Epiphany

We are used to losing contracts to smaller, younger, and hence cheaper operators in an industry where the only driver is price. Fortunately in NNS we have more work than we can shake a stick at, though it is still unclear to me where we stand in SNS.

However I get nervous when people talk about "can do attitude".

Whilst I agree with your comments on management, I think we have improved from the point of view of management being more customer focused and certainly the majority of pilots retain their professional pride and desire to do the job well. However we are continually reminded that management and customer consider safety to be paramount, as is compliance with increasingly complex operational rules. This can appear as a can't do attitude but that is the state of the industry as driven by the customer.

Uuuuuuum - Esbjerg.

Maybe you should look again. A far as I am aware there is a leased ERA 225 and a Dancopter 225 currently operating from Esbjerg with a second Dancopter 225 due shortly and another in a few months time.

A lead time of 2 years for delivery of an EC225 might seem a 'bit silly' to you but that is simply the way it is and does not make the bidding or contract start date any easier for operators.

There were 3 Dancopter EC225's fully painted and flying at Marignagne whilst I was there in early May the ERA machine is onlease for crew training etc. before the contract start date of July 1st

Well that's funny. I heard from someone on the inside close to Dancopter that they are not starting on the promised 1st of July and that Maersk is not pleased at all so far. In fact, apparently Dancopter has hired a CHC aircraft, from whom they won the contract, to cover the first two months of the contract, since they can't deliver. Also a rumour from that side has it that Maersk is not happy with 225 (something to do with cabin room?) and rather have 92.

Next to all this, the Dong contract is still not flown with their own capacity and is still being flown by ad hoc operators, in this case Belair.

So looking at this and with the very short time span they have left, will they also have such a lightening start with Shell?

They seem to be in way over their heads. So, does Dancopter only talk the talk or do they also walk the walk?

Well, youve also said that NHV doesnt do any sim training at Helisim, right?

Guess what...Ive seen them training there just last week!

So much in regards of credibility and spreading negative rumours... :oh:

eivissa
 

Read my posts more carefully please . I said they at least didn't used to go there . At least not when I was there. So if you havent't been there, don't talk to others about credibility . And for the rest read what ironcheffhey has to say about it.

You were saying about my credibility?

Ps. And like I said to many of your fellow critics, it is a rumour network! Negative or positive. How difficult is it to understand that concept? Or are we all here just to stuff feathers up each other's rears?

Yes it is a rumour network but is there any need to be so aggressive SNI?:=
I take it your angry because you have to leave Den Helder but hey contracts are won and lost.:eek:

The American company's CHC & Bristow are getting a spanking at the moment and the smaller hungrier players are growing, its a cycle and it breaths fresh air into the industry. So good luck to Dancopter Belair NHV etc and i am sure they have jumped through all the hoops and ticked all the boxes or they wouldn't be playing with the large oil companies.

chcoffshore
 

I apologize if I came across aggressive, but all I do is post rumours about the industry that I think are worth knowing for others. And when it's worth mentioning, it will even be about Bristow or CHC. That it so happens to be about the smaller operators this time is logical, since more things are going on there at this time.

It's others that react to me on a personal level when they feel offended. Might wanna speak to them as well, since they clearly haven't read the forum rules, i.e. suggesting that I am a certain individual time and time again. That's the real "not done", not me posting rumours from solid sources.

Rigging Pin
 

Just checking your confidence levels - still ready to "react quickly" with 4 double crewed machines on 1st July?

Scotsheli - Only time will tell but I am confident DanCopter will start flying the SNS Shell from 1st of July onwards.

It will definitely not be Bristow :E

RP

I'm probably just being dim, as usual, but I think the expected, and correct, answers to Scotsheli's question would be one of the following two:-

"Yes, we will have four double crewed machines on 1st July"

"No, we will not have four double crewed machines on 1st July"

Rigging pin's statement that "I am confident DanCopter will start flying the SNS Shell from 1st of July onwards" is not one of the above, and could be proven to be true simply by flying one flight only on 1st July. RP leaves us enormous room for to form a misunderstanding! Is he prepared to honour us with a correct answer???

Aaaw..
You spoiled the surprise...:ugh:

I was waiting until the CHC machines turned up to see what all the Dancopter can cope guys would say....:rolleyes:

Its no fun any more...:{

so I guess using CHC to fulfill commitment in early days if unable to get to full strength in time could be called "Plan B"?

