GOM Gossip
Join Date: Nov 2000
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It takes a LOOONG time to get through the visa application program
. not something that will happen soon I think. They will certainly look at you if you already have a visa, but not otherwise.
. not something that will happen soon I think. They will certainly look at you if you already have a visa, but not otherwise.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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It doesn't actually take that long to go through the visa application - if you're thinking of the H1B route. Can be expedited and completed within 14 days. I think the standard app. fee is $1k and expediting it is another $1.5K.
Does also depend on allocation of H1b's.
Have a lawyer contact if anyone wants it...
Does also depend on allocation of H1b's.
Have a lawyer contact if anyone wants it...
Join Date: Nov 2000
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H1b
I think you will find that helicopter pilots do not qualify for the H1B visa. To qualify for that visa there are quite specific requirements. Here is a VERY brief guide:
There are 3 main requirements to determine if you qualify for an H1B Visa (specialty occupation):
1) theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge;
2) a bachelor's or higher degree (or its foreign equivalent) in the specific specialty; and,
3) one or more of the following:
- A bachelor's degree (or its foreign equivalent) is typically the minimum entry requirement for the position;
- The degree requirement should be in line with the industry or, the position is so specialized that the work can only be performed by someone with a degree.
- The employer company typically requires a degree (or its foreign equivalent) to perform the job function or,
- The nature of the job duties are so specialized that the knowledge and skills required are normally associated with the attainment of a bachelor or higher degree.
I think you will find that none of this is required to be a helicopter pilot, and as such means we are not eligible for that visa.
There are 3 main requirements to determine if you qualify for an H1B Visa (specialty occupation):
1) theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge;
2) a bachelor's or higher degree (or its foreign equivalent) in the specific specialty; and,
3) one or more of the following:
- A bachelor's degree (or its foreign equivalent) is typically the minimum entry requirement for the position;
- The degree requirement should be in line with the industry or, the position is so specialized that the work can only be performed by someone with a degree.
- The employer company typically requires a degree (or its foreign equivalent) to perform the job function or,
- The nature of the job duties are so specialized that the knowledge and skills required are normally associated with the attainment of a bachelor or higher degree.
I think you will find that none of this is required to be a helicopter pilot, and as such means we are not eligible for that visa.
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Where there's a will, there's a way...
If you have a degree, that's great, it makes it easier. Other than that, you can apply for recognition of prior learning. 3 years experience is equivalent to 1 year of a 4 year degree program. You'd therefore need 12 years experience or a combination of uni credits and experience.
It would not be inconceivable to use other skills in order to make your application for an H1b a specialist job. You'd need to use your imagination in combining your skills into a job which requires specialist knowledge but it can - and has been done. Whether that is appropriate in this situation - I couldn't say - but if they were willing to work with the applicant it is possible.
If you have a degree, that's great, it makes it easier. Other than that, you can apply for recognition of prior learning. 3 years experience is equivalent to 1 year of a 4 year degree program. You'd therefore need 12 years experience or a combination of uni credits and experience.
It would not be inconceivable to use other skills in order to make your application for an H1b a specialist job. You'd need to use your imagination in combining your skills into a job which requires specialist knowledge but it can - and has been done. Whether that is appropriate in this situation - I couldn't say - but if they were willing to work with the applicant it is possible.
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Green card lottery ( for information )
What do you mean by "excluded countries"?
These are countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States during the five years immediately proceeding the registration period.
Just seen this statement published for the first time on the consular web site.
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...q_visa_iv.html
These are countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States during the five years immediately proceeding the registration period.
Just seen this statement published for the first time on the consular web site.
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...q_visa_iv.html
Gatvol
Join Date: Jun 2000
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I think you may find a lot of folks from other countries are being trained or checked out in the GOM to fly for U.S. companies that are diversified in other countries. Not necessarily working in the states.
Also when some of the new guys get an initial VISA to do training its good for a certain period. They can work on that VISA until it expires. Listen to the Radios as there are many accents now working in the states.
Those that I have met are pretty good folks, Welcome....
Also when some of the new guys get an initial VISA to do training its good for a certain period. They can work on that VISA until it expires. Listen to the Radios as there are many accents now working in the states.
Those that I have met are pretty good folks, Welcome....
Era expanding into Alberta?
Whatever next?
That might qualify as the most brilliant speculation ever posted on PPRuNe - and believe me there have been some crackers!
Whatever next? That might qualify as the most brilliant speculation ever posted on PPRuNe - and believe me there have been some crackers!
