Scotia
I am at Shearwater at the moment and so far Halifax is living up to it's promise - beautiful weather, friendly people and good food and beer. The first flight is this afternoon and conditions are perfect, after that the most difficult decision is which of the multitude of restaurants to go to to spend the Queen's money. What a tough life!!!!
If this is part of your 'resettlement', pray, share the details........
PS An e-mail to '[email protected] could prove worthwhile whilst in Halifax......or, '[email protected]' if you're in Shearwater for much longer.
Tell them 'Halifax27' says hi!
5 yrs on the Truckie fleet, what more can I say;-)
PS An e-mail to '[email protected] could prove worthwhile whilst in Halifax......or, '[email protected]' if you're in Shearwater for much longer.
Tell them 'Halifax27' says hi!
5 yrs on the Truckie fleet, what more can I say;-)
EESDL - no not resettlement but the Queen is still paying the bills and, since the prices in dollars are what they would be in pounds in UK, an exchange rate of 2.3 means HM's allowances go a long way in Canada.
The Lower Deck was OK but the Split Crow was better, absolutely heaving last night with a good band and cheap beer.
Whatever they may say, the music here is not 'Irish' - they have 'both kinds of music, country and western" in the bars and they play the occasional Irish/Scottish tune. I think it was best described by one of the 406 Sqn guys as 'East Coast fighting music'!!
We have timed our visit to coincide with the best weather they have had all summer and a buskers convention (loads of street performers) in Halifax...it's a tough job but someone has to do it!!
Landing a Sea King on the lake is top fun and worth the visit on it's own, our simulator may be good but it in no way enables you to develop a feel for how the aft cyclic is 'played' as you ski the aircraft onto the water without burying the nose.
The Canadian military is even more underfunded and undermanned than the UK (406 still fly Mk 1 Sea Kings and they are old and tired and not very serviceable) but the guys and girls we have met have been an absolutely superb bunch who will do anything (well nearly) to make a visitor welcome.
The Lower Deck was OK but the Split Crow was better, absolutely heaving last night with a good band and cheap beer.
Whatever they may say, the music here is not 'Irish' - they have 'both kinds of music, country and western" in the bars and they play the occasional Irish/Scottish tune. I think it was best described by one of the 406 Sqn guys as 'East Coast fighting music'!!
We have timed our visit to coincide with the best weather they have had all summer and a buskers convention (loads of street performers) in Halifax...it's a tough job but someone has to do it!!
Landing a Sea King on the lake is top fun and worth the visit on it's own, our simulator may be good but it in no way enables you to develop a feel for how the aft cyclic is 'played' as you ski the aircraft onto the water without burying the nose.
The Canadian military is even more underfunded and undermanned than the UK (406 still fly Mk 1 Sea Kings and they are old and tired and not very serviceable) but the guys and girls we have met have been an absolutely superb bunch who will do anything (well nearly) to make a visitor welcome.
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CHC Scotia ABZ
Just trying to find some info about this company in ABZ with regards to working conditions, salary's etc on the ground... any info via the forum or PM much appreciated!!!!
lots of people wanting jobs.
not hiring at mo.
start on 30k.
if no istrument rating they will sponsor you (if they want you) but you must sign on for 3 years.
oddly, if you do have instrument rating, you dont start on anymore money - hmm, lets consider the finances!!! but you are more likely to be consider if jobs arise.
£21000 for instrument rating at Cabair.
consider getting fixed wing IR, then its only 10hrs to convert.
job - hmm, lots of lovely sea (if you can see it). samee trips day after day after day. BOOM, what was that? o yes, 3 seconds of heart-stopping, adrenhaline (sp?) pumping which is why the pilot is there in the first place - to cure the problem and save the lives on board, then back to routine.
Salary increases with experience. 3000hours and you can go abroad (they say) but there seems to be a acute shortage of people wanting to go to some strange places I'LL GO!!!! TAKE ME!! IM LOW TIME BUT DONT CARE!!!!! (just in case anyone is reading this from skotia!!!)
roughly 6 on, 6 off, 3 on, 6 off etc.
Captains ~ £60k
All in all, its flying proper machines for proper money.
not hiring at mo.
start on 30k.
if no istrument rating they will sponsor you (if they want you) but you must sign on for 3 years.
oddly, if you do have instrument rating, you dont start on anymore money - hmm, lets consider the finances!!! but you are more likely to be consider if jobs arise.
£21000 for instrument rating at Cabair.
consider getting fixed wing IR, then its only 10hrs to convert.
job - hmm, lots of lovely sea (if you can see it). samee trips day after day after day. BOOM, what was that? o yes, 3 seconds of heart-stopping, adrenhaline (sp?) pumping which is why the pilot is there in the first place - to cure the problem and save the lives on board, then back to routine.
