Flying in the Persian/Arabian Gulf
Management Changes at Gulf Helicopters?
Rumour has it the "Old Gang" from Eket will soon be moving to Gulf Helicopters with the management change of late. 
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Good housing, boring work, lousy pay. Was reported within the last year that maintenance standards falling. Have work in Iran 
If desperate, okay for short while to give you a chance to look for a decent job
If desperate, okay for short while to give you a chance to look for a decent job
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Business as normal then 
The low pay, abominable housing and cr*p management have been the cause of anything between 20 and 50 pilots a year leaving for many years now. Maybe the pilots on site are finally finding there a world outside of what they doing there. With the shortage of pilot starting to bite there are many better oportunities now than staying in the fleapit of the Gulk 
The low pay, abominable housing and cr*p management have been the cause of anything between 20 and 50 pilots a year leaving for many years now. Maybe the pilots on site are finally finding there a world outside of what they doing there. With the shortage of pilot starting to bite there are many better oportunities now than staying in the fleapit of the Gulk
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Yarba, nice to see your continued views of the Middle East and helicopter operators in particular.
I guess you must have been sacked from most of them to be as bitter as you are.
Anyway, to anyone else interested, there are still some good jobs and lifestyles to be had flying helicopters in the Middle East.
Don't be put off by bitter posts like the previous one.
I guess you must have been sacked from most of them to be as bitter as you are.
Anyway, to anyone else interested, there are still some good jobs and lifestyles to be had flying helicopters in the Middle East.
Don't be put off by bitter posts like the previous one.
Hi R44,
Having looked at most of the operators in the Middle East, could you please enlighten me as to where I might be able to get a decent job? By that I mean; show me where the accomodation is good, the pay is at market rate so to allow me to live in the UK (not Aus, NZ, North America), and other perks which would tempt me away from my £80K+ job on the Southern North Sea?!!!!!
Having looked at most of the operators in the Middle East, could you please enlighten me as to where I might be able to get a decent job? By that I mean; show me where the accomodation is good, the pay is at market rate so to allow me to live in the UK (not Aus, NZ, North America), and other perks which would tempt me away from my £80K+ job on the Southern North Sea?!!!!!
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r44,
I#ve never been fired by anybody. I'm one of few pilots who left ADA of his own chosing. Tel me about good jobs and lifestyles in the Middle east if you're so knowledgeable about area? Wonderful housing and money with ADA!! Great money and beautiful maintain helicopters with Gulf
. Beautiful treatment and lovely lifestyle as contract pilot with ARAMCO? Wonderful salary with Aerogulf? Lovely lifestyle in Kish? Perhaps you like being shot in Yemen? Yes the salary is very good if you want to fly in Baghdad, but I don't think a good lifestyle? If you are one of few lucky enough for Dubai Air Wing or Oman Royal Flight, okay maybe things are a bit better. So tell us about all the other good place with great salary and lifestyle?
I#ve never been fired by anybody. I'm one of few pilots who left ADA of his own chosing. Tel me about good jobs and lifestyles in the Middle east if you're so knowledgeable about area? Wonderful housing and money with ADA!! Great money and beautiful maintain helicopters with Gulf
. Beautiful treatment and lovely lifestyle as contract pilot with ARAMCO? Wonderful salary with Aerogulf? Lovely lifestyle in Kish? Perhaps you like being shot in Yemen? Yes the salary is very good if you want to fly in Baghdad, but I don't think a good lifestyle? If you are one of few lucky enough for Dubai Air Wing or Oman Royal Flight, okay maybe things are a bit better. So tell us about all the other good place with great salary and lifestyle?
Does the ADA training office still have the sign up....the one that says "We train the best for the rest!". (or words to that effect anyway)
ADA....truely crappy housing....good engineering.
Gulf...now that is turning into a real joke.
Aramco....probably the best of the pick...but an "interesting" place to be. Nice living and recreational facility...excellent library. Decent but boring food.
Ask them what is not in the contract before you sign including health insurance and things like that.
Aerogulf....nice place and people...but poor pay.
ADA....truely crappy housing....good engineering.
Gulf...now that is turning into a real joke.
Aramco....probably the best of the pick...but an "interesting" place to be. Nice living and recreational facility...excellent library. Decent but boring food.
Ask them what is not in the contract before you sign including health insurance and things like that.
Aerogulf....nice place and people...but poor pay.
Questions for Aramco guys....
Why the turnover Adil?
Spanish Fluency still a requirement?
Do you provide health insurance for off duty injuries and repatriation to Home of Record?
Still flying unstabilized 212's at night offshore?
Spanish Fluency still a requirement?
Do you provide health insurance for off duty injuries and repatriation to Home of Record?
Still flying unstabilized 212's at night offshore?
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I think my words were ' good jobs and lifestyles to be had'
I guess it depends on your definition of a good job or a good lifestyle.
The thing about ADA or Gulf, if you are touring there the chances are that on your time on you will be in Abu Dhabi or Doha so you can still live a decent lifestyle while there. Then you get 4 or 6 weeks off to do what you like, and if you want to travel around Europe or somewhere on your time off it is all fairly close to get to. A lot of touring jobs are to places where you will be stuck in a security compound somewhere where in your sparetime you can sit around listening to the gunfire from the civil unrest going on.
If you are at Aerogulf, you will be living in Dubai which is, in my opinion, a relatively safe place and a very happening place to live. You get to go home most nights which is great if you have a family there.
That is what I meant by lifestyle.
As far as a good job goes, the flying is like any offshore flying but with not a lot of weather to worry about and reduced vis in the summer. Not too challenging really but easy enough to take for a few years.
As far as money goes, I am sure you can earn more elsewhere but at what cost to lifestyle?
The money is tax free and the other benefits are adequate.
