GOM Gossip
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FAA approves funding for ADS-B in Gulf of Mexico
FAA’s JRC Decision to Approve ADS-B Funding for Gulf
June 07, 2006
The FAA Joint Resource Council has approved investment and funding decisions associated with moving forward with ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast) in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Helicopter Association International (HAI) describes the decision as a historic event and tremendous achievement for the offshore helicopter community in the Gulf, as the Gulf has been selected for Segment 1 of the new technology.
“The need for accurate weather, direct communications, and surveillance capabilities has never been greater to support the 650-plus helicopters flying offshore.”
The FAA, HAI, and industry officials, representing platform and helicopter owners in the Gulf of Mexico, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in Lafayette, Louisiana on Thursday, May 18, 2006, to formally establish a cooperative government/industry business relationship to enhance communications, weather, and surveillance capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico.
The HAI says the signing of this MOA is a milestone achievement for the offshore helicopter industry after more than four years of work with members of the Helicopter Safety Advisory Committee (HSAC) to obtain sorely needed improvements for rotorcraft operations in the Gulf.
"The helicopter industry and platform operators will provide space on the appropriate offshore platforms for the installation of the ADS-B equipment, and helicopter transport of the required personnel to install and maintain the equipment. It is estimated that the in-kind value of services to be provided by the helicopter industry is in excess of $100 million.
The HAI President, Matt Zuccaro says:“I believe that due to the very nature of helicopter operations, which involve low altitude, off-airport, remote location, all-weather situations, our segment of the aviation community stands to reap the greatest rewards from the ADS-B technology. Accordingly, HAI will be exploring the potential for ADS-B benefits to other segments of our industry, such as helicopter emergency medical services, corporate, utility operations, and others.”
June 07, 2006
The FAA Joint Resource Council has approved investment and funding decisions associated with moving forward with ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast) in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Helicopter Association International (HAI) describes the decision as a historic event and tremendous achievement for the offshore helicopter community in the Gulf, as the Gulf has been selected for Segment 1 of the new technology.
“The need for accurate weather, direct communications, and surveillance capabilities has never been greater to support the 650-plus helicopters flying offshore.”
The FAA, HAI, and industry officials, representing platform and helicopter owners in the Gulf of Mexico, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in Lafayette, Louisiana on Thursday, May 18, 2006, to formally establish a cooperative government/industry business relationship to enhance communications, weather, and surveillance capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico.
The HAI says the signing of this MOA is a milestone achievement for the offshore helicopter industry after more than four years of work with members of the Helicopter Safety Advisory Committee (HSAC) to obtain sorely needed improvements for rotorcraft operations in the Gulf.
"The helicopter industry and platform operators will provide space on the appropriate offshore platforms for the installation of the ADS-B equipment, and helicopter transport of the required personnel to install and maintain the equipment. It is estimated that the in-kind value of services to be provided by the helicopter industry is in excess of $100 million.
The HAI President, Matt Zuccaro says:“I believe that due to the very nature of helicopter operations, which involve low altitude, off-airport, remote location, all-weather situations, our segment of the aviation community stands to reap the greatest rewards from the ADS-B technology. Accordingly, HAI will be exploring the potential for ADS-B benefits to other segments of our industry, such as helicopter emergency medical services, corporate, utility operations, and others.”
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Any idea how much an ADS-B set costs?
I remember when it started at $70,000 then dropped to around $12k. Wondering what the price will be when it is mandated.
I am concerned about the cost for private sport flyers.
I remember when it started at $70,000 then dropped to around $12k. Wondering what the price will be when it is mandated.
I am concerned about the cost for private sport flyers.
JimL,
Don't forget the NTSB that took the FAA to tasks about the problems in the GOM and the media that put the FAA in a very bad light over helicopter safety issues.
The FAA has been brought into this kicking and screaming after ignoring the helicopter industry in the GOM forever.
But, as you say....Good news and way too long in coming.
