Gulf Helicopters Qatar
 

Hi all!

Does anyone here work for or has worked for Gulf Heli's in Qatar?

I did a search for information but there was nothing recent on here and I would like to compare what I have been sent to what others might have.

I'm in the pre stages of employment and would like some feedback before I commit my self to the Middle East. I am not a new IFR driver, but not experienced in offshore type operations to platforms specifically, but have lots of overwater experience i.e.. SAR, winching vessel transfers etc and hold and FAA ATPL Helicopters. The position being offered is Captain. Also some info on Yemen, Saudi and Libya as they mentioned I may tour too those bases. It seems the initial offer is for touring (6n6) but I would like to try married accompanied at some stage if all seems good.

I found on the here that they bond for 50K and 3 years for a 139 endorsement can anyone verify that? I have 412 but not 139.

Thanks

Cuz

Mmmmm ....

Do a search of this rotor heads forum and you will find a wealth of information about working in the M/E.

You do need to do your 'due diligence' with regard any kind of 'Bond' which is generally regarded with loathing and may well be illegal under the law (not that that makes much difference in some places).

I understand from friends there ... that the job is pretty boring but that depends on what your used too ...

The catch phrase that most seem to echo about working in the Arabian Gulf is that ... "If your there for any reason other than the money ... its the wrong reason!"

Draw your own conclusions.

Good luck :E

Trouble is now days in The ME the money is crap

Mmmm ...

...... Trouble is now days in The ME the money is crap ....

That is soooooooo true .... BUT the statement is still valid .... if its not enough then it is not worth being there is it ??

Have a look in your mailbox

Rumour on the street is that FBH have lost the 139 contract and the Arabs are recruiting direct:rolleyes:

"Rumour on the street is that FBH have lost the 139 contract and the Arabs are recruiting direct"

Yep! Rumour is fact, for the QEAF that is

Gulf Helicopters has generally considered a decent company to work for. They have a few bad places where they deploy crews but overall they usually treated their people decently. I am not sure what is going on at GH at the moment but I have recently received a number of CVs from pilots looking to bail out of there and I am not sure why. Maybe some current GH pilots can fill you in better.

Its a brave man that works directly for the Arabs!

Has anyone been to or lived on the Gulf helicopters housing compound?

"If your there for any reason other than the money ... its the wrong reason!"

I feel that's a little unfair. I enjoyed my time in Dubai, and if I wasn't running this place I'd still be there now. Granted, not all places are the same, but I made a lot of Arab friends down there.

phil

Mmmmm ...

....I feel that's a little unfair....

Phil ... that may well be your opinion ... and I know where you worked and I do agree that it is a very good organisation indeed ... BUT it is also one of the lowest paying places in the Gulf.

Having said that the living terms & conditions can make a difference to the perceived total remuneration package ... and thus my statement still holds true (even if it was only meant to be somewhat 'tongue in cheek').

Cheers :}

Yes I was there for 2 years. It's old and tired and some of the residents didn't help by failing to mix or keep the place and their kids in order.

They were supposed to be moving to a new site in 2008 but that seems to have been shelved. Try 6 n 6 at first and only then would I suggest you go accompanied. It's not much fun for the wives. That said it's close to the shops. :eek:

The pay should improve then. Bit of a gamble though.

Thanks for the info :)

I may consider trying the 6:6 at first. The wife has lived overseas with me before and doesn't expect much for accommodations, just hates being apart that long. We also have a small dog, do you remember if anyone ever had pets there?

Thanks again, nice hearing info from someone that's been there

May I suggest that you read up on the local religious practices?

Yea, I had heard they were not big fans of dogs. Guess I will have to sort something out.

Thanks

Helitime1, may I ask whats your previous experience in terms of flight hours and what GH offered you for money?...I applied last year but I refused the offer (Co-Pilot) bacause the money they offered me were just a joke...(184$ per day onsite, 260 off base)...no paid vacation...139 rating after a year of offbase duties.....:mad:

They pay those rates because they have a queue of people willing to accept those rates.

