YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Do ya think they might give me a job now ive got my CPL(H)?

hmm, if anyway catches sight of a wanted poster let me know! I'm only 20 and can fly Bell 47s, im sure an S76 shouldn't be much more of a handful!

Good news anyhow!

Heck Bonkers.....don't let anyone fool ya....helicopters are all the same....but different. Just like the female of the species....each have different peculiarities and need different kinds of handling.....ignore or abuse any of them and they will get even! If you can fly one...you can fly anyone of the others....it is just a matter of how well and how long it takes you to figure out the taps, levers, and dials.

But helicopter companies.....oh, now that is another story!

;)

Roudweego

I macke now appoligies 4 mi spelin cos

I wil be intervuwin them.



:D :D :D

I assume as no-one has confirmed this or come up with any firm evidence to back up this rumour it can't be true.

Bond back on the north sea
 

Word is that Bond has won BP contract from Scotia..and bought up all the Pumas form EC

The CHC perspective on this loss is at http://www.rotorhub.com/news/0212/chc-bp.htm

So Bond is back in the N Sea

Just a few questions.

Where is he going to get his Captains from? Most Scotia Captains are on a final salary pension and would be reluctant to lose this. Scotia will probably make low hour co-pilots redundant who will be unsuitable as Captains. By keeping their Captains they will thwart any attempt by Bond to benefit and also open up the opportunity of ad-hocing the flights that Bond can't crew on 1 Aug 04

Will ex-Bond employees return to Bond? Will they remember how they were treated last time the Bonds sold up i.e they got nothing for the hard work they put in to make Bond Helicopters successful? The pilot work force is more militant now and are unlikely to put up with the old Bond way of doing things.

Will the Bonds sell up again? This is how most private businessmen make the big money out of setting up a business.
The pilots will then be in the same position they are in now but those pilots who left CHC will be further down the seniority ladder with no final salary pension.

Who knows the answers to these questions? I don't and I wouldn't like to be involved as it looks like it will be a depressing time for the boys and girls in Aberdeen.

332M:(

I would rejoin East-side Aberdeen again tomorrow to enjoy the friendship, cameraderie and sheer professionalism of what became the largest and very best off-shore operator.

It is easy to find fault but I question the memories of those who extoll the values of the post-Bond era. Of course there were issues; we were after all employees. However, after nearly 40 years in aviation, I regarded my time with Bond as the most rewarding and satisfying aviation job that I have ever had.

If you want a comparison - consider the lot of the twin turbo-prop night freight operators and then look at your present pay & conditions. The Ladies & Gentlemen on the North Sea have an exceptionally good deal and I'm sure that the new Bond will maintain that tradition. Do you really want a salary of c£32K as a commander? Get real!

Crikey are Bond only offering £32K for commanders:D :D :D

HF;)

Pedro must be a Chief Pilot's job a shopping!

Bond Helicopters wins (pounds) 255m contract
Source: The Herald - Glasgow
Publication date: 2002-12-11
Arrival time: 2002-12-12

BOND Offshore Helicopters has won a (pounds) 255m contract, thought to be the largest of its kind in the world, to support BP Exploration's North Sea operations.
The company is buying six new Eurocopter Super Puma twin-engined helicopters, which carry up to 19 passengers each to fulfil the 10- year contract. The aircraft, costing over (pounds) 50m, will be delivered in 2004 when Bond takes over the BP contract from CHC Scotia of Canada.

Bond Offshore Helicopters is owned by brothers Peter and Stephen Bond. The company has its foundations in Bond Helicopters, the family-controlled business which built up North Sea operations in the 1970s and became the leading offshore operator in the UK.

It merged with Norway's Helicopter Services Group, but the Bond brothers regained control of the onshore helicopter division in July, 1999. It is now the third largest helicopter operator in the UK .

Publication date: 2002-12-11

Why did CHC lose this contract?
and did they really care?
your thoughts please.

Bond Offshore helicopters
 

Does somebody know if bond have a website ? can someone provide the URL ?

Sounds like someone F@cked up! But dont despair, CHC owns all the Supers and the L2's as well.

So, Who ya gonna call? Bond Busters! Been there, done that.

