What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
Nigerian In Law
archos/VAL,
Don't know if your posts are compliments or not, but if you think you know me then you've probably made the mistake many before you have made.
The person who is constantly "accused" of being me has been subjected to all sorts of recriminations and for that I apologise to him. But in my defence a red herring is better than a stitched kipper !!
Fishing is such a relaxing pastime.......
Cheers,
NEO
Don't know if your posts are compliments or not, but if you think you know me then you've probably made the mistake many before you have made.
The person who is constantly "accused" of being me has been subjected to all sorts of recriminations and for that I apologise to him. But in my defence a red herring is better than a stitched kipper !!Fishing is such a relaxing pastime.......
Cheers,
NEO
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Chucks - That mystery masked bandit!
My dear fellow, how short your memory, how long your pants... I seem to recall a certain 'Planker' driving me around the skies over Lagos Lagoon, being quite impressed by all the new-fangel-dangle-gadgetry we posessed. maybe you were just being kind!
Methinks you just be suffering a fit of jealous pique, that you disdain certain of your sauerkraut eating brethren, you really wanted to hand out cards with the legend 'Chucks - finest Experimental Test Pilot betwixt the hemispheres'.
I would go on, but my virgin pink gin was spiked!
Methinks you just be suffering a fit of jealous pique, that you disdain certain of your sauerkraut eating brethren, you really wanted to hand out cards with the legend 'Chucks - finest Experimental Test Pilot betwixt the hemispheres'.
I would go on, but my virgin pink gin was spiked!
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Arrrrr ....
Not only are BHNL losing pilots BACK to ADA .... but rumour has it at least one of CHCs recent recruits is returning to the "sand pit" ......
Interesting eh?
Not only are BHNL losing pilots BACK to ADA .... but rumour has it at least one of CHCs recent recruits is returning to the "sand pit" ......
Interesting eh?
Nigerian In Law
Where Are They ?
Mama,
Have you heard where the five pilots are leaving from and where they are going ? Good Man has identified two locations with two guys on their way, but the other three you have heard about remain elusive.
NEO
Have you heard where the five pilots are leaving from and where they are going ? Good Man has identified two locations with two guys on their way, but the other three you have heard about remain elusive.
NEO
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Don't call me "Hannah"!
Unlike Hannah I was not following orders when I flew those helo trips; I volunteered! (I certainly was safe doing that though; I was about a mile behind the aircraft.)
It was "experimental" and it was "testing", esp. for that brave soul allowing me a relatively free hand with his S76C+++, but I guess that I really cannot call myself an experimental test pilot just on the strength of that. Thanks anyway, though, Doc.
Of course I am jealous! I just did a landing the other day when I "only" needed about 100 metres of runway thanks to a stiff headwind and 37.5° of flaps. Even there I can only come third behind helos and the Pilatus Porter.
I remember one time approaching the old Warri Airstrip when the helo pilot in the right seat was surprised when I did a go-around from our first approach in low visibility. I had to remind him that the Twin Otter lacked that ability to flare to a hover over the runway that he took for granted, so that we had to throw the first one away and get it "just perfect" on the second try.
Ours was the only aircraft to land that day. I won a bet with Nabiel over this curious fact, that the red, white and blue Twotter made it in when the orange and white ones either didn't or couldn't.
Just like SASless, if you broke me open you would find "Bristow" all the way through, just like a stick of rock. Right?
It was "experimental" and it was "testing", esp. for that brave soul allowing me a relatively free hand with his S76C+++, but I guess that I really cannot call myself an experimental test pilot just on the strength of that. Thanks anyway, though, Doc.
Of course I am jealous! I just did a landing the other day when I "only" needed about 100 metres of runway thanks to a stiff headwind and 37.5° of flaps. Even there I can only come third behind helos and the Pilatus Porter.
I remember one time approaching the old Warri Airstrip when the helo pilot in the right seat was surprised when I did a go-around from our first approach in low visibility. I had to remind him that the Twin Otter lacked that ability to flare to a hover over the runway that he took for granted, so that we had to throw the first one away and get it "just perfect" on the second try.
