GOM Gossip
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Denver, CO and the GOM
Age: 63
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Well, starting pay has gone up around 20% in the last 15 months, you can get BC/BS insurance, 401k and stock options at at least one company as a new pilot. It's a 14/14 world for the most part (again in the last 12 months).
Remember, wages and benefits aren't driven by a pilot shortage, they are driven by a service shortage. As soon as the customers start screaming for helicopter services at any price, the wages will go up.
Remember, wages and benefits aren't driven by a pilot shortage, they are driven by a service shortage. As soon as the customers start screaming for helicopter services at any price, the wages will go up.
I disagree Fling. I would suggest it is all "rates" driven. As the operators raise rates then they can afford to pay higher wages and provide better benefits and conditions.
If a single operator of the big three raise rates, the other two will follow. The oil companies will pay the increase. There is no reason for the helicopter operators to always do it on the "cheap". That is a flawed business concept that has held the US industry back all these years. There is a difference between "Cheap" and doing it for a "fair" rate. No one wins if "cheap" is the rule. Just look at the state of the industry in the GOM now as compared to the NorthSea.
If a single operator of the big three raise rates, the other two will follow. The oil companies will pay the increase. There is no reason for the helicopter operators to always do it on the "cheap". That is a flawed business concept that has held the US industry back all these years. There is a difference between "Cheap" and doing it for a "fair" rate. No one wins if "cheap" is the rule. Just look at the state of the industry in the GOM now as compared to the NorthSea.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: White Waltham, Prestwick & Calgary
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Yes, that's true. It amazes me how companies seem to have the idea they should be cheap all the time. Oil companies have the money and will pay the proper rate - they were certainly happy to keep a PA31 and pilot in Rainbow Lake for three days while a surveyor went to look at a burial ground!
I mean, if you go and talk to someone who is in charge of a fleet of trucks and JCBs, all of which are not cheap, and a lot more complex to operate, and tell him he can have a helicopter at not much above the DOC rate, don't be surprised if you get treated with a certain amount of disdain.
SASless - are those shortages on top of the "normal" shortages that companies have so the guys can have some overtime?
Phil
I mean, if you go and talk to someone who is in charge of a fleet of trucks and JCBs, all of which are not cheap, and a lot more complex to operate, and tell him he can have a helicopter at not much above the DOC rate, don't be surprised if you get treated with a certain amount of disdain.
SASless - are those shortages on top of the "normal" shortages that companies have so the guys can have some overtime?
Phil
Paco,
As I am told....the shortage is what shortfall there is between butts to fill seats needed on a daily basis. There is more work available in the GOM than can be done due to the lack of aircraft and crews (pilots and maintenance staff). Thus it would appear at this time (in wake of Katrina and normal expansion with very high oil prices) there is a general shortfall of helicopter capacity in the GOM.
A fair number of pilots from the Vietnam Era are approaching retirement age and that point in life where medical issues become a problem. Combine that with the general inability of the American Helicopter industry to train and provide useful experience to the new guys coming in....then it begins to explain the problem.
The oil companies and insurance requirements demand "experience" and having 700 jetrangers (or equivalent) running about the oil patch does not allow for the use/training of younger inexperienced pilots.
It is not just the operators at fault but the old way of doing business in the Gulf and now EMS industries.
There are well experienced pilots out here but when you have to take a huge paycut and/or loss of lifestyle to take up the GOM flying....very few will make that trip. The whole way of looking at helicopter pilots in the GOM is going to have to make a quantum leap in philosophy before this situation will improve.
The younger guys coming into the business are not going to endure the treatment the old farts have....nor should they.
The only way for real change to occur will be when the oil companies and operators finally agree to the necessary changes and subsequent costs....or wait for a major depression to hit again and oil prices go back to Ten Bucks a barrel.
There is no chance of the latter happening thus I see the oil companies and the operators having to accept the inevitable and belly up to the bar with their wallets in hand.
The sad part of this is other places in the world have been doing the very things that would turn the GOM around almost overnight and the same oil companies pay the operators for those expenses.
As I am told....the shortage is what shortfall there is between butts to fill seats needed on a daily basis. There is more work available in the GOM than can be done due to the lack of aircraft and crews (pilots and maintenance staff). Thus it would appear at this time (in wake of Katrina and normal expansion with very high oil prices) there is a general shortfall of helicopter capacity in the GOM.
