Sticking the Job
 

Why is it, in the Police aviation world, pilots dont seem to stick the job?

You are always moving around without showing some commitment to your employers and colleagues?

Engineers dont have any problem staying with the same company for years, are you all basically nomadic?:D


Huntnhound

It would be nice to see how long various Police pilots have been in the same unit. I would think that there are quite a few who have committed themselves to the same unit for a long while.

I suppose it helps that they live in the area, because to move around with the family isn't something pilots really want to do anymore. No doubt they probably had enough of that in their past career employment.

Engineers, I think you'll find, 'do' tend to move about a bit.

My only problem with the unit I am with, is I just can't seem to stick to my diet,(or at least sensible eating), what with all the donuts, biscuits, cooked breakfasts, dinners, suppers and more recently, chocolates from the Cadburys reps, always being available.

Excellent job, excellent people and I think it's my turn to cook on Friday.....mmmmm chinese I think!

Happy as the proverbial.....

http://www.animalsanctuary.org/animals/assets/rosie.jpg

See its a food thing:p

Maybe so many of you dont get well enough fed.

Of course there are those that never offer to cook...perhaps they are the ones that move on:D


Huntnhound

Two things here;

Pilots can move around and still be employed by the same company. :ok:

and, more controversially

Perhaps it works the other way round aswell.:ooh:

Cat and pigeons comes to mind...
but, hey, who gives a **ck:

Don't employ anyone with an ATPL(A) / CPL(A), pay them a half decent wage...and the problem goes away overnight :E

So basically thats a critisism of your own industry?

With three or four basic employers in the Police/ambo world are you saying they have the wages all stiffed up?

Heres a six letter word instead of your four......

S**ike till you get better pay!!!

Whoops I forgot....not all of you brothers are in the union are you:eek:

Much different here in the States. Most, not all, Law Enforcement agencies have Pilots from within the force. This is for a variety of reasons. Few leave for greener grass.
www.alea.org is a good source for information.

"So basically thats a critisism of your own industry?

With three or four basic employers in the Police/ambo world are you saying they have the wages all stiffed up?"

Yes, sort of!

The UK has in the past relied on ex-military pilots, many of whom had earned a pension, to fly for the police. Still does to some lesser extent. It allowed the pilots a relatively easy transition (pun) to the civvy world, the police got the job at a low price by very well experienced blokes, and the employers made a reasonable profit.

I decided to move on when the company I worked for lost the contract by putting in a new tender far in excess of their present contract. The new, cheaper, company gaining the contract had no pilots to man it and expected the present incumbents to stay on and accept a lower salary and less time off......

Enough said?

Shytorque; TUPE would have protected your salary and time off.

Good to hear you did that Shy Torque,

I think its a real Shame when Helicopter Pilots let themselves be undersold, it screws it up for everyone.
Hopefully there are more people out there who realise they are not payed enough in comparison to what they have are doing and draw the line.
Any employer who tries to cut costs on the Human element of the machine should be lined up and shot!
I am not a union freak, but I do like Fair play, which is something that I just don't see in this strange buisness.

Don't let yourself be Shafted, If someone can afford to buy and Operate a helicopter they can certainly afford to pay you what you deserve.

I have to agree with ShyTorque.

I have seen a number of pilots use police/air ambo as a transition from the military to civvy street. Given a little time and a few contacts they soon find out what else is out there, and what they are paying and they are off. A bit cynical on my part, I know.

But that is the nature of the employment market. If companies keep handing out memo's like: no more single days leave, keep night shift leave to a minimum, can you think about leave for 2005 and paying bottom dollar, then pilots will keep looking elsewhere. When was the last time you picked up a copy of Flight International and started at the front?

Why oh why will company management not learn that it is cheaper to keep the troops happy, than try to recruit and train new ones?

It will be interesting to see what happens when they start recruiting for jigsaw! :E

How much do rozzer pilots get paid anyway? And are they recruited from all ex mil pilots or do they have a preference of service?

Just out of interest...........

Onthebumline:

Not all police pilots are ex mil, but the CAA does specify minimum experience, which it is much easier to meet if you are ex mil.

Pay is around the mid 30k, with no overtime or any extras. Obviously you are expected to work a shift pattern around the clock. Most of the time pilots are on standby as they only respond to incidents and don't patrol as such. If you fly a couple of hours a day in a 10 or 12 hour shift, then that's a good days flying.

They have a number of excemptions from the Air Navigation Order (the law) which allows -under certain circumstances; low flying and flying in poor weather and at night in poor weather in a machine that may not have any stability aids. The proviso in all of this is that if it all goes wrong, the pilot takes the rap, regardless of the circumstances of what is happening on the ground.

I hope that helps.