Ours was the only aircraft to land that day. I won a bet with Nabiel over this curious fact, that the red, white and blue Twotter made it in when the orange and white ones either didn't or couldn't.
Just like SASless, if you broke me open you would find "Bristow" all the way through, just like a stick of rock. Right?
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CHC sold
First Reserve Corporation to Acquire CHC Helicopter Corporation For Canadian $3.7 Billion in Largest-Ever Oilfield Services Buyout
Partnership to Help Strengthen CHC's Growth Mission as Largest Helicopter Services Company
Greenwich, Conn.; Houston; London and Vancouver -- February 22, 2008 -- CHC Helicopter Corporation ("CHC") (TSX: FLY.A and FLY.B NYSE: FLI), the world's largest provider of helicopter services to the global offshore oil and gas industry, and First Reserve Corporation, the leading private equity firm that specializes in the energy industry, today announced that a fund managed by First Reserve has entered into an agreement to acquire CHC.
CHC and First Reserve believe that the all-cash transaction, which values the company at an adjusted enterprise value of Canadian $3.7 billion, is the largest-ever buyout in the oilfield services industry.
CHC's Chairman of the Board, Mark Dobbin commented, "I'm glad to see that First Reserve recognized the value that was created in CHC over the years, and was able to translate that value into a fair offer for all shareholders. I'm also very pleased to see that First Reserve will carry on CHC's legacy of entrepreneurship, as it builds upon CHC's position as a world class helicopter company."
"This partnership will help us realize our growth potential," said Sylvain Allard, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHC. "First Reserve is an investment company with deep knowledge of the energy industry and views CHC as a great investment platform. First Reserve has strong conviction in the merits of the strategy that has led to CHC's success and will work in partnership with us to continue to execute that same plan and achieve our long-term objectives."
Added Mark McComiskey, Managing Director of First Reserve Corporation, "CHC is an extraordinary company. The European and global leader in oil and gas and search and rescue helicopter services, with the world's largest independent helicopter support business, CHC has a worldwide footprint, the best safety record in the industry and a dynamic management team executing an exciting growth strategy."
Under the terms of the transaction, an affiliate of the First Reserve fund will acquire all outstanding Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and all of the outstanding Class B Multiple Voting Shares of CHC for Canadian $32.68 per Class A Share and Class B Share for an aggregate consideration of approximately Canadian $1.5 billion. Following completion of the transaction CHC's Class A shares and Class B shares will be de-listed and no longer traded publicly. CHC's headquarters will remain in Vancouver, Canada.
The board of directors of CHC has unanimously approved the entry by CHC into the agreement and recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the transaction.
Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. and Scotia Capital are financial advisors to CHC. Ogilvy Renault LLP and DLA Piper USA LLP are legal counsel to CHC. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and Slaughter and May are legal counsel to the First Reserve fund.
Notes on Terms of the Transaction
The transaction will be completed through a plan of arrangement under the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act, subject to the approval of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Shareholders will be asked to approve the transaction at a special meeting of shareholders, to be called as directed by the Court. Details of the special meeting will be announced shortly. It is anticipated that a proxy circular will be prepared and mailed to shareholders in the month of March providing shareholders with important information about the transaction. Shareholders are urged to read the proxy circular once it is available.
The transaction will require the approval of two-thirds of the votes cast by holders of outstanding Class A Shares (1 vote per share), Class B Shares (10 votes per share) and ordinary shares (1 vote for every 10 shares), voting together as a single class. In addition, the transaction will require the approval of a majority of the Class A Shares, Class B Shares and Ordinary Shares, each voting as a separate class, and in each case excluding shares owned or over which control or direction is exercised by an "interested party" (as defined under applicable securities laws), which term includes certain members of management of CHC who may invest in an affiliate of the First Reserve Fund.
Completion of the transaction is subject to certain conditions, including obtaining approvals or confirmations from certain European aviation regulatory authorities as well as the Canada Transportation Agency regarding the granting or maintaining of required licenses and permits following completion of the transaction. The transaction will also be subject to a number of other customary conditions, including obtaining approval under the Investment Canada Act. The transaction is not subject to any financing condition.