A fair number of pilots from the Vietnam Era are approaching retirement age and that point in life where medical issues become a problem. Combine that with the general inability of the American Helicopter industry to train and provide useful experience to the new guys coming in....then it begins to explain the problem.
The oil companies and insurance requirements demand "experience" and having 700 jetrangers (or equivalent) running about the oil patch does not allow for the use/training of younger inexperienced pilots.
It is not just the operators at fault but the old way of doing business in the Gulf and now EMS industries.
There are well experienced pilots out here but when you have to take a huge paycut and/or loss of lifestyle to take up the GOM flying....very few will make that trip. The whole way of looking at helicopter pilots in the GOM is going to have to make a quantum leap in philosophy before this situation will improve.
The younger guys coming into the business are not going to endure the treatment the old farts have....nor should they.
The only way for real change to occur will be when the oil companies and operators finally agree to the necessary changes and subsequent costs....or wait for a major depression to hit again and oil prices go back to Ten Bucks a barrel.
There is no chance of the latter happening thus I see the oil companies and the operators having to accept the inevitable and belly up to the bar with their wallets in hand.
The sad part of this is other places in the world have been doing the very things that would turn the GOM around almost overnight and the same oil companies pay the operators for those expenses.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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I earned 100K+ last year. Now that was working a 56/28 rotation, not an even day rotation. I would fly the gulf on a 14/14 for no less then 70K (?) plus benefits. I would imagine that there are lots of pilots like me out there that would return to the US for a decent wage. Once again, there is no shortage of pilots. There is a shortage of experienced pilots that are willing to work for the starting wage of the GOM operators. The union has done an admirable job of raising the wages for starting pilots. It also forces the operators to depend on "in house" personnel for their experience pool, which as we all see is drying up.
Bristow confirms pilot and engineer (mechanic) shortage
This is the link to the Bristow Anuual Report (what used to be OLOG).
http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/...6133&Type=HTML
http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/...6133&Type=HTML
Our failure to attract and retain qualified personnel could have an adverse affect on us.
Our ability to attract and retain qualified pilots, mechanics and other highly-trained personnel is an important factor in determining our future success. For example, many of our customers require pilots with very high levels of flight experience. The market for these experienced and highly-trained personnel is competitive and will become more competitive if oil and gas industry activity levels increase. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we will be successful in our efforts to attract and retain such personnel. In addition, some of our pilots, mechanics and other personnel, as well as those of our competitors, are members of the U.S. or U.K. Military Reserves who have been, or could be, called to active duty. If significant numbers of such personnel are called to active duty, it would reduce the supply of such workers and likely increase our labor costs. Additionally, as a result of the disclosure and remediation of activities identified in the Internal Review, we may have difficulty attracting and retaining qualified personnel, and we may incur increased expenses.
Our ability to attract and retain qualified pilots, mechanics and other highly-trained personnel is an important factor in determining our future success. For example, many of our customers require pilots with very high levels of flight experience. The market for these experienced and highly-trained personnel is competitive and will become more competitive if oil and gas industry activity levels increase. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we will be successful in our efforts to attract and retain such personnel. In addition, some of our pilots, mechanics and other personnel, as well as those of our competitors, are members of the U.S. or U.K. Military Reserves who have been, or could be, called to active duty. If significant numbers of such personnel are called to active duty, it would reduce the supply of such workers and likely increase our labor costs. Additionally, as a result of the disclosure and remediation of activities identified in the Internal Review, we may have difficulty attracting and retaining qualified personnel, and we may incur increased expenses.
Join Date: Oct 2003
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If you look at the financials posted by the GOM helicopter companies, you'll see they're making record profits. The oil companies are throwing money around like it was Christmas, because they have more profits than they can spend. Air Log apparently has decided to spend some of their money on pilots. PHI still seems to want to poor-mouth them, and I hear they lose more than 50% of each new-hire class, either to other companies paying much more money, or the pilots just can't fly and flunk the flight training. You have to be a pretty poor pilot to flunk out these days, and there are lots of them applying. A release from arbitration is around the corner, according to a little bird, and a cooling-off period would start soon thereafter. Just about every contract ever signed under the RLA has been agreed to near the end of the cooling-off period, almost never before, so maybe a benchmark contract will be signed soon, and then everyone might get a raise. BP & Shell likely won't look kindly on a strike, although there isn't anyone else who could take those contracts in the short term. There aren't enough helicopters available, nevermind pilots.
