The accommodation in Abu Dhabi is worse than that in Eket - at the moment. However, here it's much easier to do your own cooking if you wish and with food bought from a decent supermarket at reasonable prices.. We have several bars on the camp where we can relax and we can travel out into town for other social life. This will undoubtedly be more difficult when the new camp is built, though the accommodation will be much nicer. More people will probably buy cars - they're relatively cheap out here, getting credit is easy and you can split the cost with your back to back. When on night standby you stay at the airfield in reasonable accommodation and on most of the offshore locations the rooms are good as is the food (there are even swimming pools offshore and you can still use your mobile phone and access the internet - often from your room). There are plenty of hospitals with good standards. As I've said, the only real difference is that the pay is less - but in my opinion it's well worth it just for the better quality of life and improved personal safety (which also makes for less worry for relatives at home). It gets unbearably hot in the summer, but it's a pleasant place for wives to visit during the winter with plenty to do. Things are improving, probably as a matter of necessity, but it's worth coming out here for even a few years as a break from the slog of Eket albeit with a management which is just as unsympathetic.

Thank you very much Bristowburnout, now that is an informative, factual post.

Is there any compensation if you choose to live in Abu Dhabi. I.E. will ADA pay anything towards housing?

Copilots
 

For the moment they're looking for copilots only or "Captains Cat C" :}

A friend who joined ADA last year says that a Class 1 Captain there on 8/4 can now earn more than $165000 per annum. OK, there are probably not a lot of pilots on that (I don't know what their requirements are to get classified as Class 1) but it's good money and something worth aspiring to.

Looking to go to the middle east
 

Quote from ExPatron, "For the moment they're looking for copilots only or "Captains Cat C"

Friend of mine is supposed to go to ADA in the spring. He used to work in Saudi and has contacts at ADA. I am wanting to follow him after he gets on. What exactly are they requiring for co-pilot jobs? I have 1000 hours of offshore time in U.S. and currently fly a measly 100 hours a year in EMS so my time hasn't built much the last 5 years of doing that. I have about 2500 hours mostly turbine. Really want to work in Oil and Gas again but not for what they pay in the U.S. and want to work internationally anyway. I haven't applied yet as I am waiting till he gets on but don't want to miss out if they need co-pilots now and I meet thier qualifications.

So do I have a shot or what?

You have a shot indeed
 

Hey Elvis, the requirements are 1000 hrs RW minimum, offshore and turbine time will help a lot, payment is around 300 bucks per day, PM for more info,
Cheers

Expatron

I put my app in a few days ago I am dual rated ATP do you know if they allow you to fly both. I have 9600 total 8000 heli 2000 multi 5500 turbine. I dont know if this is attractive for this company.

Thanks for any info

New pay raise
 

The new pay raise is in as promised...oh accept for you SAR guys. Bait and switch for you. vfr440 is spot on. Get everything in writing!:mad:

Check your messages
 

ExPatron PM sent.

$?
 

Bandit19 - Do you know what the new pay rate is for copilots?

Hey Phil
 

How's things at AeroGulf? With the Canadian $ taking a nose dive back to where it historically sits, CHC Global will I think lose a few of us who live in the States. We get no breaks on taxes like Canada and the EU countries.
Cheers

Lose a few??? Last I heard CHC had let go of over 75 people in the last 2 weeks. Sounds like CHC is losing its foothold. Rumour has it too, they may not have anymore Nigeria contracts and now they may lose the Thailand gigs. Not very prosperous times.

Pay and benefits
 

Hi to all my friends in ADA.

Please fellows, with the comments about pay to $616 per day, but only if you qualify, and of course the fact that the housing is still pretty much the lowest standard in the industry, then could someone explain why all of a sudden things look so grand in Abu Dhabi?

Is there a real sick leave benefits clause as yet? What about a descent death in service agreement? I take it Loss of License is still a non starter.... The gratuity deal for 6 and 6 was argued to the pilots detriment many years ago by the jingili mafia, so I guess will not have changed.

I like many argue our workover rate.... but at least for most we have the above benefits on top of it, plus an annual salary, not a daily rate.
As such, despite the fact ADA are not in West Africa or indeed Nigeria, why the sound of bells ringing? (I accept the USD situation, but hey for most expats that is the same worldwide excepting CHC international.).

Yes we all accept that it is lovely to have a large town nearby with good supermarkets. And, I may be wrong, hence would like to be corrected, I believe more has changed in other places than in ADA. So why the sudden buzz? Safe flying to all!

rileyemi

Aerogulf were fine last time I was there just before Xmas - was helping out for a couple of weeks while some training was going on, and catching up on the gossip. The dirham is definitely better against the dollar and pound and makes it a little more worth it.

Could do with being back in the warm right now! :)

Phil

Is the rumor true that ADA has had their entire fleet of 212s and 412s grounded by the GCAA due to regulatory non-compliance since 15 January??? Word is that only 2 or 3 139s are operating to carry the load!!??

Maybe their inspector got fed up with them thinking that handshakes would fix everything. I know the Chief Inspector was very concerned that ICAO requirements were to be strictly observed.


Phil

Mmmmm ....

"Is the rumor true that ADA has had their entire fleet of 212s and 412s grounded by the GCAA due to regulatory non-compliance"



I know notttthhhhhhink! (aka "The Schultz Defence) :eek:



:E

If they continue to treat the engineers like ****, the rest will leave as well. When will ADA and GHC get it..... You cannot operate safely without well qualified and happy ground crew :ugh:

More power to the Falcon's bow ?????

Age limitation..???
 

I worked ADA 25 years ago,best job I have ever had.. Been flying EMS for the last 15yrs. Because of the US economy the company I have been with is being sold and 16 pilots will be looking for work... ADA used to have a 55yr old limitation, I just turned 61 and am looking for the last big adventure..Is George Tucker still there? ThankZ

Age Limitation
 

Now the limitation is 59 for new pilots and 65 for pilots already hired,
Cheers