Caution for North Sea Pilots
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Caution for North Sea Pilots
While I am please for my friends and former colleagues on the North Sea for their recent improvement in pay and conditions, I cannot let this all go but without spelling out a word or two of caution. The oil companies, whether you like it or not, are supremely powerful. They do not like unions (look at the O.I.L.C.) and they especially do not like unions who feel they can hold them to ransom (remember Bristow). While they may agree that money should be spent on the pilots they will still turn the screw on the companies to keep the prices down. Any kind of industrial action that affects them and they will come down heavily against you. The last thing they want is sub-contractors who feel they have a whip hand.The oil companies can manipulate Governments and will do so to win. So my friends, please proceed with caution and 'bon chance'. 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trouble I don't agree, what you are saying is total nonsence. That attitude has been the worst enemy of the Norht Sea Pilots for years. Thankfully that attitude like yourself is in the past, nothing personnel intended.
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Scotland
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trouble
The oil companies may have a great political lobby and I am sure that thet don't like rate hikes mid contract but let me assure you of one thing, They (the oil companies) are commercial and moraly responsible for the safe transport of offshore personnel, yet they audit and bully the operators into such a position that lack of investment in machinery and moreover suitably qualified pilots that are sufice in number (therfore properly rostered and rested) to a point that it has now become dangerous to travel offshore.
"Dangerous" you might say is too strong a word. You should see the crew room in the morning, pilots with 795 hrs boncing off there 800 max annual for the last three months, every one is aware of it and yet they play the "poor customer" well they will be if any of my colleagues gets there wings clipped.
There has been several incidents of late that have fatigue as more than a casual factor, I really do hope that there will not be a loss of life incident. The following law suite will cost the oil companies far more than any sensible rate increase, not only in Dollar terms but in future offshore confidence in general.
The oil companies may have a great political lobby and I am sure that thet don't like rate hikes mid contract but let me assure you of one thing, They (the oil companies) are commercial and moraly responsible for the safe transport of offshore personnel, yet they audit and bully the operators into such a position that lack of investment in machinery and moreover suitably qualified pilots that are sufice in number (therfore properly rostered and rested) to a point that it has now become dangerous to travel offshore.
"Dangerous" you might say is too strong a word. You should see the crew room in the morning, pilots with 795 hrs boncing off there 800 max annual for the last three months, every one is aware of it and yet they play the "poor customer" well they will be if any of my colleagues gets there wings clipped.
There has been several incidents of late that have fatigue as more than a casual factor, I really do hope that there will not be a loss of life incident. The following law suite will cost the oil companies far more than any sensible rate increase, not only in Dollar terms but in future offshore confidence in general.
It's not just an adventure....
it's just a job!
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Philippines
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MaxNg:
Until all the worlds leading Offshore Helicopter Operators agree on a unilateral "Rate Hike" The Oil Companies will simply choose the next "Economically Friendly" operator.
OffshoreIgor
Until all the worlds leading Offshore Helicopter Operators agree on a unilateral "Rate Hike" The Oil Companies will simply choose the next "Economically Friendly" operator.
OffshoreIgor
I believe that method is called "Anti-Trust" and is illegal! Collusion, price fixing or cartels, are not legal, unless of course you happen to belong to OPEC! 
The Operators got themselves into this position (albeit coupled to a falling market and oversupply of equipment). Only they bid contracts at these rates, or agree to fly for such low rates.
The realistic valuation of the service delivered is returning due to the balance of supply and demand sliding in favour of the operators at long last, coupled to the increased value of the commodity (oil) they are contracting to.
Near capacity utilization of helicopters and crews will bring the rates back to where they need to be. Hopefully the time is now!
The Operators got themselves into this position (albeit coupled to a falling market and oversupply of equipment). Only they bid contracts at these rates, or agree to fly for such low rates.
The realistic valuation of the service delivered is returning due to the balance of supply and demand sliding in favour of the operators at long last, coupled to the increased value of the commodity (oil) they are contracting to.
Near capacity utilization of helicopters and crews will bring the rates back to where they need to be. Hopefully the time is now!
In reading this post again, I realised that there is one sure-fire way of getting all the Operators together to raise the prices - buy them all up, and operate them as one company! 
Oh, too late. CHC thought of that one already!
Oh, too late. CHC thought of that one already!
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Former Soviet Union
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All,
I keep reading about Pilots in the North Sea being hard done by.
Think about the other options;
Fly Charter Fixed wing, land Manchester, time off, pick up next flight in London, next day.
Ok, hire car and nice hotels paid for, but no going home at 4 o'clock in the afternnon,to your mansion in rural Scotland.
Fly Cheapskate Airlines, no probs, one bed flat in Luton, #150,000, still bouncing off your 800 hours a year, they're not going to let you get away with not doing the max hours in a year.
The North Seas not that badly paid. Ok if you compare senior captian with a Charter to senior Captian with the North Sea, there's a difference, but your not going from flying a pig to being in charge of a 757 in one step, you'll start at the bottom. How much diffrence then?