Cheers, :eek: OffshoreIgor :eek: :p

Why did CHC lose the contract?? Well it's only my opinion, but I'm certain it's nothing to do with money, performance or any other key measurable. IMHO it's down to personalities and relationships. "Bond" of old secured a deal that meant that they would have all of the BP work, a contract that was previously shared between Bond and Bristow. The new deal meant that BP were paying some of the lowest rates on the North Sea (arguably at a loss to the operator), so they were obviously happy. Why Bond thought this was a good deal only they can answer. Along came CHC and gobbled up the old HS/Bond empire - along with the BP contract. The squeeze then happened and BP were "cornered" into paying more for their service - and rightly so!!

A year or so later BP issued a tender for offshore SAR, something they called Jigsaw. It was obvious from day one that if BP were to involve a certain individual in the tender decision, then this tender would go against CHC. Surprise, surprise the tender went to Bristow and the writing was on the wall for any future work between CHC and BP.

So when the "news" that the Bond brothers and Keith Greenwood (aka BP) had reached a landmark deal with regard to offshore helicopter support was issued I was not in the least surprised. Keith no doubt had been wined and dined (more wined than dined!!) a few times in the process.

All I can hope is that the new Bond is as successful as KLM's efforts into the N Sea sector.

The only bit I regret is that the real losers are those that invest their personal effort and job security in these prospectors of life and well being. Those in CHC that may be thinking of jumping ship I urge you to think at least twice, hopefully quite few times more. I really believe you will be taking the big gamble.

All of the above is from someone who really shouldn't give a sh*t any more:-))))


Happy Christmas & a Prosperous New Year

Variable Load

There is only one winner - the NS operators who want more price competition to drive down their logistics costs.

Have we not been here before??

Variable Load - you are not too far wrong. Bond did establish a good relationship with BP but remember they had been supplying a service to BP since the late '70s with offshore based aircraft. Margins have never been high with BP but Bond would not have taken on loss-making contracts unless it was a sweetner for something bigger in the future. The volume of work that BP gave Bond would force lower rates but allow good cash flow.

Greenwood was "small fry" in BP and didn't carry much respect. Of course he had to be kept reasonably sweet as he was the day to day man but the Bonds would have gone for those higher up the ladder to make any significant impact on the way the contract would go.

As to those who are considering jumping ship, I agree. Think very carefully. The younger guys will probably do better moving as command will come quicker and long term job security will be more assured. Going the fixed wing route will no doubt provide an even better career path unless you have a perverted wish to stay working in rubber suits.

Those with only a few years to go (and in the final salary pension fund) will be better staying put - unless the redundancy deal is particularly good.

I suspect CHC UK division will go into terminal decline unless there is a big change at senior management level.

Are Bond buying the aircraft or BP? One would imagine that BP are well placed to drive the best bargain with Eurocopter, given a certain individual who now works for them (not the one variable load refers to, is it?).

Interesting article !

In today’s “Wall Street Journal”, dated December 23, 2002 an article appears stating that BP plans to dispose of some assets which include some mature oil and natural-gas fields in the North Sea. The article also said that BP may need to make investments in Gulf of Mexico western Africa, and Asia.

Any thoughts, comments ?

Bond Recruiting?
 

Gentlemen,
I read today on a site here in the US, that Bond Helicopters had placed an advert into the 'Press and Journal'. I confess that I could not find the advert in question, though an associated article mentioned that one indeed had been placed in the paper.

Has anyone seen the Bond ad and can comment on it's contents? Is there a contact Tel# or Email address listed ? Does anyone have any details which may not be easily discovered between the lines of print? Requirements, compensation, schedules, etc.

I'm looking to possibly return to the scene of my 'original' sin, (ie. first civil job) and would welcome any commentary, pro or con.
I've been at this business for many years now and I require only about 5 or 6 more years to complete my 'career' and call it an evening! I did so enjoy Aberdeen and Sumburgh in the 70's!

Seriously, I am quite out of touch here in the US, and some might add my mind as well for even considering this move, but I am hoping to get a more 'local' angle from those of you still working in the North of Scotland.
thanks all,
Kevin