Gulf Helicopters Doha, Qatar
 

:confused::confused:Does anybody has any reliable information about this company, I am a pilot with over 13K and I am interested on their ops. Thanks.

GH Doha
 

707, mate have a session on the pprune search engine, there is lots of previous on this subject try flying in the midleeast forum and others similar.

Personnal note, visit the place first hand and speak to a current employee.

The fact that there is a website called QATARSUCKS | and the world needs to know... should speak volumes.

Phil

I worked there for about 5 years a few years back.
They are no worse, and no better than any other company in the ME/ Africa.
Inflation seems to be a big problem over there now, which will eat into your income, so a decent wage may become tighter thethan first thought.
Wx is mostly VMC, but heat haze is prevalent for all summer and reduces vis. at times to 1/2 mile.
People are generally friendly, but the locals can appear abit arrogant, and the local pilots, well, what I would like to say and what I can say are pretty far apart.
All in all, you can enjoy yourself for a couple of years, and then plan to move on.

Cheers

Drought in the Desert !
 

GHC are advertising for helicopter crews both Co- Pilots and Captains.

Being unable to meet their needs for planned foreign contracts and home positions. The hemorrhage of crews from Doha is perhaps an indication of something else.

:hmm:

Mmmmm ....

And it is a problem that not only exhists in Doha..... but also further down the gulf as well !!!!!


:E

However....there are some people who will look at the advert and say, well hang on, I meet the minima, would it be a good/reasonable start?
Would it?
I have read through the entire thread on the Gulf, but not much has been added on GHC recently

What's the going rate for a Coey / Captain with Gulf these days? Anyone want to share life as an expat in this region with family towing along - Good and Bad?

Cheers

Bop

500Hrs TT -
 

"ICAO or equivalent CPL(H) with IR, Class 1 Medical, Min 500 Hours."

500hrs TT. Don't think so. Have an email from the CP (Late 2007) stating 500hrs is not the minimum (even though the website mentions it) - 1000hrs is!!!

Recommendation !
 

How it has worked previously is by recommendation, If you know someone..............

There are advantages and disadvantages.

There is the basis for a great operation........... But ?

There is of course the fact that they are desperately in need of crews. which means accepting reduced standards ...........so make the call !

The fleet in Qatar is slowly moving or intention to change to 139s so there is the chance of a type rating on the latest "kit". Of course the training will be done in house so a three year bond for a
couple of hours on the AC and some systems review. Aint gonna cut it elswhere.

You makes your choice and takes your chances.

Its a big world out there.

THIS SITE IS SUCKS

Why speculate with people who haven't been there for eons (including me)

Give Fred Layton (Lord Lucan) or John Toon a bell and ask!

All Companies are slaves to supply & demand but I can honestly say that during my 10 years with Gulf (91 - 01) we were as good as and as bad as anyone else including Bristow & CHC. We were without a shadow of a doubt better than ADA or Aerogulf in that we really did care about people! Cal sent many "Firees" our way after BS ADA exoduses. We took contracts away from both Chc & Bristow at higher rates!


Ask to speak to Duleep Nachia who has been there since the early eighties!

Doha is not the centre of the Universe but has been the starting and ending point for many young and old guys in what we (possibly mistakenly) call a career.

Trog

Totally agree Trog,
I was one of the firees from ADA, and felt that although they had their faults, they did treat us abit more like human beings than ADA.
We must have crossed paths Trog, I was there 97-2002, and am considering a repeat.

GWK

Was Duleep the guy that got kidnapped in Yemen? and then returned because "no one will pay ransom for an Indian?" LOL

It it is the guy that I met, he is a pretty good person.

A Long Wait
 

I have filled out there application form on there website and although I have all there requirement the reply say that I must wait 2 months for reply. I expect they have quite some number of apllication from Eket now and if they accept many of us Bristow will have real problem. Trog, you say they are not bad peoples? You think is better than Eket? I want to stay somewhere for 5 years minimum for stability for my family. I have asked about married accompany there. Is houses good there? Can you walk or drive out freely, not to be imprison all the time like here?

