Bristow Helicopters Nigeria
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Bristow Helicopters Nigeria
My other half is considering going to work for Bristow Helicopters in Nigeria on a 6/6 rotation. Not being a complete stranger to expat life - even in wayward places - I would like to find out as much as possible about current living conditions at the various Bristow locations in Nigeria, including information about the availability of sports facilities, internet connections, food quality etc. AND, not to forget, the social life in whatever shape it may come.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Hello Brigette and welcome to Rotorheads.
Your first port of call should probably be this thread:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=145176
It might seem a bit old and long but it will give you a very good idea of how the situation in Nigeria has developed over the last few years. It doesn't always make for happy reading, unfortunately.
Any further specific questions should be added to that thread.
HTH
Your first port of call should probably be this thread:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=145176
It might seem a bit old and long but it will give you a very good idea of how the situation in Nigeria has developed over the last few years. It doesn't always make for happy reading, unfortunately.
Any further specific questions should be added to that thread.
HTH
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If you're looking at Port Harcourt, this is a good source of ex-pat life there.....
www.oyibosonline.com
www.oyibosonline.com
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I would like to find out as much as possible about current living conditions at the various Bristow locations in Nigeria, including information about the availability of sports facilities, internet connections, food quality etc. AND, not to forget, the social life in whatever shape it may come.
If your other half is being considered by Bristow to come to Nigeria on a 6/6 roster -which means unaccompanied - you really don't want to know about the shapes social life comes along. On the other hand, Bristow is also offering "married accompanied" contracts. In case you might find that an option, then certainly sports facilities and food quality would be of interest to him (and you).
I consider taking one's wife to Nigeria to be legal grounds for divorce.
Single but Married Status on the Dark Continant
Don't forget all those lovely "social packages" you can get when working in paradise. Oh what joy to go to the local jungle bar in Escarvos. How I miss that sooooo much.
This may be one job you are better off staying at home and enjoying his comany when he comes home. If you must go then visit for a hitch and see how you like it. Personnally I would advise against you moving to Nigeria at the present time.
This may be one job you are better off staying at home and enjoying his comany when he comes home. If you must go then visit for a hitch and see how you like it. Personnally I would advise against you moving to Nigeria at the present time.
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Living conditions vary greatly. If he's in Lagos their residential compound has pretty lousy rooms, but food is passable, internet is there but slow and there's gym, tennis and swimming. Social life is very limited. If he's working for Shell he'll live on the Shell camp in either warri or Port Harcourt. The houses in these are passable, he can cook for himself if he wants and there are good sporting facilities with tolerable internet. If he goes to Escravos he'll live like a monk in passable housing with internet only when he's at work. If he's at Chevron in Warri the housing is very good as is the food but internet can be a problem. Social life - see the previous replies! If he goes to Port Harcourt he'll live in a good flat with good facilities but a very long journey to work and very variable internet access. If he goes to Eket he'll live in a flea-pit of a hotel with good possibilities of food poisoning or Legionnaire's Disease 
. Calabar is a nice town, but the housing is old and insecure as it's on the riverside. Food is passable and internet variable.
A number of the Bristow pilots and engineers who were on married accompanied postings have now changed to touring as it's very hard on wives. The company has a night curfew so social life is restricted to whichever compound you live in. In Lagos you can get out during the day for shopping but if you're in Warri you'll be confined to camp for 10 months a year that you're there and have to use the one crummy, expensive 'suppamakket'
they have there. The local allowance for married accompanied is cr*p and the very few guys I know who do accompanied tours all spend large amounts every month to supplement the pittance they get. They also don't get paid anything more than pilots on 8/4 tours AFAIK, despite the fact that most staff got a more favourable roster a couple of years back when they changed to 6/6.
. Calabar is a nice town, but the housing is old and insecure as it's on the riverside. Food is passable and internet variable.A number of the Bristow pilots and engineers who were on married accompanied postings have now changed to touring as it's very hard on wives. The company has a night curfew so social life is restricted to whichever compound you live in. In Lagos you can get out during the day for shopping but if you're in Warri you'll be confined to camp for 10 months a year that you're there and have to use the one crummy, expensive 'suppamakket'
they have there. The local allowance for married accompanied is cr*p and the very few guys I know who do accompanied tours all spend large amounts every month to supplement the pittance they get. They also don't get paid anything more than pilots on 8/4 tours AFAIK, despite the fact that most staff got a more favourable roster a couple of years back when they changed to 6/6.
Nigerian In Law
Brigitte,
Most of what has been and will be posted in response to your request for information is true. What you and your other half have to ask yourselves, as any sensible couple would ask about a position where you will be separated for half the year, is what are your reasons for doing it ?
Is it money, the time off, adventure, a different environment or perhaps a combination of all the above and more ? The confinement and stinted social life can be onerous, but there appears to plenty of pilots and engineers willing to put up with it. Perhaps because social life is not the main reason they are here ? That is what they use the 6 months off to do, which the work pays for.
