North Sea Job Market
 

Gents/Ladies
Due to leave the forces soon, i have my ATPL(H) in my back pocket, what is it like flying for the North Sea operators and what's the job market like at the moment?
Cheers

You will get a job in the blink of an eye with one of the three companies. All are looking to some degree. go for it

Thanks for the reply................ I'll send my cv and see what happens. Cheers

Dont hold your breath they dont really like ex mil pilots for some reason but good luck anyway.:ok:

'They dont really like ex mil pilots'

What a load of rubbish. That may be some peoples experience who did not get hired by them but generally they dont care.

Ask yourself the question, if they dont like the ex mil pilot then why do they recruit so many?

Oh, I see, this is a rumour network so why not start a rumour. At least can we be accurate.

Rant over.

Yea i know of a few ex AAC/RAF working off shore. Wish i had all there emails. Typical eh? That's why i asked the question in the first place. Cheers

Brassemup check your PM's

Brass,

I'm ex military (AAC) and had no problem at all. All the offshore companies offered me a job. Admittedly it was a long time ago (and they probably regret the offer !!), but the big wheel has swung around again. They're crying out for people who are already trained/licenced and therefore cost them nothing except a JAR IR, which they'll be only too happy to do for you. You'll have no problem.

Good Luck Mate :ok:

NEO

How about this situation ?
 

I'm also interested in flying the north sea.

Currenlty 600+ hrs on robinson's, employed flying in Canada's oil patch [alberta]. Before that I accumulated 3500hrs of fixed wing in single and two crew multi IFR. I hold Canadian Commercial Helo with Night, Fixed wing comm with multi IFR, as well as UK passport. No JAR CAA licenses. :ugh:

What would the process consist of ? Any chance of the companies helping out on the conversion ?

ANY constructive info on the topic would be much appreciated.

Cheers

very unlikely they will help out with conversion.

you need to get the 13 JAA ATPL exams done and get the JAA CPL then go talk to them, they might pay for the type rating and IR, but will bond you for a few years.

NEO,

You still out there in Nigeria? What's the working conditions like?
Did you used to be 7 Flt?

Cheers

Brass,

Check your PMs

NEO

Cool it folks just saying what i hear from those in authority i am also ex mil and work in the offshore market place.
Gee, take a guys head off for an honest comment, grow up girls:rolleyes:

Thanks Guys I’m getting some positive feed back and info!!!!!

North Sea Chc
 

At CHC (the Company I work for) the Company try to identify weaknesses in an individual that may cause them to be a training risk as they go through the induction programme, conversion course and IR. This is to make the system more effective in producing an optimum product IE - you the pilot. At the moment they are employing a number of strategies to achieve this such as psycho-metric testing (not sure if I spelt that correctly). Some people in the know say this is the way ahead and others are sceptical. However, this is the reason why in CHC a change of policy may have been percieved to have occurred in that ex-mil guys are no longer favoured.

I believe the system is much simpler that any pre-conceptions about a persons background. Essentially when the Company is looking for people it will tend to group CVs by experience, both MIL and Civil in descending order and will offer interviews and the selection process to the group at the top of the experience list. At the same time the powers that be are mindful that the existing demographic dispersion within the Company needs to be considered.

Having said all of this the impact of JAR-FCL and the requirements and experience needed to grant a ME IR place a considerable cost burden on the Company. Therefore, anybody who pitches up with a ME IR, particularly with a NS Type Rating, will get a great welcome provided he has no real adverse history.

I am unsure how BOND & BRISTOWS work but I would suspect their considerations are the same.

I would also stress that I am actually just a pond-life pilot at CHC and therefore my explanation above is my own and not necessarily the quoted policy of my management.

I hope this helps and if you need anything further email me.

Job Market
 

I am also coming to the end of my military career and I suspect stayed far too long (but was having so much fun). I have frozen ATPL(A) and (H) and looking to work anywhere it is warm and no Gordon Brown. I have got no Type Rating as yet but was wondering if it is worth the investment of paying for a ME IR and if so on which type. (How much would this cost).

I have bounced on and off the back end of Frigates and Destroyers in a Lynx for the most part and have been thinking of the luxury yacht industry (both flying and as Captain). However, I am now in my 50th year and wonder what my chances of being employed flying (I do have a class 1).

So it does happen that CHC etc pays for the JAA IR? What do they usually require for an interview? 1000 PIC like here in the US? Thanks!!!