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Cyclic Hotline
Why's that? Thought they supported the oil industry?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4649580.stm
Why's that? Thought they supported the oil industry?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4649580.stm
PHI hiring
PHI announced that is plans to double the monthly hire to 16/month and have trained 100+ pilots by November.
Several reasons, reduce mandatory overtime, and provide vaction coverage.
Several reasons, reduce mandatory overtime, and provide vaction coverage.
Questions pop to mind Havoc....
Why use contractors to do "mandatory overtime"....that has never been an issue before...why now?
Vacation coverage....why now....it was never a problem before?
Why double the training pace....that many pilots leaving to cause this or is there some expansion taking place?
If there is turnover....as reported in other places that point the finger at the EMS side of the house as being a revolving door situation....why can the management not find a way to retain people and eliminate the need for additional training costs? Just where are all these pilots to come from? Is there no bottom to the well (as the Bob Suggs School of Helicopter Management endorses) or is the bucket hitting the bottom?
I would suggest the GOM companies for sure....and EMS outfits as well....have a retention problem....not a recruiting/training problem. When numbers along the lines of 30-40 percent annual turnover rate are publicized and a shortfall of about one pilot for every seven positions are known....that says something about the operators being out of touch.
Common sense tells us that each pilot retained is one less that must be identified, recruited, and trained. Maybe the US Helicopter industry could learn something from the US Trucking industry. Exactly the same thing happened there in the past few years but the trucking industry has come to grips with the problem by first admitting to themselves there was a problem.
The modern day HR movement is one impediment to success....and the idea that a file drawer full of Resumes means something is pure dreaming. When one weeds through the piles of Resumes....usually only one or two are of any value since the pilot has already found a job by the time you sift through the stack. Granted....a year or two down the line he might be free again but then he will send you another Resume probably. HR departments should not be doing the recruiting and hiring....that should be left to the Chief Engineers and Chief Pilots...while HR merely sees the necessary paperwork gets completed.
Why use contractors to do "mandatory overtime"....that has never been an issue before...why now?
Vacation coverage....why now....it was never a problem before?
Why double the training pace....that many pilots leaving to cause this or is there some expansion taking place?
If there is turnover....as reported in other places that point the finger at the EMS side of the house as being a revolving door situation....why can the management not find a way to retain people and eliminate the need for additional training costs? Just where are all these pilots to come from? Is there no bottom to the well (as the Bob Suggs School of Helicopter Management endorses) or is the bucket hitting the bottom?
I would suggest the GOM companies for sure....and EMS outfits as well....have a retention problem....not a recruiting/training problem. When numbers along the lines of 30-40 percent annual turnover rate are publicized and a shortfall of about one pilot for every seven positions are known....that says something about the operators being out of touch.
Common sense tells us that each pilot retained is one less that must be identified, recruited, and trained. Maybe the US Helicopter industry could learn something from the US Trucking industry. Exactly the same thing happened there in the past few years but the trucking industry has come to grips with the problem by first admitting to themselves there was a problem.
The modern day HR movement is one impediment to success....and the idea that a file drawer full of Resumes means something is pure dreaming. When one weeds through the piles of Resumes....usually only one or two are of any value since the pilot has already found a job by the time you sift through the stack. Granted....a year or two down the line he might be free again but then he will send you another Resume probably. HR departments should not be doing the recruiting and hiring....that should be left to the Chief Engineers and Chief Pilots...while HR merely sees the necessary paperwork gets completed.
Hiring needs
SASLESS
A few notes about the subject and interesting enough the questions you posed are also what the union is also asking.
● Since our major challenge is staffing the medium/heavy aircraft, we have refocused our efforts on hiring experienced pilots who can quickly meet our customer requirements.
● Many of the very experienced pilots in the job market prefer working on a contract basis instead of as a full-time employee. Additionally, these pilots generally have aircraft qualifications for which we are in short supply (thus requiring less time to complete training), and can provide relief for business and customer requirements. This ultimately reduces the need for mandated workovers, and as an added benefit, their presence will eventually open up more vacation slots for our PHI pilots.
I am not sure of this is in response to the unions strike vote (pending release from mediation).
A few notes about the subject and interesting enough the questions you posed are also what the union is also asking.
● Since our major challenge is staffing the medium/heavy aircraft, we have refocused our efforts on hiring experienced pilots who can quickly meet our customer requirements.
● Many of the very experienced pilots in the job market prefer working on a contract basis instead of as a full-time employee. Additionally, these pilots generally have aircraft qualifications for which we are in short supply (thus requiring less time to complete training), and can provide relief for business and customer requirements. This ultimately reduces the need for mandated workovers, and as an added benefit, their presence will eventually open up more vacation slots for our PHI pilots.