The internet has become the most important facility these days as outside contact is difficult, both locally and internationally, with all the security measures. But as long as people can communicate by and large the confinement is an attitude of mind, your other half will either tolerate it or walk away.
Just my tuppence worth.
Cheers,
NEO
Most of what has been and will be posted in response to your request for information is true. What you and your other half have to ask yourselves, as any sensible couple would ask about a position where you will be separated for half the year, is what are your reasons for doing it ?
Is it money, the time off, adventure, a different environment or perhaps a combination of all the above and more ? The confinement and stinted social life can be onerous, but there appears to plenty of pilots and engineers willing to put up with it. Perhaps because social life is not the main reason they are here ? That is what they use the 6 months off to do, which the work pays for.
The internet has become the most important facility these days as outside contact is difficult, both locally and internationally, with all the security measures. But as long as people can communicate by and large the confinement is an attitude of mind, your other half will either tolerate it or walk away.
Just my tuppence worth.
Cheers,
NEO
Combine NEO and PhoneWind's posts.....and I would call the combination a very good description of the situation.
I won't go into what my ex-wife says about me....but even I would not send her to live with my worst enemy in Nigeria....well on second thought, perhaps there is one that I would greatly enjoy making a gift of her presence.
I won't go into what my ex-wife says about me....but even I would not send her to live with my worst enemy in Nigeria....well on second thought, perhaps there is one that I would greatly enjoy making a gift of her presence.
I just heard that Peter Baragwanagh has recently had a heart attack but is now in the UK and doing well. Sorry to hear that and hope he's back and well soon 
(I also gather that rumours of slow repatriation are unfounded, and that by the UK medical opinion's standards, he was moved quickly!)
(I also gather that rumours of slow repatriation are unfounded, and that by the UK medical opinion's standards, he was moved quickly!)
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Bristow Helicopters Nigeria
Thank you for all the replies, especially Phone Wind and NEO for going into such detail. Having trawled through the recommended links and coupling information from there with facts gleaned from other sources I think I have a fairly good idea of what the place is like and what working there would entail.
My husband’s main reason for considering working there is the rotational pattern to which I could easily match my personal touring schedule, therefore going married accompanied is not an option. Owing to the locations my job takes me I am fully aware of the stinted social life that can exist in such places, which is unfortunately often limited to drinking in bush bars (or the equivalent) crawling with very determined night fighters. Frequently being the only female on site I have seen enough blokes take off with girls and heard my share of "confessions", but equally know of enough colleagues that (happily) live like monks for the duration of their tour. With this in mind, a minimum of additional infrastructure, especially sports facilities, internet and/or (mobile) telephone connections becomes even more important, hence me asking for these details as well.
The Bristow International site mentions a location in a place called "Snake Island". It is mentioned in the "What’s new..." link but is not listed in Phone Wind’s reply. Does it still exist? What is the place like?
Cheers.
B.
My husband’s main reason for considering working there is the rotational pattern to which I could easily match my personal touring schedule, therefore going married accompanied is not an option. Owing to the locations my job takes me I am fully aware of the stinted social life that can exist in such places, which is unfortunately often limited to drinking in bush bars (or the equivalent) crawling with very determined night fighters. Frequently being the only female on site I have seen enough blokes take off with girls and heard my share of "confessions"
, but equally know of enough colleagues that (happily) live like monks for the duration of their tour. With this in mind, a minimum of additional infrastructure, especially sports facilities, internet and/or (mobile) telephone connections becomes even more important, hence me asking for these details as well.The Bristow International site mentions a location in a place called "Snake Island". It is mentioned in the "What’s new..." link but is not listed in Phone Wind’s reply. Does it still exist? What is the place like?
Cheers.
B.
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brigitte,
DECU is right, Snake Island is a pretty good place, but your husband will only be going there if he flies Super Pumas.
212,
Bara was taken out back in January. H e was well looked after by good old doctor Frank and the only small delay was the repatriation flight being organised by the insurance. He had the operation done and, as you say, we look forward to him and his wit again shortly.
DECU is right, Snake Island is a pretty good place, but your husband will only be going there if he flies Super Pumas.
212,
Bara was taken out back in January. H e was well looked after by good old doctor Frank and the only small delay was the repatriation flight being organised by the insurance. He had the operation done and, as you say, we look forward to him and his wit again shortly.
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Bristow Engineers in Nigeria
Urgently need some information on the working condition for BRISTOW Engineers working in Nigeria..............what are the rotations????.....what is the pay like??????????
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Bristow Nigeria 212's
A quick one I know that Shell have changed from the 212 to EC-155. So what has happened to the 212's and is there any 212's left flying for Bristows in Nigeria.
Cheers.....
Cheers.....