@ Mazadriver - "RP leaves us enormous room for to form a misunderstanding! Is he prepared to honour us with a correct answer???"
There won't be any correct answers until July 1st has gone by. I only give my opinion on what I think is going to happen.

DanCopter will start July 1st... Maybe on their own.. maybe with help from CHC, Bond, Bel Air, Atlantic Airways and let's throw in NHV as well. :ok:

Sorry for Bristow (Read - sorry for their pilots, engineers and support staff)
Too bad management has :mad: up.

RP

Thanks for the answer, RP, I appreciate it. So it's clear now that your statements, which you write in a very definitive manner, are not based on some shred of fact or rumours you've acquired from a reliable source, but instead are simply your own speculations you've dreamt up and hence are based on nothing.

As a result, I infer that (double-negative alert!) you definitely don't know it "will definitely not be Bristow"! Cheers, for my renewed sense of optimism:)

If Shell award a contract to a small operator at the 11th hour and expect them to start at 2 bases with full crewing in the space of a few weeks then they only have themselves to blame if the start up does not run to plan.

It is not possible to simply open a box of fully trained new pilots and engineers. Even those from the existing operator who have been offered jobs have apparently been held to their 3 month notice period and are therefore unable to start until October. A company does not simply hire 20 new pilots with the prospect that they might be awarded a contract. They hire them once the contract is awarded.

The Doomsayers on here will no doubt crawl back into their crewrooms after the 1st July (and I note that these are the same people who predicted that Dancopter would have no airframes for the contract). Maybe Dancopter will start with help from elsewhere - I have no idea - but I will bet that they will make a success of the contract.

And of course we all know that BHL and CHC never have any problems.

The reason they don´t have enough pilots (if that is the akilles heel) could be that they offered a pretty bad deal for those pilots wanting to join them. A pre-decided bag of money, think around 30 000 euros, that should cover everything from transport, lodging to cost of EC155 typerating.

Those who did the math came up short even if they would have made it within the minimum hours required.

dude, you dont get experienced pilots to pay for their own typerating on the North Sea, get real.

Maybe you were one of the many who did not pass the Dancopter pilot selection tests?

Bristows still have work out of Norwich . While any work lost is a cause for concern it was not the only contract.

I expected Dancopters "Can do" philosophy to be stretched in the early days but Isn't getting someone else to " Can do" the work streeeeetching it a bit far after all that has been said on here.

I leave for my learned friends to decide my Lud.

Lowfat. Have you heard of a quaint little rule called 'Flight and Duty Time Limits'?

If pilot numbers are an issue - which is clearly not Dancopters fault - then even with the best will in the world and a 'can do' attitude, Dancopter cannot crew the aircraft until adequate numbers have been employed.

What is your problem?

Epiphany:

the question to your answer is no, I have not applied for Dancopter or been rejected.

Is that the only reason you think anyone could possibly make the statement I did ? Kind of a cheap shot from you.

I stand by my comment, the deal they offered was really bad and quite unworthy of a Danish major league operator (as they are now).

But I wish them the best of luck, their salary is up to industry standard and they have a good equal time roster.

I at least think it´s a blow to Dancopter´s reputation that they cannot start the contract first of July as first announced.

Standing on the sideline watching I think the whole transition from Bristow to Dancopter was sloppy work, way to tight on time and all major decisions being taken in the absolute last minute. But I leave it to Shell (managemnt) to draw conculsions of this :)

Why would there be any reflection of Dancopters reputation? The blame lies entirely with Shell. If they had awarded the contract with sufficient time for the new contractor to prepare then there would have been no problem. Shell know this which is why Dancopter still have the contract and will within a few months be performing as they would have been had the contract been awarded 6 months ago and not 6 weeks ago.

Of course it would have been easier for BHL as they already have the infrastructure and crews in place. Unfortunately for BHL Shell decided otherwise. Unfortunately for Shell they awarded the contract at the last minute and will now have to accept a slower start.

In relation to your statement about Dancopter TC's and salary I find it hard to believe that someone who professes to know so much about these things has no interest in joining Dancopter.

@Swinging Rotor
 

I dont know anything about the awarding process or how much lead time was given to Dancopter, but what I know for sure is that the numbers you mention are false!

The ammount offered by Dancopter for EC155 type training was considerably higher and covered for the training, even if youve been too stupid to pass the test on the first attempt or needed the MCC as well.

Either your "inside contacts" couldnt do the maths (Offer was in Danish Kronen) or they just didnt know what they were talking about!

Epifany

I have no problem with Dancopter more power to there elbow...