What happens when Mr Spanish Bus driver goeson Strike, or ATC. You'll get home sometime! ABZ closes at 10pm!
Thisnk about and get real. You'll get a payrise, but no the 100% or whatever ridiculous sum you want.
I keep reading about Pilots in the North Sea being hard done by.
Think about the other options;
Fly Charter Fixed wing, land Manchester, time off, pick up next flight in London, next day.
Ok, hire car and nice hotels paid for, but no going home at 4 o'clock in the afternnon,to your mansion in rural Scotland.
Fly Cheapskate Airlines, no probs, one bed flat in Luton, #150,000, still bouncing off your 800 hours a year, they're not going to let you get away with not doing the max hours in a year.
The North Seas not that badly paid. Ok if you compare senior captian with a Charter to senior Captian with the North Sea, there's a difference, but your not going from flying a pig to being in charge of a 757 in one step, you'll start at the bottom. How much diffrence then?
What happens when Mr Spanish Bus driver goeson Strike, or ATC. You'll get home sometime! ABZ closes at 10pm!
Thisnk about and get real. You'll get a payrise, but no the 100% or whatever ridiculous sum you want.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Aberdeen
Age: 74
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
KWIKFIT HELIS
Of course you're not going to jump in as Captain of a 757 but salarywise you'll be far better off than on the North Sea.
We have a problem with pilot retention, so while people are leaving the North Sea in droves, it makes sense to pay them as much as the IT sector in order to keep them.
As for mansion in rural Aberdeenshire..........maybe next year when I'm paid a decent salary!
Of course you're not going to jump in as Captain of a 757 but salarywise you'll be far better off than on the North Sea.
We have a problem with pilot retention, so while people are leaving the North Sea in droves, it makes sense to pay them as much as the IT sector in order to keep them.
As for mansion in rural Aberdeenshire..........maybe next year when I'm paid a decent salary!
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Europe
Age: 56
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have to agree the money is crap.
I was discussing it with a friend who is considering whether to go and fly in the North Sea or not. When we worked out how much you get, after tax, we were astonished. Based on the investment in gaining you CPL/H and building hours’ etc. the starting salary is a disgrace.
I am about to embark on my CPL/H ground school and am now having second thoughts about it. I might just go and do fixed wing as at least I can afford to live on what I will get paid there. My present salary is considerable more for an equal investment of study and time etc. but with considerably less responsibility and a lot more room for error.
Without a decent pay rise I suspect the pilot problems will become terminal up there in the next 12 months or so.
Good luck.
I was discussing it with a friend who is considering whether to go and fly in the North Sea or not. When we worked out how much you get, after tax, we were astonished. Based on the investment in gaining you CPL/H and building hours’ etc. the starting salary is a disgrace.
I am about to embark on my CPL/H ground school and am now having second thoughts about it. I might just go and do fixed wing as at least I can afford to live on what I will get paid there. My present salary is considerable more for an equal investment of study and time etc. but with considerably less responsibility and a lot more room for error.
Without a decent pay rise I suspect the pilot problems will become terminal up there in the next 12 months or so.
Good luck.
Join Date: May 2001
Location: perth
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I guess if your motivation to fly helicopters is based on money, then you have raised good points. You really do need to look way ahead and think about where you want to be. My friends who fly heavy RPT love the money, but the flying can be boring. I suppose you either want to fly helicopters or not, but my humble opinion if its worth anything is, anyone who flys overwater IFR in **** weather deserves good money, anyone who flys helicopters IFR overwater in **** weather deserves not only good money, but respect from their employers.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Europe
Age: 56
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My motivation to fly helicopters is not money. I can earn far more money doing what I am doing now than I ever will flying helicopters or fixed wing for that matter. The salary for a professional helicopter pilot is awful considering the investment put in by the individual. I do want to fly for a living and in a perfect world it would be helicopters. It is unreasonable to expect people to invest 60k and upwards to take a job earning 26k a year. Which fool would invest in a scheme like that There is also the bond to consider for IR/type rating etc. So if flying for a living means it has to be fixed wing to earn a respectable wage then it has to be a serious question you ask yourself.
Flying helicopters is the best thing you can do with your clothes on lets be honest about that. But if you have other responsibilities sometimes you have to give up something 
I couldn’t agree more that flying in the North Sea’s conditions and the skills required to do so deserve recognition.
Sad world we live in really
There is also the bond to consider for IR/type rating etc. So if flying for a living means it has to be fixed wing to earn a respectable wage then it has to be a serious question you ask yourself. Flying helicopters is the best thing you can do with your clothes on
lets be honest about that. But if you have other responsibilities sometimes you have to give up something I couldn’t agree more that flying in the North Sea’s conditions and the skills required to do so deserve recognition.
Sad world we live in really
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Having started out on the North Sea and moved on to fixed wing many years ago I would say that the best form of flying is helicopters. But then North Sea flying is basically flying airways in large helicopters, not the fun of light helicopter flying at all. In that case my nice comfortable jet is a lot better, and so is the money.