Don't forget the NTSB that took the FAA to tasks about the problems in the GOM and the media that put the FAA in a very bad light over helicopter safety issues.
The FAA has been brought into this kicking and screaming after ignoring the helicopter industry in the GOM forever.
But, as you say....Good news and way too long in coming.
GOM Gossip
PHI is down about 40 pilots...mandatory workover still in effect (despite some pilots refusing to workover). No CBA signed yet and rumours of PHI to begin paying for prior experience for new hires in order to attract new pilots.
ERA is down 50 pilots and despite being awarded the US Government MMS contract...cannot perform the mission due to shortage of experienced pilots. Rumours abound about much increased offers of pay for pilots qualified to fly that contract. Supposedly, ERA has been calling current Air Log pilots who have flown that contract and making offers of employment if they will leave Air Log.
Air Log is 40 pilots short, pay being reviewed, also strong rumours that prior experience will now be paid and the old five year maximum increment for experience will go by the boards and all pilots (including current employees) will be boosted to their appropriate level should the new scheme be approved.
Air Log Pilots working extra days on "Bonus Jobs" (worst customer...worst living conditions...that pilots refuse to workover on) are now at 1.75 times daily rate PLUS a daily 250 USD Bonus. A workover bonus pool is in effect....each day worked over normal roster "buys" a lottery ticket for a 1000 USD bonus. Air Log's CBA does not allow mandatory workover and thus all such work is by volunteers.
Some rumours have surfaced that suggest the GOM Operators might be considering building their own "Accomodation Modules" on offshore work sites that have substandard living accomodations (most are) to allow the pilots a clean, healthy, quiet, smoke free sleeping accomodation.
Potential management shakeup suspected to be coming at one of the big three...the Greasy Pole Theorem of Helicopter Management seems to be alive and well in the GOM.
Yes....there is a pilot shortage in the GOM.
Yes...the Operators know it.
Yes...for sure the pilots know it now. Within a year or two...Pilots will probably reach Free Agent Status much as in Professional Sports.
What say you Stan, Gomer Pylot, Gomex....any truth to these rumours?
ERA is down 50 pilots and despite being awarded the US Government MMS contract...cannot perform the mission due to shortage of experienced pilots. Rumours abound about much increased offers of pay for pilots qualified to fly that contract. Supposedly, ERA has been calling current Air Log pilots who have flown that contract and making offers of employment if they will leave Air Log.
Air Log is 40 pilots short, pay being reviewed, also strong rumours that prior experience will now be paid and the old five year maximum increment for experience will go by the boards and all pilots (including current employees) will be boosted to their appropriate level should the new scheme be approved.
Air Log Pilots working extra days on "Bonus Jobs" (worst customer...worst living conditions...that pilots refuse to workover on) are now at 1.75 times daily rate PLUS a daily 250 USD Bonus. A workover bonus pool is in effect....each day worked over normal roster "buys" a lottery ticket for a 1000 USD bonus. Air Log's CBA does not allow mandatory workover and thus all such work is by volunteers.
Some rumours have surfaced that suggest the GOM Operators might be considering building their own "Accomodation Modules" on offshore work sites that have substandard living accomodations (most are) to allow the pilots a clean, healthy, quiet, smoke free sleeping accomodation.
Potential management shakeup suspected to be coming at one of the big three...the Greasy Pole Theorem of Helicopter Management seems to be alive and well in the GOM.
Yes....there is a pilot shortage in the GOM.
Yes...the Operators know it.
Yes...for sure the pilots know it now. Within a year or two...Pilots will probably reach Free Agent Status much as in Professional Sports.
What say you Stan, Gomer Pylot, Gomex....any truth to these rumours?
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Originally Posted by thecontroller
GOM pilot shortage? simple solution. get them to pay for US-visa sponsorship of foreigners. theres plenty of 1,000 hr HAI grads out there that will jump at the chance of a GOM job....
BG.