I couldn't careless about duty times, actions not words are the valid discussion at the moment.

They cleary were awarded a contract they cannot do in the time frame it was bid on. Isn't that irresponsible? Falling back on one of the evil corporations slated so often in this thread.

Its like getting the didicoy that tarmacs your drive into build a Motorway. You get what you pay for.

Loaf fat,

Clearly you have an axe to grind of some sort and therefore your comprehension and coherence are temporarily challenged so I will leave you to your grinding. Have fun.

epiphany


a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.

Shouldn't that be

epicalyptry

describe concealment from self or resistance to insight.



No axe just an opposed point of view.

Wow - you have a dictionary. Pity you don't use it more often.

Dancopter do care about duty times fortunately which is why they need to employ more pilots for the Shell SNS contract. Most qualified NS pilots have a 3 month notice period to work so cannot start on 1st July. How can Dancopter employ these pilots if they are not given at least 3 months notice of succesful bid?

Dancopter bid for the contract along with others in the time frame allocated by Shell. The irresponsibility lies with not informing the succesful bidder in sufficient time for them to prepare for the start of the contract. How is that the fault of Dancopter? No company has 5 spare airframes and 20 spare pilots waiting for a possible contract award. Not even BHL.

I am not employed by Dancopter but know the company and know that the criticism levelled at them by yourself and others here is not justified.

By all means have an opposing point of view. Just tell me WHY you think Dancopter is at fault?

So Dancopter are not culpable and it is all Shells Fault?

I'll get my coat.

Swinging Rotor
Atleast on the topic of paying for TR I think you have been mis-informed....
No pilot that I know of has had to buy their own type-rating as part of DC employment. DC paid the provider direct with my case.
They might have asked at the outset but quickly realised that was not the way forward?

Before you get your coat just tell me why you think that Dancopter are culpable? You have been vocal enough but your ramblings have not stated a logical argument and I cannot see why you have not. Unless of course your only purpose in posting here is to wind people up

@ MazdaDriver - I hate to ruin your "renewed sense of optimism" but my statements are based on info received from different sources, my own experiences and sometimes even facts, which all together form my opinion.
My "definitely not Bristow" statement arises from the facts Bristow has informed their staff they lost SNS Shell, they are making EC155 crews etc. redundant and they have 2 out of 3 EC155's for sale..... Hence my conclusion :8

RP

Last thing I heard from Dancopter is that they dont consider you for a job if you dont have the right typerating.

Thats right....I've applied from their website and thats what i got for answer....gotta have AW139, EC155 or EC225's rating to be considered.....:ugh:

Let's see how many people I can wind up with my new comment.... (Again form solid sources, so don't question my credibility :rolleyes:)

Dancopter has managed to offer more payload in a their 155 then in Belair's 139, on a similar flight with similar circumstances and conditions. How the hell is that possible? Belair apparently has finally started to complain with the incompetent Danish CAA. Good for them. Go Belair!

Don't shoot the messenger! *putting on bullitproof vest*

Also on a side note, what's the Shell requirement for commanders? Dancopter apparently are taking on direct entry captains with just over 500 hours on type and offshore experience, with less then 2 winters offshore.... :confused:

I have it from 3 independent friends/ex colleagues that the money offered by DC for the typerating was not enough. And I trust these guys word for it. And the statement that they would mix up euros and kroner is just stupid.

Maybe the recruitment offer has changed over time, but this what was what offered to them. I thought this was cheap.

And Epiphany, I have the latest DC salary list, so I am pretty well into the subject, thanks for asking. And no, it wasn´t good enough to consider applying. for various reasons (brutto salary not being one of them).

I think the tone of this thread is pretty bad, so I´m not going to contríbute any more.

fly safe guys

SNI - you have missed your vocation in life. You should have been a stand-up comedian.

More pax in 155 then in 139 :ooh:

... Only if you put two on winch and three on hook :E

Epiphany
 

Why thank you! :ok: And Dancopter should join me on stage as a magician! With Shell in the front row doing: :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Exclusive news for your eyes only by the way: Bristow will do half of Dancopter's flights in July :oh:

Really seems to me as another big bite that they aren't able to chew themselves :( That's 3 out of 4 permanent contracts they have now...

Are you sure you want to continue your job as Dancopter PR manager?

Cheers!

I just read my last post, and oh snap, it's hella funny!

Come on, even you should see that! :O

PS. Now don't be all angry and stuff and try to reveal my identity :=