Salary increases with experience. 3000hours and you can go abroad (they say) but there seems to be a acute shortage of people wanting to go to some strange places I'LL GO!!!! TAKE ME!! IM LOW TIME BUT DONT CARE!!!!! (just in case anyone is reading this from skotia!!!)
roughly 6 on, 6 off, 3 on, 6 off etc.
Captains ~ £60k
All in all, its flying proper machines for proper money.
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Misterbonkers obviously thought you were a prospective pilot. As far as ground staff are concerned, they have had a pretty rough time over the last couple of years with staff being asked to re-apply for their own jobs and experienced ops staff being ousted. Lots of cost cutting going on. Who knows what will be next to be outsourced to an outside contractor.
As to pilots rosters being "roughly 6 on, 6 off, 3 on, 6 off etc" - TELL ME WHERE !!
As to pilots rosters being "roughly 6 on, 6 off, 3 on, 6 off etc" - TELL ME WHERE !!
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misterbonkers, I think the current standard roster is along the lines of
8 on - 5 off - 6 on - 2 off
There are exceptions of course.
As for paying for the IR, yes when there is no one left on the market with an IR then they will pay for them, taking the most experienced pilots first. I've seen the database of prospective pilots and there are a lot on it with an IR already, plus all the type ratings you could want.
8 on - 5 off - 6 on - 2 off
There are exceptions of course.
As for paying for the IR, yes when there is no one left on the market with an IR then they will pay for them, taking the most experienced pilots first. I've seen the database of prospective pilots and there are a lot on it with an IR already, plus all the type ratings you could want.
a few corrections to the above:
Roster: 4on - 2 off - 3on - 2off - 5on - 2 off - 5on - 5 off
Bonding period: 4 years
Instrument rating at Cabair: depending on your experience but if you need a full JAR IR - more like 30k
Woolf
Roster: 4on - 2 off - 3on - 2off - 5on - 2 off - 5on - 5 off
Bonding period: 4 years
Instrument rating at Cabair: depending on your experience but if you need a full JAR IR - more like 30k
Woolf
CHC Scotia Redundencies
According to an ITV news report (Thursday evening), CHC are laying off 15 pilots from their offshore operations, predominantly in Aberdeen. Stated reason was a downturn in the market, no doubt largly provoked by the loss of BP.
Can anyone shed more light ?
Can anyone shed more light ?
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I don't think the layoff can be blamed on the loss of the BP contract, since it is stilll in CHC's hands until August 2004.
There will, I am afraid be lots more turmoil in the industry now, BP have bought in a lower rate provider who will have to pay lower rate wages with poorer conditions.
I think we will see some parallels with the EasyJet syndrome where there is basically a 2 tier system, the low cost low wage paying airlines and the high cost high paying airlines. Watch Bond re establish fully and start to take work frm CHC and Bristow, but more importantly, at lower rates which is bad for staff.
Alas, the oil industry seems to be trying to break the small gains in terms and conditions which were so hard won last year. It seems that the lot of the NS pilot will not improve much over the long term.
There will, I am afraid be lots more turmoil in the industry now, BP have bought in a lower rate provider who will have to pay lower rate wages with poorer conditions.
I think we will see some parallels with the EasyJet syndrome where there is basically a 2 tier system, the low cost low wage paying airlines and the high cost high paying airlines. Watch Bond re establish fully and start to take work frm CHC and Bristow, but more importantly, at lower rates which is bad for staff.
Alas, the oil industry seems to be trying to break the small gains in terms and conditions which were so hard won last year. It seems that the lot of the NS pilot will not improve much over the long term.
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No insight I'm afraid but BP haven't just gone to Bond because they miss red helicopters. There has to be a price advantage and that has to be the result of lower costs.
While some costs can be wrung out of overhead by having a small infrastructure, but some will inevitably come from lower staff salaries.
There are quite enough pilots and other people out there who have come from Scotia or Bristow and would work for Bond at a lower salary than that paid by those 2 operators.
If the aircraft are the same, they use the same parts, fuel and oil, the facilities are the same, where is the difference going to come from to enable Bond to be cheaper?? Guess!
While some costs can be wrung out of overhead by having a small infrastructure, but some will inevitably come from lower staff salaries.
There are quite enough pilots and other people out there who have come from Scotia or Bristow and would work for Bond at a lower salary than that paid by those 2 operators.
If the aircraft are the same, they use the same parts, fuel and oil, the facilities are the same, where is the difference going to come from to enable Bond to be cheaper?? Guess!