If you listen to the radios, there are nearly as many foreign accents on the frequencies as southern drawls. There is a ton of foreign pilots in the GOM, and the number is growing rapidly. The number of female pilots is also growing, and I think that's a good thing.
14/14 schedules are easily available from just about any company, but lots of us don't want them. 14 days is too long to be away from home, and too long to be at home. Those who disagree with this can easily get a different schedule.
I made >$100k last year, but that was as a topped-out IFR captain with lots more overtime than I wanted. Lots more. I would be happy to have more money thrown at me, and I think it's coming eventually. Unfortunately, inflation is about to hit with a vengeance. Oil prices this high will force the price of absolutely everything to rise, everywhere. I just hope the raises keep up with inflation. $100k may not be a very high wage in a couple of years.
If you listen to the radios, there are nearly as many foreign accents on the frequencies as southern drawls. There is a ton of foreign pilots in the GOM, and the number is growing rapidly. The number of female pilots is also growing, and I think that's a good thing.
14/14 schedules are easily available from just about any company, but lots of us don't want them. 14 days is too long to be away from home, and too long to be at home. Those who disagree with this can easily get a different schedule.
I made >$100k last year, but that was as a topped-out IFR captain with lots more overtime than I wanted. Lots more. I would be happy to have more money thrown at me, and I think it's coming eventually. Unfortunately, inflation is about to hit with a vengeance. Oil prices this high will force the price of absolutely everything to rise, everywhere. I just hope the raises keep up with inflation. $100k may not be a very high wage in a couple of years.
Join Date: Mar 2005
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PHI has a problem. Well, a couple of problems.
1. For decades, PHI has set the salary standard in the U.S. Other operators unapologetically key their payscales to what PHI pays. As soon as PHI bumps up the pay, it goes up nationwide. Thus, it's difficult for PHI to attract pilots to come down to the GOM from a strictly dollars and cents standpoint.
2. While salaries are up thanks to the union (and don't even argue that point), retention is as bad as ever. There are a couple of reasons for this. Pilots come down to the GOM expecting a certain standard of living. They get there and discover that living in a swamp is, um, not fun. (Sure, you interview up in the shiny, clean offices in Lafayette. Then you get to the bases where the real work is done and go, "Holy crap!) A certain percentage of new-hires just find that lifestyle unappealing and will be gone in under a year. Another percentage will find the flying itself unchallenging and unappealing. GOM pilots are certainly not masters of their domain; they answer to many bosses, some of them shockingly uneducated. You just have to focus on flying the helicopter as best you can, because the actual operation of it is out of your hands. Oh, and get used to being called "Skip" (short for "Skipper").
So the living conditions suck, and the flying itself does damage to the self-image and self-esteem. The combination of the two produces the high turnover that has been going on forever and probably will not abate.
During the union contract negotiations back in 2000, I spoke informally to one of the management guys who'd been sitting across the table from us during a break in the session. We were not mortal enemies as you might imagine. We had all worked together for many years and had fairly warm relations outside of that particular business.
We agreed that the GOM starting salary would some day probably have to be well above that for other segments of the helicopter industry (like EMS), and it still might not be enough to attract and more importantly, keep pilots in the GOM. We also agreed that, given the huge egos of the EMS pilots, it would be a cold day in hell before that ever happened. Not to mention the fact that nationwide, other operators would just keep pace anyway.
We also talked about ways of improving the living conditions of GOMers. But honestly, there's just not a lot that can be done. The helicopters are where the work is, it's as simple as that. And where the work is is not pretty. Most of the time, it's literally at the end of the road, a road that may or may not dependably be above sea level. At many bases, there are no "luxuries" such as movie theatres, malls, or decent restaurants nearby. Hurricanes periodically come in and wash everything away, so spending big bucks on company housing is a tough sell to the CEO. Thus, it's cheap-ass mobile homes or apartments in which a bunch of guys share kitchen, living, and bathroom areas. Thank God the two-guys-to-a-bedroom is a thing of the past. That really was terrible.
Bottom line, this manager and I agreed that PHI would always have a problem attracting and keeping guys in the GOM.