CHC has been advised that the Estate of the late Craig L. Dobbin has entered into an agreement with the purchaser to vote the shares of CHC owned by the Estate in favour of the transaction and to otherwise support its completion, subject to the terms and conditions of such agreement. The Estate holds securities of CHC representing approximately 14%, 95% and 100%, respectively, of the outstanding Class A Shares, Class B Shares and ordinary shares respectively. The sole executor of the Estate is Mark D. Dobbin, the Chairman of CHC. Neither Mr. Dobbin nor the Estate will be entitled to invest in the affiliate of the First Reserve Fund and Mr. Dobbin will not be employed by CHC, the purchaser or any affiliate thereof.
The transaction will be financed through a combination of equity which has been committed by the First Reserve Fund and debt financing that has been committed by Morgan Stanley International and affiliates, in each case subject to the terms of those commitments. The agreement provides that in certain circumstances where the purchaser fails to complete the transaction as required, the purchaser would be required to pay to CHC a "reverse break fee" of Canadian $61.4 million. The First Reserve Fund has guaranteed certain obligations of the purchaser (including payment of the reverse break fee) to an amount not to exceed Canadian $61.4 million.
The agreement allows CHC to terminate the agreement in certain circumstances, including to allow CHC to accept a superior proposal, subject to fulfilling certain conditions, including the payment to the purchaser of a break fee of Canadian $38.5 million. This break fee would also be payable by CHC in certain other circumstances.
The closing of the transaction will take place after satisfaction or waiver of all conditions, including the approvals and confirmations from aviation regulatory authorities described above. While the timing associated with satisfying these conditions is not certain, CHC currently expects the transaction to close in the second calendar quarter of 2008, subject to the terms of the agreement.
Consummation of the transaction is not expected to require the consent of the holders of CHC's 7 3/8% senior subordinated notes due 2014. CHC may choose to make a tender offer and related consent solicitation for the senior subordinated notes prior to the completion of the transaction, conditioned on the closing of the transaction. In any event, if the transaction is completed, within 30 days of such completion, CHC will be required to offer to purchase all of the remaining issued and outstanding senior subordinated notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, to the date of such purchase.
The purchaser also has the right to require CHC to redeem and/or discharge any or all of the senior subordinated notes in accordance with their terms, all to be effective immediately prior to completion of the transaction.
Partnership to Help Strengthen CHC's Growth Mission as Largest Helicopter Services Company
Greenwich, Conn.; Houston; London and Vancouver -- February 22, 2008 -- CHC Helicopter Corporation ("CHC") (TSX: FLY.A and FLY.B NYSE: FLI), the world's largest provider of helicopter services to the global offshore oil and gas industry, and First Reserve Corporation, the leading private equity firm that specializes in the energy industry, today announced that a fund managed by First Reserve has entered into an agreement to acquire CHC.
CHC and First Reserve believe that the all-cash transaction, which values the company at an adjusted enterprise value of Canadian $3.7 billion, is the largest-ever buyout in the oilfield services industry.
CHC's Chairman of the Board, Mark Dobbin commented, "I'm glad to see that First Reserve recognized the value that was created in CHC over the years, and was able to translate that value into a fair offer for all shareholders. I'm also very pleased to see that First Reserve will carry on CHC's legacy of entrepreneurship, as it builds upon CHC's position as a world class helicopter company."
"This partnership will help us realize our growth potential," said Sylvain Allard, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHC. "First Reserve is an investment company with deep knowledge of the energy industry and views CHC as a great investment platform. First Reserve has strong conviction in the merits of the strategy that has led to CHC's success and will work in partnership with us to continue to execute that same plan and achieve our long-term objectives."
Added Mark McComiskey, Managing Director of First Reserve Corporation, "CHC is an extraordinary company. The European and global leader in oil and gas and search and rescue helicopter services, with the world's largest independent helicopter support business, CHC has a worldwide footprint, the best safety record in the industry and a dynamic management team executing an exciting growth strategy."