" There are quite enough pilots and other people out there who have come from Scotia or Bristow and would work for Bond at a lower salary than that paid by those 2 operators "
I can only speak for Bristow pilots and engineers, but I don't know anyone who would walk across to Bond for less money. OK, so morale isn't at an all time peak but I think its just more money that people want - The workplace, staff and environment at Bristow are fine.
If the 2 existing helicopter firms hang on to their staff, continue to offer better pay and hence attract any new recruits, where are Bond going to get their pilots from, other than a few loyal supporters from the old days ?
I can only speak for Bristow pilots and engineers, but I don't know anyone who would walk across to Bond for less money. OK, so morale isn't at an all time peak but I think its just more money that people want - The workplace, staff and environment at Bristow are fine.
If the 2 existing helicopter firms hang on to their staff, continue to offer better pay and hence attract any new recruits, where are Bond going to get their pilots from, other than a few loyal supporters from the old days ?
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Isn't everyone assuming that Bond had a lower bid???
Anyone know for a fact that it is!!!
255 million sterling and aircraft of 60 million leaves a fair amount of change for 10 years operating costs.
Anyone know for a fact that it is!!!
255 million sterling and aircraft of 60 million leaves a fair amount of change for 10 years operating costs.
Check the OLOG and CHC financials......maybe the Bond Boys will forego a new Rolls and merely drive Jag's ! Ever wonder where all the money goes from the operations out of Aberdeen? How much does the overhead cost....how much does the parent corporation draw from the operation to fund its headquarters, marketing, and other operations as compared to knocking off one big contract and using new aircraft without having the costs of maintaining old aircraft?
Market forces will act in wages....just like anything else....if the demand is there....the wages will rise. BALPHA just needs to make sure the Bond Boys have a unionized company to deal with as well and the wages will have to be similar to those at CHC/BHL.
Market forces will act in wages....just like anything else....if the demand is there....the wages will rise. BALPHA just needs to make sure the Bond Boys have a unionized company to deal with as well and the wages will have to be similar to those at CHC/BHL.
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to NS pilots
Is it possible that BP/ oil companies in the NS are not happy with CHC.....services, reliability, fleet....etc...?
I am not suggesting this, but merely asking an innocent question.
When CHC "took over the world" there must have been some tension???
Please, educate those of us not working the NS.
D.K
I am not suggesting this, but merely asking an innocent question.
When CHC "took over the world" there must have been some tension???
Please, educate those of us not working the NS.
D.K
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Special 25
The key is "have come from", I did not mean to imply that current BHL or CHC staff would "jump ship", sorry for the misunderstanding.
But those who are about to be made redundant from CHC would surely accept a "reasonable" if slightly lower offer from Bond rather than be unemployed.
We will wait and see but I think that Bond will get a mix of "previously employed" and newer ex military guys to work for them. I do not think that they wil have any problems crewing their shiny new Pumas.
Brother
The key is "have come from", I did not mean to imply that current BHL or CHC staff would "jump ship", sorry for the misunderstanding.
But those who are about to be made redundant from CHC would surely accept a "reasonable" if slightly lower offer from Bond rather than be unemployed.
We will wait and see but I think that Bond will get a mix of "previously employed" and newer ex military guys to work for them. I do not think that they wil have any problems crewing their shiny new Pumas.
Brother
Talking of "shiny new Pumas", why are they going for L2s rather than 225s? Delivery time? Proven type versus new? Have they options to trade in the L2s for 225s later?
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CHC Scotia - Pilot Redundancies?
Have just heard a rumour that CHC Scotia have recently made most pilots over 55 years of age redundant. Is this true?
It was also rumoured that these redundant pilots were immediately asked to continue working for them on a contract basis. Not only this, but by doing so were offered a lot more money. This therefore negates this being a cost saving exercise.
If true, what is the supposed logic behind this?
If this was due to the fact that they were loosing their main North Sea contract due to the return of the Bond brothers, one could understand it; but that is not likely to be for another year. However, pilots from their Southern North Sea bases have also been made redundant and these bases and helicopter types are not affected by the return of the Bond brothers – unless you know different!
There certainly seems to be uncertain times ahead and will really show the resolve of management.
Can anyone confirm these rumours?
It was also rumoured that these redundant pilots were immediately asked to continue working for them on a contract basis. Not only this, but by doing so were offered a lot more money. This therefore negates this being a cost saving exercise.
If true, what is the supposed logic behind this?
If this was due to the fact that they were loosing their main North Sea contract due to the return of the Bond brothers, one could understand it; but that is not likely to be for another year. However, pilots from their Southern North Sea bases have also been made redundant and these bases and helicopter types are not affected by the return of the Bond brothers – unless you know different!
There certainly seems to be uncertain times ahead and will really show the resolve of management.
Can anyone confirm these rumours?