pm
 

P68

sent you a PM

Whoa there fellas!
 

agent99 & pohm1,

Your points are noted and of course have relevance. I would agree that the DP as it now stands is not perfect but then if it was, we would have nothing to whinge about and thus would cease to be pilots (as I understand them to be :rolleyes:).

Again, market forces are in play even as we speak and I am quite sure that should those forces continue to play out as they currently are, then the DP will be revised further. How long ago was it when BHA pilots were required to live on site? We've come along way so let's not just focus on the negatives. Conditions for ALL helo pilots are on the improve.

a99 - you are correct but in terms of progression, I would suggest BHA has better opportunities currently and also better prospects perhaps with regard to future improvements in conditions. CHC has one major drawback in all of this EBA stuff - their EBA includes their EMS guys. The PC at BHA is determined not to make that mistake. Ultimately, the market will make its choice. Should BHA have trouble picking up suitable FOs as things stand now then CHC should benefit. I suspect that BHA will actually recruit slightly more experienced pilots (who were unwilling to move under the old DP) who can be "fast tracked" to command. The rest will have to do the hard yards just like everyone else. If you have less than 250 ME command or are not endorsed on type etc, you are hardly the most sought after pilot in town and so conditions will tend to reflect that fact - sorry if I have offended anyone as that is not my intent here.

p1 - the Domicile Policy allows its pilots to move to where ever they like once certain conditions have been satisfied. Therefore, the argument in regard to loyalty is invalid because those that move IAW that policy have not been disloyal. If you choose to stay on in Perth when you could in fact move on, that is a personal choice which wouldn't warrant a "loyalty bonus" IMHO. CHC has this incentive based pay because it is trying to encourage its pilots to move to Darwin when they don't have to under their arrangements. This does not apply to BHA yet as it is a requirement to move if you don't meet certain criteria. Perhaps in the future, BHA may move to this model to try and keep people in Perth but then their operations now include Melbourne, Wynyard (short term), Honiara and Truscott.

Perhaps their cunning plan is to have bases everywhere and not just WA thus negating the whole Perth basing issue altogether.

Bags the PIC position in Sydney!

P68:O

"Tish and Pish" to your common sense and reason my friend. :p Who'd want to live on the east coast anyway :=

Market Forces
 

Good to see BHA repsonding to market forces. They're finally waking up to the fact that you can't just go and shake the pilot tree any more. Pity the other two current Australian offshore operators haven't done the same. CHC pilots still waiting to hear from management after the NO vote and Jayrow with their first crack at an EBA going nowhere because management think a fair offer is a CPI increase Nov 09!!
A smart GM/MD would be looking to secure their current workforce in these times of expansion one would think, particularly with a new operator entering the scene. Only one is doing that. The other two may find themselves unable to man new contracts they might win, or even cancelling flights on their current contracts. I'd rather have a secure, happy workforce than be faced with possibility of industrial action.
Bristow is now that much more attractive to those of us that live on the east coast.
Does anyone know what HA will be offering?

Quote from P68:
"I suspect that BHA will actually recruit slightly more experienced pilots (who were unwilling to move under the old DP) who can be "fast tracked" to command. The rest will have to do the hard yards just like everyone else. If you have less than 250 ME command or are not endorsed on type etc, you are hardly the most sought after pilot in town and so conditions will tend to reflect that fact - sorry if I have offended anyone as that is not my intent here."


Showing your colours here.

Lets face it, BHA management had the power to sort out a problem that needed sorting to keep them competitive. What they've done instead is change the policy so that about 6 Captains who live over east, who have done very little to bring this issue to a head, get their airfares paid. What they've got left is about 30 FO&SFO's who will be pissed off by the latest installment of Bristow's short sighted management approach. It's also enabled them to start hiring a heap of Military pilots without forcing them to move to Perth, but are there that many of them out there?

P68 doesn't reckon that an FO with 500 or 1000 hrs is worth much. Last i looked mate you need one of them sitting up the front with you or your not going anywhere.

The 30 odd FO and SFO's are BHA's future captains etc. If you want to hang onto them you better not treat them like second class people or they might decide to go and work for CHC or HA or any other operator chasing multi-engine IFR pilots!!

FO's are amongst the lowest paid people working for BHA, expected to move to one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in. In addition those with families have to bring them over and isolate them from people who can support them whilst their partners are off at work for 2 weeks. Why would you work for BHA long term if this is how they treat you from the start. This management might work when there's no work out there but not now....If a BHA FO leaves and goes to CHC after 6 months or so because he's had enough of being isolated in Perth then he actually gets a number of credit's plus gets to live where he wants and gets paid an ATPL allowance if he is appropriately licensed. Got you thinking. I reckon there are more than 30 people just waiting to see what CHC pilots get with their EBA and if they do there usual and leapfrog BHA then you might get a few CV's heading to Adelaide pretty quick smart.

