port Harcourt city will now take only 15 minutes as against the usual 2 hours, a development watchers of the aviation industry have described as unbeatable convenience.
Continuing, he noted that this service is based on the need to provide seamless travel to discerning passengers, who would prefer to be flown straight from the heart of the airport to the heart of the city. With this Shuttle Service, Falola maintained that busy business executives can even increase their productivity by cutting down on the man-hour lost in the traffic along the Owerri-Port Harcourt route.
Caverton Helicopters an indigenous aviation company, specialising in helicopter charter, shuttle, sales and maintenance services commenced business last year with sound proofed aircraft and world class purpose-built helicopters a the international airports in Lagos and Port Harcourt as well as in Victoria island-Lagos and NAF Base-Port Harcourt.
The airline also provides charter services for discerning passengers who are conscious of time.
Gotta love that "unbeatable convenience".
____________________________________________________________ ____
Caverton begins shuttle service into Port Harcourt NAF Base
By Wole Shadare
CAVERTON Helicopters has formally commenced its Shuttle Express Service between Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri and Nigeria Airforce Base in Port Harcourt.
This is in response to the closure to the Port Harcourt Airport for repairs. It would be recalled that with this closure of this airport, flight originally meant to terminate in Port Harcourt, will have to be diverted to Owerri Airport, which is one of the closest to Port Harcourt bound passengers will have to incur additional inconvenience of connecting Port Harcourt road, a journey of two hours.
Confirming the commencement of the shuttle service, the Managing Director of Caverton Helicopters, Mr. Sola Falola, said that with the Airport Shuttle Service a trip from the Owerri Airport to the heart of the Port Harcourt city will now take only 15 minutes as against the usual 2 hours, a development watchers of the aviation industry have described as unbeatable convenience.
Continuing, he noted that this service is based on the need to provide seamless travel to discerning passengers, who would prefer to be flown straight from the heart of the airport to the heart of the city. With this Shuttle Service, Falola maintained that busy business executives can even increase their productivity by cutting down on the man-hour lost in the traffic along the Owerri-Port Harcourt route.
Caverton Helicopters an indigenous aviation company, specialising in helicopter charter, shuttle, sales and maintenance services commenced business last year with sound proofed aircraft and world class purpose-built helicopters a the international airports in Lagos and Port Harcourt as well as in Victoria island-Lagos and NAF Base-Port Harcourt.
The airline also provides charter services for discerning passengers who are conscious of time.
Nigerian In Law
Everyone Is Welcome. Well, Almost
Sas/Musket,
With the crew shortage beginning to bite bygones would probably be bygones. Of course all would not be forgiven or forgotten, just stored away until supply outstrips demand again. So you guys would be OK for a couple of years.
Chuks however would have to re-enter a much more exclusive club, with a boss who wants him back but a boss's right hand man who would proabably suffer a stroke if he appeared. Sorry-oh, I bet you are gutted
Mamaput,
No offence mate, but I don't think there is ikely to be an exodus across the road. 6/6 is still a big draw and despite efforts to improve it Casa Woji will never shake the reputation it got before anyone even moved there. Location, location, location, as realtors/estate agents say. The worse that could happen is CHC moving to somewhere like it and that would just mean everyone is in the same boat.
Cheers,
NEO
With the crew shortage beginning to bite bygones would probably be bygones. Of course all would not be forgiven or forgotten, just stored away until supply outstrips demand again. So you guys would be OK for a couple of years.
Chuks however would have to re-enter a much more exclusive club, with a boss who wants him back but a boss's right hand man who would proabably suffer a stroke if he appeared. Sorry-oh, I bet you are gutted
Mamaput,
No offence mate, but I don't think there is ikely to be an exodus across the road. 6/6 is still a big draw and despite efforts to improve it Casa Woji will never shake the reputation it got before anyone even moved there. Location, location, location, as realtors/estate agents say. The worse that could happen is CHC moving to somewhere like it and that would just mean everyone is in the same boat.
Cheers,
NEO
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Malabo,
You really think a helicopter ride would be safer? Safer would be to spend the night in the Imo Concorde and then travel in a nice air-conditioned bus with an armed police escort the next day. With the present security situation, that's the only way most companies will let expats travel if there's no helicopter available. In a single engine machine, if you survive the crash, you then have to survive the bands of armed robbers on that road.
NEO, believe me, Woji is in a safe part of town compared to where CHC wants to go - their management has managed to find somewhere even less safe, and cheaper than your management did
You really think a helicopter ride would be safer? Safer would be to spend the night in the Imo Concorde and then travel in a nice air-conditioned bus with an armed police escort the next day. With the present security situation, that's the only way most companies will let expats travel if there's no helicopter available. In a single engine machine, if you survive the crash, you then have to survive the bands of armed robbers on that road.
NEO, believe me, Woji is in a safe part of town compared to where CHC wants to go - their management has managed to find somewhere even less safe, and cheaper than your management did
Nigerian In Law
Mamaput,
Oh, sorry to hear that. But I still reckon equal time will preclude an exodus.
Woji would be OK if it was on GRA 2. Once you get in it's liveable, it's the ingress/egress that's the problem.
Such is life
NEO
Oh, sorry to hear that. But I still reckon equal time will preclude an exodus.
Woji would be OK if it was on GRA 2. Once you get in it's liveable, it's the ingress/egress that's the problem.