Foggy,

That was Ashok Tamhane - the failed hostage!

His problem was that his passengers were Somali labourers rather than the Westerners that George Hawkins had with him when he was kidnapped a couple of months previously. After a couple of days of the "hostages" eating them out of house and home and nobody bothering to reply to their demands, they told Ashok to just F off - we were very surprised when he just reappeared in Sanaa!
George has a wonderful story which cut very short was that his captors were whiling away their time in the normal Yemeni way - shooting at target rocks. George whilst tied up (he is coincidentally a wizard with most weapons) was guffawing and taking the piss out of them.
Upshot was that they untied him - passed him an AK with a full clip and told him to do better! He says he contemplated trying to take them out but realised that he may get a couple only before he became full of lead and Jambias! He proceeded to show them what he could do.
They declared him an honorary villager on the spot and invited several neighbouring villages to a shooting competition which they won outright thanks to their new member.
They proceeded to untie the rest of the hostages and treated them as "honoured guests" for the few days till the ransom was paid!

Dear Dreg,

Look at the Gulf Helis website (which incidentally hasn't really been updated since Jennifer Gomez left for Kiwi Land in 2000 - that is a bit worrying!) for pictures and plans of the housing etc.
You can't compare anywhere that I know to what you guys put up with in the way of isolation at Darrels - but reality is that nothing will happen till a bunch of you vote with your feet at the same time.
I am certainly not advocating Gulf Helis as the place to be - my point was ask people who are there now rather than relying on old hearsay! Also note the comments about the cost of living in Doha these days. Friends still in the area reckon it is worse than Dubai!

BUT - it is safe and you don't need an armed convoy to go to work!

Has beens
 

Im sorry fellas, but all you "have beens" who have great memories of your time with gulf I'm sure would be dissappointed with todays shenanigans.

The Thread "Flying the Persian Gulf " tells another story of more recent goings on.

The recent advert for crew belies the true story. :=

The inner politics is frightening and shamefull. As old stumpy tries to defend his position his true character shines through. The machinations of the first floor is hysterical.

ST

Who
 

Trog,

Wasn't Lord Lucan the aristocrat who did a dissapearing act after the death of his childrens nanny ?

Explain Please !

Lord Lucan
 

Yes spot on!

This was NEO's (of "What's new in West Africa" forum fame) nickname for Fred after he disappeared from Nigeria at the time of the USA SEC investigating allegations of bribes being paid by various Managers in Nigeria over many years (Shock Horror I hear everyone cry!) Another example of Uncle Sam flexing muscles which could possibly receive adequate exercise in his own back yard. Nothing malicious in the nickname - in fact quite apt! (No bodies involved as with the real Lord "Lucky" Lucan)

Incumbent Management at the time were obvious targets and we now all have to take a COBI (Code of Business Integrity) test. There is no truth in the rumour that everyone just dashes the Tea Boy a few Nairas and he will take the computer test for you :=

COBI often makes life rather difficult in a Culture built on graft but surprisingly, it seems to be working although is open to abuse with potential malicious false allegations always a threat.

Sorry to hear GHC going down the tubes!

Trog

Tubes
 

Going down the tubes is one thing, it is not !

The amount of business now is obviously fantastic.

The operational part of the company is stretched in the extreme. Morale is at rock bottom in the flight department. Of course at this time of year the tempers are easily frayed as the temperature and humidity rises.

The faces that are being drafted into the seat of 412's are those not normally seen in such a lowly and dowdy aircraft. And then there is the sole 139, whos jockey's, will once typed, will only seldom be found "at the coal face". The challenges of operating Cat 'A' machinery is well beyond the scope for now and until a higher authority equips them with some more plagiarised SOP's and maybe even MEL's. It also maybe that the until the good people from "Kintore Aviation" have had their palms crossed with the needful, will the additions to the book then be installed. Until then blindly going where few men have dared to go.