Rotary Jobs 2020
Some have made the hop from HEMS co-pilot on complex types with a few years night/NVG to police command which seems a good logical step, but, day VFR R22 with no IR to EC135 night VFR with no IR sounds bonkers. What good is a fresh IR anyway? You can’t legally use an IR single-pilot CAT until you have 100hrs IFR (unless this is permissible on a PAOC). Where do they get the IFR experience to have it as a safe and compliant tool?
Didn’t NPAS sign an agreement with Starspeed for 30 or so IRs? This would be an odd investment if they have decided they didn’t need them - I know of some who moved there on the promise of an IR being paid for by the company and seeing it as an opportunity for personal development. Perhaps the real reason for dropping the IR requirement is that they can’t attract people with the right experience, maybe because pilots are always wondering which base will be next to close...
I spent a few years flying for PAS in UK and I don't understand the requirement for a police helicopter pilot IR which could only be realistically used in an inadvertent IMC situation.
Avoid imitations
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Didn’t NPAS sign an agreement with Starspeed for 30 or so IRs? This would be an odd investment if they have decided they didn’t need them - I know of some who moved there on the promise of an IR being paid for by the company and seeing it as an opportunity for personal development. Perhaps the real reason for dropping the IR requirement is that they can’t attract people with the right experience, maybe because pilots are always wondering which base will be next to close...
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The good old days with Mark Trumble, Steve Bidmead and Korky running the PAS shop. A great Company to work for and good fun flying. Sadly I think those days are long gone in Police Ops.
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In a VFR at night scenario, not having an IR is an advantage (i say this as a Chief Pilot).
It will ensure that pilots cancel flights in case of weather that is near their minimums, while pilots with an IR do (at least sometimes) consider their IR as a good backup-plan to have (i know that i did plenty of times)...
Having an IR-especially in the more "complex" modern cockpits these days-is something that requires constant training to maintain proficiency.
If a company/outfit does never use this IR capability-why would they spent tens of thousands of Dollars a year on it?
I know the NPAS thing has changed operational areas somewhat but PAS pilots used to know our own areas like the back of our hands and the local weather conditions. If your ops are VFR and you are professional and experienced enough to avoid IIMC and know how to exit safely, then the IR requirement would surely be a waste of time and money. Even flying IFR/IMC regularly on offshore ops the 6 monthly IFR sim check was never easy.
So they do see a need for their pilots to be instrument rated, to the tune of £700k. I’d be inclined to agree that any person flying an IFR equipped modern twin at night in marginal VFR should have an IR and the experience to go with it. I accept that those with an IR are more likely to willingly take themselves IMC by accepting the ILS in the ‘back pocket’ as a more commonplace event but if they are appropriately experienced, qualified, and have been diligent in their pre-flight planning there should be no degradation in safety. However, a newly IR’d pilot is neither likely to be experienced or complaint for SP IFR (short of the 100hrs IFR mandated by EASA Part CAT, is this mirrored in the PAOC?). This takes me full circle to my first point, is this a job for a commander who is new to the twin world and night ops?
An IR can only be regarded as an an added safety feature if the pilot has some IFR experience. Simply having an instrument rating, with minimal IFR experience operating Single Pilot, VFR at night with no IFR fuel reserves is an accident waiting to happen - in my humble opinion.
Tightgit
I see there are still a few out there who feel having an I/R encourages pilots to insert themselves into cloud whether they are prepared for it or not.
I suspect they would have been the sort of people who, in WW1 didn’t want the pilots to have parachutes because it would discourage them from staying with the aircraft and fighting the enemy.
I suspect they would have been the sort of people who, in WW1 didn’t want the pilots to have parachutes because it would discourage them from staying with the aircraft and fighting the enemy.
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https://jobs.babcockinternational.co...7DU/618487201/
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Babcock Offshore have a number of H175 P1 and P2 vacancies in Aberdeen.
https://jobs.babcockinternational.co...7DU/618489401/
https://jobs.babcockinternational.co...7DU/618487201/
https://jobs.babcockinternational.co...7DU/618489401/
https://jobs.babcockinternational.co...7DU/618487201/
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