Such is life
NEO
NEO,
I draws me Bristow Pension next month....all I have left in me is a few more years!
Having saved a few pennies over the years and sold a sandbox full of sand spurs to a rich Yankee...I am not really obliged to continue work (nothing to do with the Bristow pension mind you) thus it would take something to entice me to return. Perhaps that "Green License" is worth something now after all.
They know my address....perhaps they will drop a line.
After the heart attack, Fritz lying in the floor of the BRC bar waiting for someone to give him CPR would be a sight. Can you imagine our Chuks looking down and contemplating giving the knothead a big ol' lifesaving kiss?
That would be a Kodak moment!
I draws me Bristow Pension next month....all I have left in me is a few more years!
Having saved a few pennies over the years and sold a sandbox full of sand spurs to a rich Yankee...I am not really obliged to continue work (nothing to do with the Bristow pension mind you) thus it would take something to entice me to return. Perhaps that "Green License" is worth something now after all.
They know my address....perhaps they will drop a line.
After the heart attack, Fritz lying in the floor of the BRC bar waiting for someone to give him CPR would be a sight. Can you imagine our Chuks looking down and contemplating giving the knothead a big ol' lifesaving kiss?
That would be a Kodak moment!
Join Date: Apr 2003
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Kodak moment indeed!
You could forget the kiss of life. I would cut the organ in question out with a sharpened, rusty spoon and then sell it to a ju-ju man.
Aww, you guys! What a bunch of kidders! When I was on my way out, hogtied and strapped to a pallet with greased skids, a JATO bottle up my fundament, I could still depend on coming into the bar to be greeted with a heart-warming chorus of 'LOSER!' Sigh... my friends.
'Friends?' Well... whatever. That is what I really miss about West Africa. Where else can you get cheap abuse like that? Here in Germany you pay big money for that sort of thing from professionals. Normal folks just don't dish it out the way the Brits do.
Was it Socrates who said that life was like a cucumber? You know, one minute it's in the palm of your hand and the next it's up your *rse. One day you are out in West Africa feeling very, very sorry for yourself for a lot of good reasons and the next you wake up stranded on a beach somewhere feeling more miserable than that!
Aww, you guys! What a bunch of kidders! When I was on my way out, hogtied and strapped to a pallet with greased skids, a JATO bottle up my fundament, I could still depend on coming into the bar to be greeted with a heart-warming chorus of 'LOSER!' Sigh... my friends.
'Friends?' Well... whatever. That is what I really miss about West Africa. Where else can you get cheap abuse like that? Here in Germany you pay big money for that sort of thing from professionals. Normal folks just don't dish it out the way the Brits do.
Was it Socrates who said that life was like a cucumber? You know, one minute it's in the palm of your hand and the next it's up your *rse. One day you are out in West Africa feeling very, very sorry for yourself for a lot of good reasons and the next you wake up stranded on a beach somewhere feeling more miserable than that!
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So - What is NEW in West Africa???
This thread began in Sep 03.
With that as the start date, what is new? Apart from CHC not looking for new guys to go there!
I get the impression that this is what is new...
...am I right?
With that as the start date, what is new? Apart from CHC not looking for new guys to go there!
I get the impression that this is what is new...
...am I right?
ERRRR...Ahhhhhhh....lots of change actually.
MEND, very frequent kidnappings, murders, companies pulling out of the country,aircraft setting idle due to lack of crews....takeover of installations...closing of complete fields but the price of Gulder is fairly stable so it is not all bad news.
MEND, very frequent kidnappings, murders, companies pulling out of the country,aircraft setting idle due to lack of crews....takeover of installations...closing of complete fields but the price of Gulder is fairly stable so it is not all bad news.
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Er - yes.
But what is new within CHC and Bristows to all that. How have field payments changed for example, in the last three years? What other changes have happened that affect daily life that the companies HAVE done?
Rate of change by and within organisations is indicative. Slow positive, slow negative, nothing... If you get my drift...
But what is new within CHC and Bristows to all that. How have field payments changed for example, in the last three years? What other changes have happened that affect daily life that the companies HAVE done?
Rate of change by and within organisations is indicative. Slow positive, slow negative, nothing... If you get my drift...
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Virgin Nigeria
Hi Fellows,
Is the Virgin Nigeria gonna have A340s soon.
I got some time ago a contract proposal from Storm with three years training bond. They did not come back to me again, maybe I was not experienced enough only 1000hrs on A320 families and 7000 total. Anyone got call for A340 CCQ training.
Is the Virgin Nigeria gonna have A340s soon.
I got some time ago a contract proposal from Storm with three years training bond. They did not come back to me again, maybe I was not experienced enough only 1000hrs on A320 families and 7000 total. Anyone got call for A340 CCQ training.
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Have you not read? Bristow now have new housing in a very unsafe area of Port Harcourt. They had a small pay rise. They are confined to camp due to the security situation. CHC are planning to move staff to a different they have bought in one of the most unsafe areas of Port Harcourt. They also had a very small pay rise but no increase in incentive pay despite the high risk of being kidnapped now. Caverton has no problem because most of their people are Nigerian.
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Thanks for your input and info. The contract I mentioned was meaning UK base with few layovers at Lagos. Not so bed offer to get upgraded for A340 without paying high amount from own pocket which is case with low cost airlines. Sri Lankan / UL promised once to CCQ me from A320 to A340 after 7-8 year service and Taiwan and CAL does not impress me too much.