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I don't think the problem is quite so simple. Companies have in the past provided Visa sponsorship (HAI itself is one such example), but you can only do 1 or 2 a year due to the visa system - nothing like the numbers required to fix such a large deficit of pilots.
What an employer is required to do is demonstrate that qualified US citizens or nationals cannot be found to fill the positions - this must be done by advertising nationally in appropriate venues, posting on government/municipal job-bank rolls, and recruiting within their own organization.
After a certain time, the employer can then apply for visas. The number they recieve is in proportion to how many jobs they need to fill versus how many jobs of a similar nature are unfilled nationally. So if 20 helicopter companies are applying for 400 visas, and company "A" has 50 openings unfilled, they will get about 12% of the total visas the INS allows for all the companies. How many visas the INS decides to allow is decided by... ...well, nobody knows. There are other requirements for the employers - housing must be provided, work guaranteed, and a few other things, but once a program is in place, it runs pretty smoothly.
So it would be entirely possible for ERA or PHI to bring qualified foriegn nationals in to fly the aircraft, it wouldn't be surprising to find the process has already been started.
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I asked the PHI HR representative about the whole Visa issue at the Heli Expo this year. It seems that the US Immigration system requires them to count every single application they receive from US applicants whether or not they are actually qualified by in any way to fill the relevant vacancy.
As you can imagine she told me that they get literally thousands of applications from wannabes and as a aconsequence the US authroities do not believe there is a shortage of US citizens available to fill those positions.
They have been trying to go down this route for over five years now each time to no avail.
Unfortunately!
As you can imagine she told me that they get literally thousands of applications from wannabes and as a aconsequence the US authroities do not believe there is a shortage of US citizens available to fill those positions.
They have been trying to go down this route for over five years now each time to no avail.
Unfortunately!
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I am glad to hear there is a shortage of experienced pilots in the GOM. The U.S. needs the workforce for their oilfields and if they arent willing to hire skilled foreign workers to fill the positions then thats their own loss. Canada has a shortage of skilled pilots also, but if you have at least about 600-1000 hours, and the Canadian commercial icense, then you can be sponsored to work there as a skilled worker, and they welcome immigration by skilled workers. The U.S. makes it harder and harder each year to work and immigrate there. Look at what they are doing with the J1 visa - now reducing the time you can spend training and working.
Flingwing 207 - unfortunately its not entirely that easy. With the current U.S. visa system, to be sponsored under H1 visa system, you have to have a college degree as a minimum of education requirements. The U.S. legal system does not consider a helicopter pilot as being a professional - as I have been told by lawyers. So you could have 10,000 hours as a helicopter pilot, and nothing more than a diploma and you are not elegible for sponsorship. And as it stands right now we all know there are not that many sponsorship visas issued every year and the majority of those go to the I.T. industry.
As always like everything else in life - they will wait and wait till the **** really hits the fan and then scramble to try and do something. Lets see how things work out for them then.
Good luck all!
Flingwing 207 - unfortunately its not entirely that easy. With the current U.S. visa system, to be sponsored under H1 visa system, you have to have a college degree as a minimum of education requirements. The U.S. legal system does not consider a helicopter pilot as being a professional - as I have been told by lawyers. So you could have 10,000 hours as a helicopter pilot, and nothing more than a diploma and you are not elegible for sponsorship. And as it stands right now we all know there are not that many sponsorship visas issued every year and the majority of those go to the I.T. industry.
As always like everything else in life - they will wait and wait till the **** really hits the fan and then scramble to try and do something. Lets see how things work out for them then.
Good luck all!
Showing my (genuine) ignorance: what's a college degree; is it the same as a university degree in the States, or something different?
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Unbelievable..
I hold a degree and have 6000+ hrs, most of which are multi engine offshore. A (lovely and talented) wife who's acquired 18yrs in Intensive / Coronary care nursing experience...and we've been told many times, she can get a visa, no problem...I, on the other hand at best should learn Spanish and take up brick laying.