GOM flying is a crude lifestyle that's not for everyone. It necessarily requires pickup truck driving types of guys, not Lexus driving types of guys. And you know what? Some of us don't want to be pickup truck driving types of guys, no offense. I came to PHI with seven years experience as a commercial pilot. I stuck it out for another 13 years before I'd had enough. I only expected/planned to stay 6 months. But I was single and the time off suited me at the time. The years went by quickly, let me tell you, and the fun had definitely gone out of it somewhere along the way. I'd have left sooner, but in 1995 I signed-on for the union drive and it took five long years to get it done.
In 2000, I predicted the current crunch. Back then, fully half of PHI's 550 pilots were over age 50, and only a literal handful were over 60. None were over 62. It did not take a rocket scientist to see that there was going to be a problem. Unsurprisingly, PHI management did not see it, evidently. Or if they did, they took no pro-active steps to do anything about it. Believe me when I tell you this: It's not solely about the money.
PHI may never be able to stop the turnover, no matter how much money is thrown at the pilots. With that turnover will come the need for a never-ending supply of qualified pilots. Where will they come from? There is an easy, viable solution that I have suggested before. PHI must start an in-house commercial flight school. Low-time instructors will come to work there, get a seniority number, learn the ways of the company, then easily graduate to the GOM with little additional training when they have enough time. Hire the best students to replace the instructors who move up. Simple and effective.
1. For decades, PHI has set the salary standard in the U.S. Other operators unapologetically key their payscales to what PHI pays. As soon as PHI bumps up the pay, it goes up nationwide. Thus, it's difficult for PHI to attract pilots to come down to the GOM from a strictly dollars and cents standpoint.
2. While salaries are up thanks to the union (and don't even argue that point), retention is as bad as ever. There are a couple of reasons for this. Pilots come down to the GOM expecting a certain standard of living. They get there and discover that living in a swamp is, um, not fun. (Sure, you interview up in the shiny, clean offices in Lafayette. Then you get to the bases where the real work is done and go, "Holy crap!) A certain percentage of new-hires just find that lifestyle unappealing and will be gone in under a year. Another percentage will find the flying itself unchallenging and unappealing. GOM pilots are certainly not masters of their domain; they answer to many bosses, some of them shockingly uneducated. You just have to focus on flying the helicopter as best you can, because the actual operation of it is out of your hands. Oh, and get used to being called "Skip" (short for "Skipper").
So the living conditions suck, and the flying itself does damage to the self-image and self-esteem. The combination of the two produces the high turnover that has been going on forever and probably will not abate.
During the union contract negotiations back in 2000, I spoke informally to one of the management guys who'd been sitting across the table from us during a break in the session. We were not mortal enemies as you might imagine. We had all worked together for many years and had fairly warm relations outside of that particular business.
We agreed that the GOM starting salary would some day probably have to be well above that for other segments of the helicopter industry (like EMS), and it still might not be enough to attract and more importantly, keep pilots in the GOM. We also agreed that, given the huge egos of the EMS pilots, it would be a cold day in hell before that ever happened. Not to mention the fact that nationwide, other operators would just keep pace anyway.
We also talked about ways of improving the living conditions of GOMers. But honestly, there's just not a lot that can be done. The helicopters are where the work is, it's as simple as that. And where the work is is not pretty. Most of the time, it's literally at the end of the road, a road that may or may not dependably be above sea level. At many bases, there are no "luxuries" such as movie theatres, malls, or decent restaurants nearby. Hurricanes periodically come in and wash everything away, so spending big bucks on company housing is a tough sell to the CEO. Thus, it's cheap-ass mobile homes or apartments in which a bunch of guys share kitchen, living, and bathroom areas. Thank God the two-guys-to-a-bedroom is a thing of the past. That really was terrible.
Bottom line, this manager and I agreed that PHI would always have a problem attracting and keeping guys in the GOM.
GOM flying is a crude lifestyle that's not for everyone. It necessarily requires pickup truck driving types of guys, not Lexus driving types of guys. And you know what? Some of us don't want to be pickup truck driving types of guys, no offense. I came to PHI with seven years experience as a commercial pilot. I stuck it out for another 13 years before I'd had enough. I only expected/planned to stay 6 months. But I was single and the time off suited me at the time. The years went by quickly, let me tell you, and the fun had definitely gone out of it somewhere along the way. I'd have left sooner, but in 1995 I signed-on for the union drive and it took five long years to get it done.