DaddyLynx,
Join the club bloke! But i think the sailing option sounds better after a long career.
But good luck!:ok:

Does anybody have any up-to-date info on the likelyhood of less experienced guys being offered positions in the North Sea? And the ubiquitous question; does age matter?!

I'll be 33 by the time I'm qualified with the basics. I'm hoping to build upto 500 hours before I turn 34, but will start applying as soon as the CPL is hot off the press. Am I wasting my time?

My experience will be mostly R22s, but will have about 30hrs on a JetRanger, if that helps?

As a last ditch, I was going to give it until this time next year, then do a fixed wing IR to boost my chances. Has anyone else had any success with this route?

Comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,

And if anyone could PM me with contact info for Bond and Bristow that would be appreciated, not to say CHC...

As I sit with Norwegian Licenses but work in Canada...

Try the Bond website?

Bond Offshore Helicopters

Mr Brassmeup,
you said In my opinion you have got to stand out from the other thousand people who have just sent their CV in, what you need to do is phone up the relevant flight crew manager, sell yourself and at that point try and make an appointment to see him and then send your CV.
you got to get yourself up to aberdeen see all the comapanies and try to impress
regards
CF
P.S. i sent my CV and nothing did happen till I flew up to aberdeen (they even paid for my flight after the fact)

Camp Freddie,

I wasn't just going to send my CV, but yep i totally agree.........

Cheers

I would try all three North Sea operators. You've got nothing to loose, although I suspect you'll do better with Bond and CHC because I believe that Bristow are keeping slots open for their Coastguard pilots following the loss of that contract. They're expecting those pilots to return to Aberdeen in Summer and the Autumn.

TMP

TMP

How about Norway/Denmark and the Netherlands? Had any dealings there?

Me personally?

TMP

TMP
Yea or any info?

I've flown in and out of Norway on diversions but I don't have any info about the jobs market there or in Denmark or the Netherlands. Sorry. :)

Pilot positions in Norway
 

CHC Helikopter Service in Norway are hiring. You need 1000hrs and the instrument rating, The basepay starts at about NOK 500 000, per diem and overtime should add it up around NOK 600 000. Senior line captains make twice that much, SAR captains and copilots can add another NOK 250 000. Copilots with four years seniority gets the SFO allowance, around NOK 90000. 14/14 rosters are available, and we have pilots commuting from Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, but no one from the UK at the moment..

Northseaspray check PM..................

Thanks to every body for the great info

Cheers :ok:

Would the current pay and schedule for CHC in the U.K. be the same as
Norway ? Are the commuting pilots traveling on there own dime ?

Cheers

HS Norway
 

The Scotia ABZ rosters are somewhat similar to HS, in Norway you get 5 days extra vacation on the equal time roster, on the 5/2/5/9 roster you get two weeks vacation, which means you get one month off during the summer.

With HS, travel and accomodation are included only during the training stage, after the line check you are on your own expense.. If you work a lot extra days (max 40xnok8000) and overtime, you can make close to NOK 1000000 from year one, but then taxes are insain, around 50%, expenses and morgage interests are deductable, brings the average young copilot down to about 40% taxes i believe.

Personally I wouldn't want to work for any other company, the aircraft are very well maintained, the training is exellent, the union has a strong standing, and after a few years the money is really good.

Recruitment Contacts
 

Could anyone enlighten me with regards the relevant contacts for Bond and CHC on the North Sea for pilot recruitment? A search of the relevant web sites gets you the numbers of course, but I would be much obliged if someone could PM me the best on site person to talk to in each company.
Thanks in advance.
:ok:

I sent my Resume to CHC Netherlands. They will accept pilots with a JAA ATPL theory, JAA CPL licence, and they aren't to bothered if you don't have an IR I think they will help you with that, as i read between the lines. They said no to me as only have 3500hrs and FAA ATPL. On well...:{

CHC Netherlands
 

hey darren,

with CHC Netherlands you definetly need the CPL/IR under JAR.
I know that for sure :)

RB

CHC Netherlands………….. You definitely need a IR, sponsorship is difficult because of the Netherlands employment laws! But if you have a IR rating then they are looking for about 6 co-pilots.

Guys,
CHC were advertising in the press and journal (aberdeen paper) recently for pilots in a number of there operations.
Good luck.

Guys

Check the Flight Global jobs page. About 13 adds by CHC for the whole of their European Operation.

Cheers

L'

Well times seem alot better for the job market! What's the roster for CHC Aberdeen. Are they doing 7/7 there?

Yeah they are doing 7/7 and 5/2/5/9/5/2/6/8. I think Bristow are trying for a even time roster and Bond are on something like a 5/2/7/7.