Under the terms of the transaction, an affiliate of the First Reserve fund will acquire all outstanding Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and all of the outstanding Class B Multiple Voting Shares of CHC for Canadian $32.68 per Class A Share and Class B Share for an aggregate consideration of approximately Canadian $1.5 billion. Following completion of the transaction CHC's Class A shares and Class B shares will be de-listed and no longer traded publicly. CHC's headquarters will remain in Vancouver, Canada.
The board of directors of CHC has unanimously approved the entry by CHC into the agreement and recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the transaction.
Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. and Scotia Capital are financial advisors to CHC. Ogilvy Renault LLP and DLA Piper USA LLP are legal counsel to CHC. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and Slaughter and May are legal counsel to the First Reserve fund.
Notes on Terms of the Transaction
The transaction will be completed through a plan of arrangement under the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act, subject to the approval of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Shareholders will be asked to approve the transaction at a special meeting of shareholders, to be called as directed by the Court. Details of the special meeting will be announced shortly. It is anticipated that a proxy circular will be prepared and mailed to shareholders in the month of March providing shareholders with important information about the transaction. Shareholders are urged to read the proxy circular once it is available.
The transaction will require the approval of two-thirds of the votes cast by holders of outstanding Class A Shares (1 vote per share), Class B Shares (10 votes per share) and ordinary shares (1 vote for every 10 shares), voting together as a single class. In addition, the transaction will require the approval of a majority of the Class A Shares, Class B Shares and Ordinary Shares, each voting as a separate class, and in each case excluding shares owned or over which control or direction is exercised by an "interested party" (as defined under applicable securities laws), which term includes certain members of management of CHC who may invest in an affiliate of the First Reserve Fund.
Completion of the transaction is subject to certain conditions, including obtaining approvals or confirmations from certain European aviation regulatory authorities as well as the Canada Transportation Agency regarding the granting or maintaining of required licenses and permits following completion of the transaction. The transaction will also be subject to a number of other customary conditions, including obtaining approval under the Investment Canada Act. The transaction is not subject to any financing condition.
CHC has been advised that the Estate of the late Craig L. Dobbin has entered into an agreement with the purchaser to vote the shares of CHC owned by the Estate in favour of the transaction and to otherwise support its completion, subject to the terms and conditions of such agreement. The Estate holds securities of CHC representing approximately 14%, 95% and 100%, respectively, of the outstanding Class A Shares, Class B Shares and ordinary shares respectively. The sole executor of the Estate is Mark D. Dobbin, the Chairman of CHC. Neither Mr. Dobbin nor the Estate will be entitled to invest in the affiliate of the First Reserve Fund and Mr. Dobbin will not be employed by CHC, the purchaser or any affiliate thereof.
The transaction will be financed through a combination of equity which has been committed by the First Reserve Fund and debt financing that has been committed by Morgan Stanley International and affiliates, in each case subject to the terms of those commitments. The agreement provides that in certain circumstances where the purchaser fails to complete the transaction as required, the purchaser would be required to pay to CHC a "reverse break fee" of Canadian $61.4 million. The First Reserve Fund has guaranteed certain obligations of the purchaser (including payment of the reverse break fee) to an amount not to exceed Canadian $61.4 million.
The agreement allows CHC to terminate the agreement in certain circumstances, including to allow CHC to accept a superior proposal, subject to fulfilling certain conditions, including the payment to the purchaser of a break fee of Canadian $38.5 million. This break fee would also be payable by CHC in certain other circumstances.
The closing of the transaction will take place after satisfaction or waiver of all conditions, including the approvals and confirmations from aviation regulatory authorities described above. While the timing associated with satisfying these conditions is not certain, CHC currently expects the transaction to close in the second calendar quarter of 2008, subject to the terms of the agreement.
Consummation of the transaction is not expected to require the consent of the holders of CHC's 7 3/8% senior subordinated notes due 2014. CHC may choose to make a tender offer and related consent solicitation for the senior subordinated notes prior to the completion of the transaction, conditioned on the closing of the transaction. In any event, if the transaction is completed, within 30 days of such completion, CHC will be required to offer to purchase all of the remaining issued and outstanding senior subordinated notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, to the date of such purchase.