In 2000, I predicted the current crunch. Back then, fully half of PHI's 550 pilots were over age 50, and only a literal handful were over 60. None were over 62. It did not take a rocket scientist to see that there was going to be a problem. Unsurprisingly, PHI management did not see it, evidently. Or if they did, they took no pro-active steps to do anything about it. Believe me when I tell you this: It's not solely about the money.
PHI may never be able to stop the turnover, no matter how much money is thrown at the pilots. With that turnover will come the need for a never-ending supply of qualified pilots. Where will they come from? There is an easy, viable solution that I have suggested before. PHI must start an in-house commercial flight school. Low-time instructors will come to work there, get a seniority number, learn the ways of the company, then easily graduate to the GOM with little additional training when they have enough time. Hire the best students to replace the instructors who move up. Simple and effective.
Join Date: Sep 2002
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Project Pilot FH1100 - I am a bush pilot and was wondering just how bad are the living conditions you are describing. I know you talk about no such luxuries like malls, theatres and restaraunts, but I am just curious as to what the living arrangements are truly like. I had contemplated workingin the GOM a while back and was thinking about doing it for a short while to try it out. In the bush, we either live in crew houses (duplexes, trailers, etc) or sometimes hotels, camps and tents. Places to eat are a treat sometimes and the idea of a mall or theatre is quite novel. I know the majority of GOM pilots work either 1 week on and 1 off, or 2 weeks on and 2 off. For the most part we do about 4-6 weeks on and 1-2 weeks off. Since I have never worled in the gulf, I cannot say how the flying is, but I do enjoy the flying in the bush, being a utility pilot I find lots of challenges everyday, between forestry fires and long lining, etc. Maybe thats the only thing that keeps me sane for being out in the bush so long.
Thanks.
Thanks.
There is no comparison between Bush Work and The GOM. Start with the Salmon/Trout fishing after/during work and the sheer enjoyment of an open fire and cold beer after dinner.
Get caught drinking a beer with your dinner on shift in the GOM and it is down the road.
Two different mindsets between the two sets of folks unfortunately.
Get caught drinking a beer with your dinner on shift in the GOM and it is down the road.
Two different mindsets between the two sets of folks unfortunately.
Join Date: May 2002
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Originally Posted by murdock
Project Pilot FH1100 - I am a bush pilot and was wondering just how bad are the living conditions you are describing. I know you talk about no such luxuries like malls, theatres and restaraunts, but I am just curious as to what the living arrangements are truly like. I had contemplated workingin the GOM a while back and was thinking about doing it for a short while to try it out. In the bush, we either live in crew houses (duplexes, trailers, etc) or sometimes hotels, camps and tents. Places to eat are a treat sometimes and the idea of a mall or theatre is quite novel. I know the majority of GOM pilots work either 1 week on and 1 off, or 2 weeks on and 2 off. For the most part we do about 4-6 weeks on and 1-2 weeks off. Since I have never worled in the gulf, I cannot say how the flying is, but I do enjoy the flying in the bush, being a utility pilot I find lots of challenges everyday, between forestry fires and long lining, etc. Maybe thats the only thing that keeps me sane for being out in the bush so long.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Depending on location there is usually some kind of place to get food near by. Some guys bring food with them when they start the hitch. I use to get a to-go-plate from one of the cooks on my last trip back to the beach or eat a bowl of cereal.
When I stayed offshore we ate like kings. Some platforms have cooks and some cook for themselves. There was always somebody that was a pretty good cook. I usually cooked breakfast and the others really appreciated that. They would ask me each week what I wanted to add to the grocery list. Every person is allowed X amount for food each week. If the crew likes their pilot they take care of him/her. If they don't, it can get tough. We simply had fun while we worked. If the weather was bad, which happens quite often in the winter we played dominoes or video games. Someone was always playing practical jokes on each other. I only worked in the winter so we watched a lot of football and basketball. Especially college sports where LSU was involved.
The flying can get pretty boring at times. There's not much of a challenge except weather and that can get bad quick. I was lucky. I was going offshore each winter to get away from the crop dusting mindset. Out there I had no stress. If a bird broke down I'd call a mechanic. At home I have to fix it. Offshore the pilot is a good thing. He's the guy that's going to take us home. He's the guy/girl that brings the daily paper and so on... At home when a farmer walks in the door he's about to spend large amounts of money and sometimes he's not in a good mood about it.