The bachelor's one is simply: Gorgeous :yuk:Specially if you need to share the toilet:yuk::yuk::yuk:

212_Nightdipper...I will give you some details once I make a decision.

Thanks

Thanks helitime1...

212ND

Hi everybody,
i'm re-opening this tread in order to have some fresh news about GH.

Is there any one that can give me some info's about life there, treatment, flying, and any other good info?

Actually i'm considering a 6 on 6 off.

I heard they have laid off some pilots and forced some married accompanied ones to go onto 6/6 against their will. Whether this is linked to FL's retirement and a new acting DOPs I don't know....

I'm considering the 6/6 because move full time to Quatar is not really what i want.
However salary from what i understand is not really good, considering they pay only working days, and not so much.

Matteolo,
Most companies in the Arabian Gulf area only pay your working days, unless you get a "resident" status.

Thanks Tottigoal i didn't know that.
I thought companies like GH, ADA... where paying also the vacations.

However the salary is not so good, this is why i'm trying to understand how is the situation, if some effort can worth the choice, or not.

I'm considering in enter the offshore market, to make a bit more experience on big heli, but i think that this is the worst time to do that, with this oil price.

What is the current day rate for pilots at Gulf Helicopters these days?

GHC News?
 

Understand Redundancies are lightly in some areas due the oil downturn. Would not leave a sound job to join them just now???

OH

:eek:

Doesn't look like a happy place to be right now:

Expats brace for job losses after Qatar Rail, others cut staff - Doha News

Glad to be no longer involved and enjoying the lower cost fuel for my car and central heating oil to keep me worm this winter.
:O

Aaah, the early bird ....

GH daily
 

Gulf Helicopters Captain's daily salary was 503USD in 2013, nowadays is 403USD.

Gulf Helicopters is advertising for captains and co-pilots…any updates on pay rates and living conditions since 2016?

This is the info i got

*Daily Rate of Pay

AED772.80 (For Copilot) this is about 191 euros a day. Pretty low for the life cost in the area.

(This daily rate comprises Basic Wage, Living Allowance, Technical Allowance and Accrued Leave)

Accommodation

ADA will provide bachelor accommodation while onsite

Air Ticket

Return economy class ticket to point of hire at the end of every rotation

Rotation

42/42

So that's 191 Euro per day in the country, right? Works out at 8022 Euros per rotation, giving you a total of ca. 32.000 Euros per year. What about taxes/ social insurance etc. or is that 191 Euros/ day Net Pay?

Not that great to be honest. :rolleyes:

Not great at all

I assume its TAX free money......but you´ll probably have to pay taxes at your home country. Sooo....lets say you´ll need to pay 20% on taxes..... you´ll be getting less than 30.000 a year....and stay away from home more than 6 months a year......

I think the good old good pay days are over ...at least in this part of the world

On the other hand...if you have little experience its a good start

Says in the ad it's tax free. Since I'm from Germany and if I stay gone for more than half the year I'm not liable to taxes etc in Germany, so 2700 Euros net per month. Quite a bit more than what I make now but pay here in Germany is laughable anyway and cost of living is going through the roof right now. But like you said, gone for half the year.... for that kind of money not great.

But also a good start if you can fly a couple of hundred hours in a big twin in a short timeframe, so making you attractive for better gigs somewhere else pretty quick I guess. :hmm:

Do they provide transportation, what's the accomodation like, do you work 42 days straight once you're in the country? Would be interesting to know.

the amount of 32000 euro Is stil way lower than most uneducated jobs in the EU.
This is a Joke, They should be ashamed of themselves, trying to find people willing to work for food

For example. looking on the interweb for a EU country busdriver pay
A bus-driver in Denmark makes on avage 3.776,64 Euro pr month yearly 45319 euro. A bus is normally not twin engined, but if the one powerplant fails you life is still not in danger.