Pepi

Quoted from new DP - "It is our understanding that a direct competitor will be operating in the NWS area with the majority of it's employee's operating on a touring basis. It is our further understanding that these pilots may have their airfares paid from eastern states locations. This has prompted a review of our domicile policy to ensure that the conditions on offer to BHA pilots remain competitive."

So BHA didn't change their policy because it was bad policy and they wanted to look after and attract high quality staff. Nope only when they thought a few east coast captains might be poached.

What is BHA going to do for the 60% of pilots who live in Perth that might find flying for HA on $140K plus attractive. I suppose we are expendable and not worth keeping.....

We better all move over east, so we too, can show how much more valuable we are to the company...

BHA Domilcile and a new player offshore.
 

The new HA pluto field contract whilst not good for BHA's commercial department will have a positive flow on effect for all as it stirs the pot a bit. This stirring has already translated to positive changes for the pilots such as the new BHA DP. The new version of the BHA DP seems to be a good change overall for their pilots but it will never keep everyone happy.

BHA may still loose some of their FO's to the likes of HA unless the DP includes all those already in Perth and waiting out their four years until they are allowed to move. BHA need to have some mechanism to retain new guys who they have spent a considerable amount of cash on putting them through a long training process. Making people move to Perth has worked for them up until recently as there was little alternative if you wanted to get into offshore in Oz but now the options are more varied and the move to Perth line may not work for them anymore?

To play the devils advocate with the BHA guys in Perth that do not qualify for free flights in the latest changes to the policy then you have a few options; apply to HA or go overseas, move back East against the policy or stay put and stick to the deal that you made when you agreed to join BHA in the first place?

Its a pilots marketplace now more than ever IF you have the experience to be able to move on/sideways. Most sub 4 year FO's don't possess that level of experience and to move on just because you don't get a free plane ticket would be a big call?

Pepi 72, mate, unfortunately experience gained externally to the offshore, medium/heavy twin market does not translate equally. Meaning that many of us have gained thousands and thousands of hours doing demanding Vfr jobs only to have to start at the bottom of the heap when transitionong to the offshore world. It may not be fair but that's the way it is. There is a ladder and it must be climbed one rung at a time, fact.

Calm down.
 

Pepi72,

Mate - clearly you did not read my post with any intent but to take offence. I quote, "sorry if I have offended anyone as that is not my intent here." I could not have been clearer but if you choose to ignore my carefully chosen words...

This is a shame as my post was intended to applaud yet another improvement in conditions whilst I acknowledge that the new DP is not perfect. Instead, a series of rants from a disgruntled employee has been the outcome.

Of course this new arrangement will not suit all with immediate effect but then things rarely do. It will though be open to all eventually provided they progress through the system satisfactorily. However, I think I owe it to myself, and perhaps our other contributors, to bring some balance to the whole discussion.

Firstly - I don't know how my being ex-mil (or not for that matter) has anything to do with this. My true colours? What exactly are you implying?

May I suggest that you and all our other readers out there have a quick look through my posts and tell me if I don't try and present a fair and balanced view on most things aviation related. I would then ask all to have a look at yours. The proof is in the pudding - I don't get personal and I try not to rant.

Secondly, your accusation that this will benefit 6 Capts who have done nothing to further the cause is just plain wrong. In fact, much has been done to try and resolve this in the past (and I have personally been involved) and the bottom line is this - pilots DON'T tell the company how to do business or set policy. We may enter into dialogue IOT try and have certain matters resolved to the benefit of the pilot body, but in the case of domicile, right or wrong, BHA has (and continues to have) the right to decide such matters. Hey, I don't like the uniforms right now but management has decided that we are to wear what's been provided.

If you don't like enough, you also reserve the right to either a) not join in the first place, or b) resign. I would suggest a better idea might be to continue as you are, obtainig your command and then enjoy the benefits of this new arrangement, which, reagrdless of what you might think, is still an overall improvement in the conditions of employment at BHA.

Your point about people not putting in the hard yards to better themselves is in itself a very interesting one. Are you on the BHA Pilot Committee? Did you do anything to further the cause of the BHA pilots recently during the EBA discussions? In answer to both, I am and I did.