My situation at home changed and now I can't go back each winter. But, if the situation were different, I'd be back every year. I love the smell of salt water. I loved watching the different types of vessels come and go. I loved the friendships made with just good old country boys trying to make a living. I think about it every day, especially right after an irate farmer walks out the door.
barryb
More Pilot Shortage News
I have been very critical of CHC's Human Resources Department way of doing business.....how long will it be before CHC catches on to improvements are needed?
As every recruiter knows....every person "retained" eliminates having to find a replacement. Is it a retention problem or a recruiting problem?
As every recruiter knows....every person "retained" eliminates having to find a replacement. Is it a retention problem or a recruiting problem?
Recruiting costs hurt incomes Company Earnings
Jul. 15, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHC Helicopter Corp. says it earned a lower fourth-quarter profit than a year earlier as the company spent more to recruit and train new pilots to meet the growing demands of the offshore oil and gas industry.
The Vancouver-based flight-services company earned $10.8 million, or 23 cents per share, for the three months ended April 30.
That compared with a profit of $17.2 million, or 38 cents per share, a year earlier.
In the fourth quarter, sales hit $250.6 million, up from $242.2 million.
The average analyst estimate for the fourth quarter according to Thomson Financial was for a profit of 46 cents per share, based on four analyst estimates with a range from 32 cents to 66 cents.
The average analyst revenue estimate was $264 million, based on three analysts with a range of $261 million to $267 million.
CHC supplies helicopter services to the offshore oil and gas industry around the world.
In addition to spending about $2.9 million or five cents per share on recruiting, relocation, training, business development and aircraft introduction, CHC also took a charge of $3.6 million or five cents per share related to restructuring.
The company said strength in the Canadian dollar also shaved $2.2 million, or four cents per share, from its bottom line.
Talks earlier this year between Craig Dobbin, chairman and founder of CHC Helicopter, and two private-equity firms about a potential takeover offer ended without an agreement.
The company said it spent about $1 million, or 2 cents per share, related to the talks.
CHC earned $90.7 million, or $1.97 per share, for the financial year ended April 30 on revenue of $1.01 billion. That compared with a profit of $56.5 million, or $1.23 per share, on revenue of $967.2 million in the same period a year earlier.
canadian press
Jul. 15, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHC Helicopter Corp. says it earned a lower fourth-quarter profit than a year earlier as the company spent more to recruit and train new pilots to meet the growing demands of the offshore oil and gas industry.
The Vancouver-based flight-services company earned $10.8 million, or 23 cents per share, for the three months ended April 30.
That compared with a profit of $17.2 million, or 38 cents per share, a year earlier.
In the fourth quarter, sales hit $250.6 million, up from $242.2 million.
The average analyst estimate for the fourth quarter according to Thomson Financial was for a profit of 46 cents per share, based on four analyst estimates with a range from 32 cents to 66 cents.
The average analyst revenue estimate was $264 million, based on three analysts with a range of $261 million to $267 million.
CHC supplies helicopter services to the offshore oil and gas industry around the world.
In addition to spending about $2.9 million or five cents per share on recruiting, relocation, training, business development and aircraft introduction, CHC also took a charge of $3.6 million or five cents per share related to restructuring.
The company said strength in the Canadian dollar also shaved $2.2 million, or four cents per share, from its bottom line.
Talks earlier this year between Craig Dobbin, chairman and founder of CHC Helicopter, and two private-equity firms about a potential takeover offer ended without an agreement.
The company said it spent about $1 million, or 2 cents per share, related to the talks.
CHC earned $90.7 million, or $1.97 per share, for the financial year ended April 30 on revenue of $1.01 billion. That compared with a profit of $56.5 million, or $1.23 per share, on revenue of $967.2 million in the same period a year earlier.
canadian press
Join Date: Oct 2003
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I think a number of companies will eventually come to the realization that it's cheaper to pay more to keep the employees they have than to keep paying, over and over, to train newbies who leave after getting the training, to work for other companies which pay more. Even ass-kissing pilots who get moved up into management can do simple arithmetic, or at least one would think they can. The hard part is getting them to do the arithmetic in the first place.