I hold a degree and have 6000+ hrs, most of which are multi engine offshore. A (lovely and talented) wife who's acquired 18yrs in Intensive / Coronary care nursing experience...and we've been told many times, she can get a visa, no problem...I, on the other hand at best should learn Spanish and take up brick laying.
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Originally Posted by Flingwing207
<snip>
So it would be entirely possible for ERA or PHI to bring qualified foriegn nationals in to fly the aircraft, it wouldn't be surprising to find the process has already been started.
So it would be entirely possible for ERA or PHI to bring qualified foriegn nationals in to fly the aircraft, it wouldn't be surprising to find the process has already been started.
One other thing to remember is that the GoM companies (like everyone else) lack experienced pilots. If they're going to get Visas, they want guys with 1500+ hours, some offshore, IR etc etc. The thing is, people with that level of experience are presumably already working (or at least able to work) where they are now - e.g. a JAA ATP is presumably already able to get/has work in Europe.
So, while the GoM companies might look into Visas, the odds are they'll get very few experienced guys, and a lot of low hours guys (which they can get in the USA).
@ rumline
If your wife can get a Visa, then you should be able to get one off the back of hers without your background being relevant. Of course, that assumes you'd want to do that.
@ Murdock
The j-1 time change is just a rumour as far as I'm aware - do you have some more information on that?
@ R1Tamer
Re: PHI and low hour guys applying: The thing is from the outsiders perspective, when you get your commerical ticket, you should be good to do commerical jobs. I guess the government sees it the same way - hour/experience requirements aren't something they care about.
I suppose the implication is PHI should pull their fingers out and take low hour guys through some kind of training rather than just hire foreigners. I think that would be a welcome change for everyone but based on experience, highly unlikely
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Is it a lack of available, qualified new hires...or is it an inability to keep good pilots after a year or two in some of the south Louisiana garden spots?
I think the problem for the GOM companies right now is simply trying to keep pace replacing the pilots who are leaving after building enough time to fly somewhere else. That problem won't be solved with foreign pilots, they will eventually do the same thing.
Significant improvements in terms and conditions for experienced pilots is the one and only answer.
I think the problem for the GOM companies right now is simply trying to keep pace replacing the pilots who are leaving after building enough time to fly somewhere else. That problem won't be solved with foreign pilots, they will eventually do the same thing.
Significant improvements in terms and conditions for experienced pilots is the one and only answer.
Say something simple like going the Oz method of company paid travel to/from work sites maybe?
Going to a 14/14 roster to cutdown on commuting?
Improving the accomodation standards to at least equal to a Motel Six perhaps?
Getting rid of the plumbers uniform and getting something a bit more "professional"?
Going to a 14/14 roster to cutdown on commuting?
Improving the accomodation standards to at least equal to a Motel Six perhaps?
Getting rid of the plumbers uniform and getting something a bit more "professional"?
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There is not a helicopter pilot shortage,there never has been and never will be.. The only shortage I see is a shortage of compensation/benefits!!!Its about time we started getting paid for our experience..
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If these companies where hurting as much as they say the are, they would provide better scheadules, increase base pay and provide better benifits. However this does not seem to be happening as one could earn nearly twice as much by roughnecking (I know that this is fact in south america and west africa for expats) with 28/28 scheadule, benifits and so on than a helicopter pilot in the gulf.
I am new to the industry, and what I can't understand why it is like this? Helicopter pilots are highly skilled people and I think we should be treated so. We spend our life saveings to get the training, struggle like mad to build hours and then get paid peanuts and treated like trash. And the thing is most people are happy with this because "hey, at least I'm flying". I think this attitude by the pilots has to change before things will get better.
If we have no self value, they for sure will not value us.
I am new to the industry, and what I can't understand why it is like this? Helicopter pilots are highly skilled people and I think we should be treated so. We spend our life saveings to get the training, struggle like mad to build hours and then get paid peanuts and treated like trash. And the thing is most people are happy with this because "hey, at least I'm flying". I think this attitude by the pilots has to change before things will get better.
If we have no self value, they for sure will not value us.