I am not sure of this is in response to the unions strike vote (pending release from mediation).
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well I'm told 500 hours gets you co-jock on a 412 at the moment. That will seem pretty reasonable to any NKOTB - even if you have to live in a swamp - but will the constantly reducing experience requirements, cause any real safety issues long term on the GOM ?
SASless my well informed friend - over to you....
SASless my well informed friend - over to you....
Safety issues in the GOM???
Well now...there is a Tar Baby if ever there was one!
The Bobby Suggs School of Helicopter Management probably has a core belief that says something about "If the FAA will approve Monkeys flying....it will save on personnel costs. If Bobby could have gotten away with having Monkey's flying and only have to buy Banana's in bulk.....he probably would have invested in agricultural real estate in Nicauraga and Haiti.
The oil company minimum standards drive the hiring standards in the oil patch. The Bobby Suggs concept of pilot recruiting in the gutters of the French Quarters has been overtaken by events....dem gutters be empty of pilots ya know....one hurricane too many and the floods washed away all de garbge.
The American helicopter industry faces a crisis...there is a pilot shortage and the industry hasn't caught on yet. They have a turnover rate in the Gulf that runs about 30 percent per year. At some point....the well runs dry....only so many pilots get out of the military in a year...only so many will come back for a second go at the GOM...and after that....seats go empty and working GOM pilots have to workover...go without vacations....and funny enough, attitudes get bad....and.....turnover goes up.
The cure for the problem is in retention...and some creative approaches to training folks in-house. Bristow did that during the heyday of the North Sea and had good success at it. The American helicopter industry has got to change....there is no other option.
Using younger, more in-experienced pilots in two pilot crews makes sense. It provides the new pilot with an experienced mentor who can guide the young one along the path of rightousness until they are fully prepared to go it alone in a single pilot machine.
The Pilot unions and oil companies need to join in that effort....it is in everyone's best interest to do so. Helicopters right now are the biggest killers in the GOM....not a record that I think the industry can ignore or elude. Evolving into larger crew served IFR aircraft will foster better safety and provide a means to bring along a new generation of pilots.
Until we can get past the "old" way of doing business in the American Helicopter industry....I doubt much positive change will occur. The FAA, NTSB, pilot groups and other interested parties are promising to reduce helicopter accidents by 80 percent....this could and should be an intergral part of that process.
Just one guy's view of things.....garnered over about forty years of flying helicopters.
Well now...there is a Tar Baby if ever there was one!
The Bobby Suggs School of Helicopter Management probably has a core belief that says something about "If the FAA will approve Monkeys flying....it will save on personnel costs. If Bobby could have gotten away with having Monkey's flying and only have to buy Banana's in bulk.....he probably would have invested in agricultural real estate in Nicauraga and Haiti.
The oil company minimum standards drive the hiring standards in the oil patch. The Bobby Suggs concept of pilot recruiting in the gutters of the French Quarters has been overtaken by events....dem gutters be empty of pilots ya know....one hurricane too many and the floods washed away all de garbge.
The American helicopter industry faces a crisis...there is a pilot shortage and the industry hasn't caught on yet. They have a turnover rate in the Gulf that runs about 30 percent per year. At some point....the well runs dry....only so many pilots get out of the military in a year...only so many will come back for a second go at the GOM...and after that....seats go empty and working GOM pilots have to workover...go without vacations....and funny enough, attitudes get bad....and.....turnover goes up.
The cure for the problem is in retention...and some creative approaches to training folks in-house. Bristow did that during the heyday of the North Sea and had good success at it. The American helicopter industry has got to change....there is no other option.
Using younger, more in-experienced pilots in two pilot crews makes sense. It provides the new pilot with an experienced mentor who can guide the young one along the path of rightousness until they are fully prepared to go it alone in a single pilot machine.
The Pilot unions and oil companies need to join in that effort....it is in everyone's best interest to do so. Helicopters right now are the biggest killers in the GOM....not a record that I think the industry can ignore or elude. Evolving into larger crew served IFR aircraft will foster better safety and provide a means to bring along a new generation of pilots.
Until we can get past the "old" way of doing business in the American Helicopter industry....I doubt much positive change will occur. The FAA, NTSB, pilot groups and other interested parties are promising to reduce helicopter accidents by 80 percent....this could and should be an intergral part of that process.
Just one guy's view of things.....garnered over about forty years of flying helicopters.
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I thought the shortage of pilots was a myth. Being a newcomer I've heard both sides but perhaps that's a good reason for hiring more europeans and being more flexible in helping out with visas etc?
Is this alleged shortage just in the US by the way?
Is this alleged shortage just in the US by the way?