Tuna Spotting, tuna boat ops (incl Guam)
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Australia
G'day Spencer17,
As far as I know, there are no tuna companies operating out of PNG. The vessels and their helicopters visit various ports in PNG (and other ports in the Western Pacific) to tranship their catch to cargo vessels. The only companies still operating in that area are Hansen Helicopters (US owned) in Guam and Tropic Helicopters (Australian owned) who have recently moved from Guam to Pohnpei. The going rate used to be $US3600/month with a bonus if you last the full 12 months of the contract. The tax free bit is a tad misleading, in that they pay you and you are responsible for ensuring that any tax that is liable on it is paid to the relevant blood suckers.
Hope this helps,
MPT
As far as I know, there are no tuna companies operating out of PNG. The vessels and their helicopters visit various ports in PNG (and other ports in the Western Pacific) to tranship their catch to cargo vessels. The only companies still operating in that area are Hansen Helicopters (US owned) in Guam and Tropic Helicopters (Australian owned) who have recently moved from Guam to Pohnpei. The going rate used to be $US3600/month with a bonus if you last the full 12 months of the contract. The tax free bit is a tad misleading, in that they pay you and you are responsible for ensuring that any tax that is liable on it is paid to the relevant blood suckers.
Hope this helps,
MPT
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Australia
G'day Friday,
Depends on how desperate they are at the time, but generally 1000 or 1500hrs tt depending on insurance requirements. There have been guys with very low hours put on from time to time, but IMHO it's not a job for a <500hr pilot.
Cheers,
MPT
Depends on how desperate they are at the time, but generally 1000 or 1500hrs tt depending on insurance requirements. There have been guys with very low hours put on from time to time, but IMHO it's not a job for a <500hr pilot.
Cheers,
MPT
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Norway
[quote=tigerpic;193852]i recently had a job offer from venezuela flying a h500 for tunaspotting. $10k/trip lasting up to three monthscouple of questions:
what's the condition of the machines in general? i'm not talking american companies. is it worth risking your life for it? i'm not desperate for turbine hours.
i was told they used dynamite dropped from the helicopter. now, i'm not interested in breaking international laws (even if it concerns fish) when flying. is this legal? flying through airspace without contacting atc is one thing, not that i do that either.
cheers
tiger
Girv
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: IRELAND
palmy boys
Yeah Girv thought you might of been the one at palmy.. read in old school,that ou were flying choppers.You still out on the tuna boats,Had a mate from Taupo a good few years back out in Guam and he did a few years on a 500 c ,Had some great pictures, and the money is not bad either.I am just on a ppl h , and have my own construction company, so when i get time i will prob go ahead and get my cpl,Its alot of work here in the old Jaa world though, loads of exams and pretty much a full time ground course.
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Around the world
Hi guys!
I am a spanish pilot and the last summer i was working in a tune boat in Venezuela with Aviatun. i have good thinked about this company i had a new helicopter and we had a lot of parts about it.
The problem in this moment there are not a lot ot tune and it's posible that you'll stay a lot of time inside the boat becuase you can't fish a lot of.
About other things i like this experience, i flow a lot of all days.
Sorry for my bad english
I am a spanish pilot and the last summer i was working in a tune boat in Venezuela with Aviatun. i have good thinked about this company i had a new helicopter and we had a lot of parts about it.
The problem in this moment there are not a lot ot tune and it's posible that you'll stay a lot of time inside the boat becuase you can't fish a lot of.
About other things i like this experience, i flow a lot of all days.
Sorry for my bad english
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: yorks
xtremalsound,
Please make no appologies for your english, it is not bad at all and has given me a fantastic vision of manuel from fawlty towers chasing big fish around in an old helicopter with loads of loose parts hanging of it.
Sorry if this means nothing to you.
I hope one day to fly for a dodgy venezulan fishing company for peanuts. Few questions:-
i) Can you eat as much Tuna as you want when not flying?
ii) Can the Captain (of the boat) order you to launch even if the weather is $hit?
iii) What is the most hours you have flown in a 24 hour period?
iv) Who does all the maintainence?
Cheers,
OTBL
Please make no appologies for your english, it is not bad at all and has given me a fantastic vision of manuel from fawlty towers chasing big fish around in an old helicopter with loads of loose parts hanging of it.
Sorry if this means nothing to you.
I hope one day to fly for a dodgy venezulan fishing company for peanuts. Few questions:-
i) Can you eat as much Tuna as you want when not flying?
ii) Can the Captain (of the boat) order you to launch even if the weather is $hit?
iii) What is the most hours you have flown in a 24 hour period?
iv) Who does all the maintainence?
Cheers,
OTBL
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Downunda
resurrecting the thread....
I am interested in the Latin American market as I speak spanish, but any info regarding the state of the tuna industry would be good.
I have a shiny new kiwi CPLH, has anyone gone to the boats for their first job, and was it courting disaster or a lucky break?
I am interested in the Latin American market as I speak spanish, but any info regarding the state of the tuna industry would be good.
I have a shiny new kiwi CPLH, has anyone gone to the boats for their first job, and was it courting disaster or a lucky break?
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: here today, where tomorrow?
Hey, any updates on what's going on in that business, still any fish?
what about low time fresh out from the school, any advices would be appreciate...
thanks for that thread anyways
what about low time fresh out from the school, any advices would be appreciate...
thanks for that thread anyways
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Colombia
answer to onthebumline
hey, I am a Colombian helicopter pilot and I flew on a tuna boat around a year on Panama.
i) Can you eat as much Tuna as you want when not flying?
Yes you can, but all the time you are flying.
ii) Can the Captain (of the boat) order you to launch even if the weather is $hit?
Not, he can't is your last desition.
iii) What is the most hours you have flown in a 24 hour period?
daily between 6 and 9 hours all days without rest until you fill the boat
and pay is a !!!!. But nice experience.
iv) Who does all the maintainence?
A mechanic in the tuna boat. He goes with you.
i) Can you eat as much Tuna as you want when not flying?
Yes you can, but all the time you are flying.
ii) Can the Captain (of the boat) order you to launch even if the weather is $hit?
Not, he can't is your last desition.
iii) What is the most hours you have flown in a 24 hour period?
daily between 6 and 9 hours all days without rest until you fill the boat
and pay is a !!!!. But nice experience.
iv) Who does all the maintainence?
A mechanic in the tuna boat. He goes with you.
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Nice France
tuna industry update
Hello aleslo69,
Is Panama still the place to go for a low timer (420h
) in order to catch a job?
R44 still the machine to fly?
Is Helipan really a good place to train specifically for tuna boats and make contacts or was the post about this school (same thread, 2003) only advertisement like?
http://www.helipan.com/english/company/index.html
What about the Samoas and Guam?
What about this year (2007) visa situation and work permit on the these boats?
I am French, Canadian permanent resident and got both american (commercial and CFI) and canadian licences (commercial)...I know, it's a mess..always like that in this industry, ain't it?
Any information greatly appreciated...
Is Panama still the place to go for a low timer (420h
) in order to catch a job?R44 still the machine to fly?
Is Helipan really a good place to train specifically for tuna boats and make contacts or was the post about this school (same thread, 2003) only advertisement like?
http://www.helipan.com/english/company/index.html
What about the Samoas and Guam?
What about this year (2007) visa situation and work permit on the these boats?
I am French, Canadian permanent resident and got both american (commercial and CFI) and canadian licences (commercial)...I know, it's a mess..always like that in this industry, ain't it?
Any information greatly appreciated...