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Flying in the Persian/Arabian Gulf

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Flying in the Persian/Arabian Gulf

Old 21st Dec 2004, 09:19
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P.S GHC Copilots

Forgot to mention that along with no news of pay rises for the remaining engineers, there is nothing at all on the horizon right now for the co-pilots with this mob - nice being a second-class person, huh?
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Old 22nd Dec 2004, 07:35
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The only thing GHC has to offer which is better than ADA is the accommodation.

Both companies are garbage to work for and are completely over-run with Keralite bean counters who do their best to screw anybody not from their province. The way things are going it's not just the bean counters who'll be from Kerala. Engineering is already falling apart and I'm one of those who left because I no longer feel safe flying in helicopters where the maintenance is being done by tired, fed-up engineers. They try their very best, but there's no incentive, except their professional pride, for them to want to put in long hours for next to nothing.

The working conditions may not be as good, but Bristow are employing 212 and 412 pilots and engineers at better pay in Nigeria right now. Maybe some of the people should think about moving to another hot country a bit further west
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Old 22nd Dec 2004, 15:28
  #303 (permalink)  
 
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Yarba....take a couple of deep breathes....try to relax....chill out buddy!

Before you hold Bristow/Nigeria up as being better....you might want to think about how it is and not how it was.

Before you make that leap of faith....and dive in...better dangle yer toe in the water a while and check for depth and temperature.
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Old 23rd Dec 2004, 08:31
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SASless,

I did take a few deep breaths. I think you're the one who hasn't worked in either of these locations for while. I used to work in the Gulf after working for old Bristow. I agree new Bristow isn't nearly as nice but working in Eket the housing is acceptable (better than ADA for sure ), the pay is much better and the helicopters are well looked after.

Maybe you should come and dangle yer toe in the water
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Old 23rd Dec 2004, 13:10
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May have to....need a 6 year gig to finish up.....then go fishing full time. Cannot go to Eket....too old....they do not like geriatrics down there.
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Old 23rd Dec 2004, 13:36
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Re Gulf Heli's

I read on one of the previous posts that the CP has resigned. Did Steve really resign?
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Old 25th Dec 2004, 19:45
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Yep, Steve has resigned. His last day is 28 Feb. And in the last couple of weeks 3 other Captains have resigned, along with two others who already have already accepted jobs elsewhere but haven't resigned yet.

Things are now so desparate in the engineering dept in Doha they have pulledback an engineer from their Kish Island operation to try to hold the place together. And he's still getting paid his Kish Island wage. Wonder how the Doha engineers will feel about that? !!

And, surprise surprise, the company has received a 6 month extension on introducing a JAA Ops based Flight and Duty Time scheme. Can't crew the operation under their old FTL, let alone a JAA Ops based scheme!

For a country with so much money, it's a bloody shame to see what was a good company turn into this!
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Old 26th Dec 2004, 10:07
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Sorry PJ,

No such thing as a JAR-OPS based FTL scheme!
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Old 27th Dec 2004, 17:59
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Hmm, if everyone is bailing off the ship, they still dont seem to be recuriting. I know a young guy with a several thousdand hours (command), mostly utility some off shore, multi time, has an IR or atp and when he enquired they said they were not hiring co-pilots....

makes you go hmmmm


RB
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Old 28th Dec 2004, 08:21
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I think you’ll find they have some locals training to be copilot’s somewhere overseas. They seem to be taking longer than expected to complete their training. This is due to Visa troubles and crashing one of the machines. I don’t really think their arrival will do anything to help matters at the sinking ship that is Gulf Helicopters.
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Old 29th Dec 2004, 02:48
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Expect a mass exodus from ADA soon

Now that they have a new CP expect the firings to begin. Between the "Safety" boss and the "CP" there could not be more micro-managing. You now have 2 people who think that the only way to make themselves look good is by finding as many faults in others that they can. The only saving grace is the lack of applicants willing to work for a company as poorly run as this one. I am sure that I will be gone either as soon as JH figures out who made this post, or I find just about any other position.
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Old 29th Dec 2004, 07:44
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'Safety' boss - I like your humor He's the most self-serving individual I ever met. As you say, with him it's nothing to do with safety - just a whole heap of BS and trying to make every one else look bad . He must be responsible for more pilots leaving ADA than any other single factor.
I don't think the company is poorly managed - it's not that efficient
Good luck with finding something else - if I were you I'd try and get away from the Gulf region because the pay and conditions there are some of the worst in the world.
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Old 30th Dec 2004, 22:58
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Dubai

Dubai is a great, but expensive place. Most the people I know in Dubai earn above the market average for whatever they do, because they live in Dubai.
Not so, I hear, with Aerogulf. A well thought of company, but trying to run a proffessional operation on a shoestring. Add the Dollars recent 30% devaluation, and it doesn't look like a great long term prospect!?
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Old 30th Dec 2004, 23:38
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Thumbs down

Aerogulf does seem to be operating on a lot of hype and a very tight shoestring.
Always a risky combination.
Probably wise to exercise caution
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Old 31st Dec 2004, 18:45
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Heliport
Where did that ball come from? Think as Moderator your Posts carry substantial weight so hope your facts right. And no I don't work for AGS.
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Old 2nd Jan 2005, 01:18
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Spot on heliport
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Old 2nd Jan 2005, 06:11
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If Heliport is wrong....which I very sincerely doubt.....then Aerogulf could quite simply come forth with the facts and refute the statement.

The opinion stands alone as a truism in my book.

You tell'em Heliport.

They don't like their laundry being aired....then clean up their act.
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Old 2nd Jan 2005, 13:38
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My point is that after nearly 3 pages of Gulf Helis and ADA bashing without mention of Aerogulf, SyClick posts his opinion that AGS doesn't look like a long term proposition because they are running on a shoestring and the dollars devaulation of 30%. Heliport then posts that this is a risky combination and to exercise caution. Not something he has done with Gulf or ADA. I wondered why.
Are we talking maintenance standards? Or economic viability? Or just the low salaries offered?
As a customer I haven't had any concerns on first to date. The last must be apparent before signing to any prospective employee. As for economic viability, most of their expenses are presumably in Dollars, operating Bell equipment, spares etc, or Dollar linked currencies, eg local expenses, housing etc.
One should also not forget business is not always quite what it seems in the Middle East. Individuals or family companies can be asked to run projects which do not have to make profits, the pay back being in some future venture/favour. When Aerogulf was formed it had the highest backing, I would have thought it unlikely to be allowed to crumble unless another Dubai based company could step in. Do you really see ADA or Gulf being allowed to operate the Dubai contract?
Anyway bash away as I have no personal interest in it other than curiosity, as was involved in their birth for a year, nearly 30 years ago.
Bows out, creakily on Zimmer frame.
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Old 2nd Jan 2005, 21:22
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Impressions of aerogulf are just that, impressions.

Lots of hype and a tight shoestring being a risky combination is, as SASless says, a truism.
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Old 3rd Jan 2005, 14:07
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Aerogulf will not go bust for as long as there remains oil offshore Dubai.

It does include the high cost of housing as part of the overall package when others don't. As a result wages are lower than other companies based in the area. It is also a dollar paid position so the recent depreciation of the currency has hurt the employees.

But I don't remember anyone complaining when they were paid in dollars and living in Europe when the Euro was initially launched.

A different package, with Dubai as a place to live for you and your family, if that is what you would like. Not for the person that would like rotation work.

Top level engineering and a nice bunch of lads to work with, just depends what you want from a job.
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