The purchaser also has the right to require CHC to redeem and/or discharge any or all of the senior subordinated notes in accordance with their terms, all to be effective immediately prior to completion of the transaction.
Nigerian In Law
onwings,
BHNL don't specify an annual quota for ab initio training. They advertise and when they've sifted through and discarded the 419 degrees, loonies etc, they interview. The people who get through that initial step are then put through a battery of aptitude/co-ordination tests and exams on basic aerodynamic/mechanical knowledge. They are then interviewed again. If they get through all this, they are sent to either the Bristow Academy in the USA or 43 Training School in SA.
The whole process is conducted by boards rather than individuals to avoid the "tribal" preference issues often present in Nigerian job selections and to ensure no nepotism or personal preferences prevail.
There are currently 14 cadet pilots in SA and more (don't know how many) in the US. Upon graduation they could be sent anywhere Bristow operate on any type.
Hope this helps.
NEO
BHNL don't specify an annual quota for ab initio training. They advertise and when they've sifted through and discarded the 419 degrees, loonies etc, they interview. The people who get through that initial step are then put through a battery of aptitude/co-ordination tests and exams on basic aerodynamic/mechanical knowledge. They are then interviewed again. If they get through all this, they are sent to either the Bristow Academy in the USA or 43 Training School in SA.
The whole process is conducted by boards rather than individuals to avoid the "tribal" preference issues often present in Nigerian job selections and to ensure no nepotism or personal preferences prevail.
There are currently 14 cadet pilots in SA and more (don't know how many) in the US. Upon graduation they could be sent anywhere Bristow operate on any type.
Hope this helps.
NEO
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What's New In West Africa Reply to Thread
Nigerian Expat Outlaw ,
Thanks for such an insight. would you know how much cadet in this scheme receive as total annual pay?
Thanks for such an insight. would you know how much cadet in this scheme receive as total annual pay?
The whole process is conducted by boards rather than individuals to avoid the "tribal" preference issues often present in Nigerian job selections and to ensure no nepotism or personal preferences prevail.
That is one heck of a change....as that policy certainly was not in place during the "Director's Kids" era.
We got some goodun's out of that generation but there was definitely some very large hands guiding some careers in those days.
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Hey, hey!
No "screening for loonies" in our time was there, SASless?
You could have housed the Lagos fixed-wing operation in a telephone booth instead of a small block of flats, I bet, if they had rejected everyone who was a half-ball out of level.
Nothing wrong with ME of course: it was all those other guys!
We wouldn't have anything to write about now, in fact...
The other evening I was sat there with nothing to do at dinner but gnaw my way through one of those flat, French-style steaks: no whores, bores or booze so I peeled the labels off a couple of plastic bottles of orange soda and made up a Moebius strip. Then I bet the guys that cutting it in two would produce one strip instead of two. They were so impressed that they told me afterwards, "You have way too much time on your hands."
What did they mean by that, do you suppose?
You could have housed the Lagos fixed-wing operation in a telephone booth instead of a small block of flats, I bet, if they had rejected everyone who was a half-ball out of level.
Nothing wrong with ME of course: it was all those other guys!
We wouldn't have anything to write about now, in fact...
The other evening I was sat there with nothing to do at dinner but gnaw my way through one of those flat, French-style steaks: no whores, bores or booze so I peeled the labels off a couple of plastic bottles of orange soda and made up a Moebius strip. Then I bet the guys that cutting it in two would produce one strip instead of two. They were so impressed that they told me afterwards, "You have way too much time on your hands."
What did they mean by that, do you suppose?
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One of the exam papers also used to be English comprehension, including spelling and grammar, so that would seem to disqualify the recent poster (unless things have changed)
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That is just so... yesterday!
Mama, you must not have been paying attention to recent developments in edducat, educta, edutca... what they teach many kids in school these days.