Further, the BHA Pilot Committee is now looking for 3 new members. I look forward to hearing from you because I know that you are passionate about issues that affect BHA pilots and as such, you would like to contribute in a more effective way than perhaps you are currently.

With regards to the potential employ of mil types, I am ambivalent in this area. Whilst there are ABSOLUTELY guys out there who would qualify in terms of experience etc, whether they will want to, or will be deemed suitable by BHA management is another issue which I doubt anyone is able to forsee. Also, I don't necessarily think that getting a bunch of these guys is good thing if they do want to head over but as I don't make these decisions, it matters little what I think.

Re your comment about HA's requirement for FOs for their 139s. You are correct. If their conditions are better than BHA's then you'd be a fool not to go. Having worked on getting you, arguably, the best conditions in town, I doubt that will be the case but time will tell. Again, supply and demand.

Re your assertion that I don't value co-pilots with x amount of time. You have just made that up my friend. Nothing could be further from the truth. Show me where in my last post I stated that and I'll buy you a beer. I stated a fact that relates to supply and demand, that is, if you don't have certain qulaifications, endorsements or experience, you will not be as highly sought after and therefore renumerated. Exactly what is wrong with my logic? Oh, and by the way, a Capt can actually fly with another Capt but now I'm just being a bit cheeky;).

BHA co-pilots are not treated like 2nd class citizens but I'd agree they don't get everything a Capt gets. Should a co-pilot be renumerated exactly the same? If that were the case, why become a Capt and enjoy the benefits that come with that? It works like this... FOs enjoy some benefits, SFOs more and Capts yet more. I'd concentrate on getting my command at BHA, that should take about 4 or 5 years (maybe less if you have met certain criteria). It'll be a lot slower moving over and starting again.

You're right in that life sometimes sucks. Moving to Perth etc etc is an absolute pain - I know because I had to do it. I didn't like it then and I still don't like it. But as you say, the option to move to CHC with all the benefits you expouse exists. So what are you waiting for? Or is the deal at BHA, whilst not perfect, good enough to keep you at BHA? Market forces...

P68:O

P68-Correct on many points, but just plain wrong on one..
 

West is Best, everyone knows that!

MEDIC!
 

POHM, you are in desperate need of therapy and/or medication, urgently. :ok:

To the defence of pohm 1
 

floatsarmed,

For sure he's not well but leave him be... he's a mate and no matter how delusional p1 is, mates are mates ;). At least he's friendly...

P68:O

Bristow OZ CBA
 

Anyone have a link to the current Bristow Australia pay scale? I have searched for threads without success.

Many Thanks,

Rocker

Bristow recruiting in Australia again - Pay and Conditions?
 

Bristow Australia are recruiting again evidently.

Quote:

---

Bristow is one of the world’s largest providers of helicopter services for the offshore oil and gas industry, supplying helicopter transportation, aviation support, maintenance and search and rescue worldwide.



With more than 550 aircraft operational in 22 countries, we have the largest offshore fleet of modern medium and heavy helicopters, with a fleet of 30 helicopters based in Australia.



Bristow Helicopters Australia has operational bases within Western Australia, Victoria, and the Northern Territory servicing the expansion of the Australian offshore oil and gas industry. We are currently seeking experienced Pilots who want to develop their careers within the Bristow Group.



Pilots

Successful candidates will have a minimum of 500 hours and have completed the IREX. An ATPL is desirable but not essential.


Ideally candidates will be endorsed on one or more of the following aircraft:

AS332
EC225
AW139
S76
The positions attract a touring and non touring work cycle. Touring cycles are 15 days on and 13 off. On site positions are available at our Tooradin base in Victoria.

If you wish to work for a successful helicopter company committed to its employees and focused on service delivery for our customers, then we would like to hear from you.



Initial enquiries can be made to the Human Resources Department on (08) 9478 3388. We encourage you to register your interest by sending through your details to the Human Resources Team at:

Email [email protected]

Applications close 5pm Friday 5 February 2010

---

It's been a little quiet on here lately for information on pay, conditions etc. Anyone got any current information about a) what the company is up to this year and b) current benefits, terms and conditions?

:ok:

If interested why not contact Bristows in Perth & get it straight from the source.

Jeez, that's a good idea... I knew someone would say that.:(

I did, they couldn't say much other than they had no details to give out at the moment and that the information would be provided to shortlisted applicants.

Anyone actually in the know?

The BHA EBA is all on the AFAP web site if you're a member.

Cheers GG :ok:, but I'm not a member.

Anyone able to assist?

Then it should be at the Fair Work Australia web site under "Agreements"

Thanks Squeaks and GG. Much appreciated! :)