I don't know about the UK or the States but for people from Oz and NZ I think you are financially better off working in the UAE than back home when you consider the whole package.
Just my opinion.
I guess it depends on your definition of a good job or a good lifestyle.
The thing about ADA or Gulf, if you are touring there the chances are that on your time on you will be in Abu Dhabi or Doha so you can still live a decent lifestyle while there. Then you get 4 or 6 weeks off to do what you like, and if you want to travel around Europe or somewhere on your time off it is all fairly close to get to. A lot of touring jobs are to places where you will be stuck in a security compound somewhere where in your sparetime you can sit around listening to the gunfire from the civil unrest going on.
If you are at Aerogulf, you will be living in Dubai which is, in my opinion, a relatively safe place and a very happening place to live. You get to go home most nights which is great if you have a family there.
That is what I meant by lifestyle.
As far as a good job goes, the flying is like any offshore flying but with not a lot of weather to worry about and reduced vis in the summer. Not too challenging really but easy enough to take for a few years.
As far as money goes, I am sure you can earn more elsewhere but at what cost to lifestyle?
The money is tax free and the other benefits are adequate.
I don't know about the UK or the States but for people from Oz and NZ I think you are financially better off working in the UAE than back home when you consider the whole package.
Just my opinion.
Join Date: May 2004
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Saudi Aramco Helicopter ops
Greetings
SASless:
Not much of a turnover. We have the age 60 retirement still exist. I have 4 pilots retiring- normal attrition and only 6 months extension granted at this time. I need to replace the normal attrition in the coming 6 months.
English language is a must. we are an FAA part 91 operator outside the U.S and our aircraft are N registered
We provide emergency outpatient care and the medical coverage is around $700 a year.
We fly 412's at night and the normal run is 1630 to 1830, it gets dark in winter. we also take care of medivac by the 412 on as needed basis.
Thanks
SASless:
Not much of a turnover. We have the age 60 retirement still exist. I have 4 pilots retiring- normal attrition and only 6 months extension granted at this time. I need to replace the normal attrition in the coming 6 months.
English language is a must. we are an FAA part 91 operator outside the U.S and our aircraft are N registered
We provide emergency outpatient care and the medical coverage is around $700 a year.
We fly 412's at night and the normal run is 1630 to 1830, it gets dark in winter. we also take care of medivac by the 412 on as needed basis.
Thanks
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: The gulag
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Dry Air
I've heard it's not really sama-sama from some who have left recently... I'm comparing it with the early 70's...
Thanks,
NC43
Originally Posted by DryAir
ermm.. samo samo... depends how long ago you compare it with... 
Thanks,
NC43
Adil,
Do the 212's still fly after dark offshore without benefit of the Sperry system?
I was so impressed with that situation it led to my use of this moniker at this forum....."SASLESS".
Somehow the trade of the 412 slots (all with Sperry kits and Air Cons) for new 212's with no SAS at all and no Air Con as it turned out (at extra cost of course)...seemed like a less than informed decision by someone way up in your old chain of command.
Do the 212's still fly after dark offshore without benefit of the Sperry system?
I was so impressed with that situation it led to my use of this moniker at this forum....."SASLESS".
Somehow the trade of the 412 slots (all with Sperry kits and Air Cons) for new 212's with no SAS at all and no Air Con as it turned out (at extra cost of course)...seemed like a less than informed decision by someone way up in your old chain of command.
Join Date: May 2004
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New Generation Aircraft
Sasless
Sometimes it is painful when we look at the past. also, it is time to get over it and move on. We have the A109E in operation since October of last year. our aging 212's will be replaced by either AW 139 or S92's within the coming 2/3 years. Slowly but surely, we are marshing into a new era of New Generation Aircraft. It is about time!!
Sometimes it is painful when we look at the past. also, it is time to get over it and move on. We have the A109E in operation since October of last year. our aging 212's will be replaced by either AW 139 or S92's within the coming 2/3 years. Slowly but surely, we are marshing into a new era of New Generation Aircraft. It is about time!!
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Originally Posted by helipilot214
Sasless
Sometimes it is painful when we look at the past. also, it is time to get over it and move on. We have the A109E in operation since October of last year. our aging 212's will be replaced by either AW 139 or S92's within the coming 2/3 years. Slowly but surely, we are marshing into a new era of New Generation Aircraft. It is about time!!
Sometimes it is painful when we look at the past. also, it is time to get over it and move on. We have the A109E in operation since October of last year. our aging 212's will be replaced by either AW 139 or S92's within the coming 2/3 years. Slowly but surely, we are marshing into a new era of New Generation Aircraft. It is about time!!
DA,
I know Gulf Helicopter's new Ops Manager, who I believe will be on the same conversion course as me next week; shall I put in a good word for you????
I know Gulf Helicopter's new Ops Manager, who I believe will be on the same conversion course as me next week; shall I put in a good word for you????
Captain Layton joined the Company in February 2006 in the role of Line Pilot, and was appointed to the Gulf Helicopters Management Team in May 2006, in the capacity of Operations Manager.
Prior to joining GHC, Fred had amassed over 35 years of experience in International Aviation Operations, having flown and managed operations in the US, Caribbean, South America, Egypt, Indonesia, and Africa. He brings a wealth of Operational experience, and a strong background in Safety Management Systems, to Gulf Helicopters.
http://www.gulfhelicopters.com/GHC/english/ourteam.html
Prior to joining GHC, Fred had amassed over 35 years of experience in International Aviation Operations, having flown and managed operations in the US, Caribbean, South America, Egypt, Indonesia, and Africa. He brings a wealth of Operational experience, and a strong background in Safety Management Systems, to Gulf Helicopters.
http://www.gulfhelicopters.com/GHC/english/ourteam.html