It is all about "self-expression" now. You want to give someone a complex by telling him or her to stick to boring old rules about the difference between "its" and "it's" when we all know what they mean? Well, most of the time...
Some of these unfortunates must feel as if they have landed on a strange planet when they are now brought up short over something no one ever bothered them with all the way through their schooling. If it really matters then they can use "Spell Check". Well, some of the time!
For something completely different, have you ever had someone whip out their shiny-new PDA and switch it into calculator mode to figure out how much a thousand litres of JET-A1 weighs with an SG of .787? I have!
Kids today are free of memorising their "times tables" because everybody has calculators.
Whatever next, depending absolutely on GPS to solve nav problems?
It is all about "self-expression" now. You want to give someone a complex by telling him or her to stick to boring old rules about the difference between "its" and "it's" when we all know what they mean? Well, most of the time...
Some of these unfortunates must feel as if they have landed on a strange planet when they are now brought up short over something no one ever bothered them with all the way through their schooling. If it really matters then they can use "Spell Check". Well, some of the time!
For something completely different, have you ever had someone whip out their shiny-new PDA and switch it into calculator mode to figure out how much a thousand litres of JET-A1 weighs with an SG of .787? I have!
Kids today are free of memorising their "times tables" because everybody has calculators.
Whatever next, depending absolutely on GPS to solve nav problems?
Chuks,
I do believe the word you are groping for is "eccentricity" vice "loony". As the English are renown for their unique ability to achieve a level of eccentricity as to humble the great masses of unwashed, perhaps it is our lack of proper understanding that leads us to this point.
I suppose when one achieves "three time loser" status, we also reach a level of conscience awareness that allows us to settle right into the humdrum everyday life extant at the BRC and ancilliary locales.
Now take us a few examples. One of our peers took to wearing of robes, feathery head dress and entered into the local political scene yet not one eye was raised. Yet another campaigned actively for a certain home for un-wed mothers but he too was highly thought of. Another sought to open up a laundry facility for linen based papers and got the heave ho. Thus if we discard the base accusations of kiddy porn production and industrial productions of naval quality hemp products, why it would seem Nigeria and Bristow (or perhaps even a combination thereof) can elicit what would be descibed as "eccentric" in posh venues but mere "lunacy" for the lesser beings.
Me....I am a card carrying lunatic....says so by rights of one of Uncle Sam's bureaucratic organizations...thus any attributation to that effect merely lends credence to the Guvmint's statement.
At least time went quicker for the mere "loony" as the merely "eccentric" seem to be hanging on yet waiting for their Mean Time Before Failure calculation contribution can be submitted.
But now if I was crazy.....or you were....we would be having this debate while perched upon a couple of bar stools with a couple of gallon mugs of Gulder in our mitts.
I do believe the word you are groping for is "eccentricity" vice "loony". As the English are renown for their unique ability to achieve a level of eccentricity as to humble the great masses of unwashed, perhaps it is our lack of proper understanding that leads us to this point.
I suppose when one achieves "three time loser" status, we also reach a level of conscience awareness that allows us to settle right into the humdrum everyday life extant at the BRC and ancilliary locales.
Now take us a few examples. One of our peers took to wearing of robes, feathery head dress and entered into the local political scene yet not one eye was raised. Yet another campaigned actively for a certain home for un-wed mothers but he too was highly thought of. Another sought to open up a laundry facility for linen based papers and got the heave ho. Thus if we discard the base accusations of kiddy porn production and industrial productions of naval quality hemp products, why it would seem Nigeria and Bristow (or perhaps even a combination thereof) can elicit what would be descibed as "eccentric" in posh venues but mere "lunacy" for the lesser beings.
Me....I am a card carrying lunatic....says so by rights of one of Uncle Sam's bureaucratic organizations...thus any attributation to that effect merely lends credence to the Guvmint's statement.
At least time went quicker for the mere "loony" as the merely "eccentric" seem to be hanging on yet waiting for their Mean Time Before Failure calculation contribution can be submitted.
But now if I was crazy.....or you were....we would be having this debate while perched upon a couple of bar stools with a couple of gallon mugs of Gulder in our mitts.