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Saw this in the news, PHI pilots may strike in 29 days...
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pb...607290328/1046
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pb...607290328/1046
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PHI plans strikes
Out of curiosity.. how much does PHI pilots take back after tax?
cos i make about 24k sterling a year here as a P1 S61N.. maybe we should strike too.. if it wasn't illegal to do so.. lol
cos i make about 24k sterling a year here as a P1 S61N.. maybe we should strike too.. if it wasn't illegal to do so.. lol
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ERA is starting to bring in new blood. Talked with their Chief Pilot at HAI earlier this year. They will hire someone with a Commercial Helicopter and Instrument rating and 500 hours Helicopter. They start out as a SIC. After 1000 to 1200 hours Heli and at least 3 PIC recommendations they are considered for upgrade. They will hire someone with 1100 hours with a Helicopter CFII. But it is not such a good deal as they are thrown to the wolves so to speak. They are totally on their own in a 206.
As for the cooks, the not so good ones don't last too long. One way or the other, they are gone. You take care of the cook, he will take excellent care of you. But the absolute best eating is on the rigs with cajun cooks. The most important rule, NEVER eat on a rig with a skinny cook.
There are a large number of applicants, but so many of them do not meet the requirements of either the insurance company or the oil company. The oil companies are getting quite strict on pilot requirments. Companies like Shell, Chevron and BP and made studies of all the accidents that have occurred with helicopters supporting oil operations and have used those studies to change contract requirements. A small part of the problem is that helicopter operators look at SIC time as useless time and most do not count it. The GoM is requiring more and more two pilot helicopters, but many operators are not making use of the potential training and evaluation capacity that that seat represents.
As for the cooks, the not so good ones don't last too long. One way or the other, they are gone. You take care of the cook, he will take excellent care of you. But the absolute best eating is on the rigs with cajun cooks. The most important rule, NEVER eat on a rig with a skinny cook.
There are a large number of applicants, but so many of them do not meet the requirements of either the insurance company or the oil company. The oil companies are getting quite strict on pilot requirments. Companies like Shell, Chevron and BP and made studies of all the accidents that have occurred with helicopters supporting oil operations and have used those studies to change contract requirements. A small part of the problem is that helicopter operators look at SIC time as useless time and most do not count it. The GoM is requiring more and more two pilot helicopters, but many operators are not making use of the potential training and evaluation capacity that that seat represents.
Rick,
I found it to be the rule about "Cooks"....ensure they are first on headed for the beach and fetch them the papers along with those for the rig boss and and very good things happen for you. In a small bush camp, washing a few dishes never hurts.
I found it to be the rule about "Cooks"....ensure they are first on headed for the beach and fetch them the papers along with those for the rig boss and and very good things happen for you. In a small bush camp, washing a few dishes never hurts.
Join Date: Oct 2003
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After taxes? That's a difficult question. Taxes vary by state, and by the amount of deductions you can come up with. The US tax code isn't understood completely by the IRS, the legislature, or by H&R Block. Not by anyone.
From the PHPA website, salary before taxes, before anything, starts at US$37,000 and goes up to $79,994 for a topped-out IFR PIC. This is toward the bottom end of US GOM salaries.
From the PHPA website, salary before taxes, before anything, starts at US$37,000 and goes up to $79,994 for a topped-out IFR PIC. This is toward the bottom end of US GOM salaries.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Originally Posted by rick1128
ERA is starting to bring in new blood. Talked with their Chief Pilot at HAI earlier this year. They will hire someone with a Commercial Helicopter and Instrument rating and 500 hours Helicopter. They start out as a SIC. After 1000 to 1200 hours Heli and at least 3 PIC recommendations they are considered for upgrade. They will hire someone with 1100 hours with a Helicopter CFII. But it is not such a good deal as they are thrown to the wolves so to speak. They are totally on their own in a 206.
There are a large number of applicants, but so many of them do not meet the requirements of either the insurance company or the oil company. The oil companies are getting quite strict on pilot requirments. Companies like Shell, Chevron and BP and made studies of all the accidents that have occurred with helicopters supporting oil operations and have used those studies to change contract requirements. A small part of the problem is that helicopter operators look at SIC time as useless time and most do not count it. The GoM is requiring more and more two pilot helicopters, but many operators are not making use of the potential training and evaluation capacity that that seat represents.