Working for CHC?
 

I'm looking to make a career change and need some advice. I have approx. 6000 hrs w/ 412 and S76 time but only about 200 hrs of offshore time. I'm considering seeking employment with CHC and am wondering if anyone out there could give me some info on what to expect. Positive and negative aspects, benefits, compensation, working conditions, aircraft etc. Any help would be appreciated.

CHC is a pretty tidy outfit, at least it is in Oz. Depends where you wanna go, CHC Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia???

:)

We've had a few of our guys go over to CHC Global, who seems to be doing all the hiring. If you are young and keen it is a great place for your career: good training with annual sim, fly new types, command as soon as you meet their company minimums - regardless of what the contract calls for or whether they need a captain or not. If you're tired of old fart captains that don't let you touch the controls, CHC makes them switch seats and duties, again, good for the young guys - the older ones may feel challenged in both respect and authority. You are expected to fly command or copilot from either seat. What a novel idea - I always wondered why both sides had identical controls and instrumentation.

The bad is that a lot of their work where the oil is. Expect to work in the kind of countries that that you wouldn't vacation in. It is a 6 week tour on location with six weeks off, so your lifestyle may seem a little schizo. For a lot of helicopter pilots only a six week tour and then equal time off is far better than they are used to.

Pay and benefits seem good. Lots of jobs so like everyone else they have to pay to keep. Not everyone that tries it stays, which means that you still have to like that kind of thing. Most offshore guys can only dream wistfully about the rest of us hanging out the left door looking at a hook.

Charon

Charron
 

Be advised that CHC does not force Captains to put a First Officer in the right seat. As always, that option is SCD (Subject to Captains Discretion). As with every other aspect of this business, a FO must earn the respect of line Captains before he/she would be flying the right seat under supervision.

As for being challenged, the only big challence I find with the younger FO types is how to properly motivate them to increase thier knowledge of the aircraft systems, limitations and emergency procedures. Self improvement is not something that is a given any more, I guess.

CHC is a good outfit all around. No complaints from me at all.

Cheers,

Working for CHC
 

Check http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=246969

Do you know if there are any Icelandic pilots with CHC?

I know of one Icelandic chap working for CHC. I think he's flying in Canada.

Ab139 engineer
 

:ok:
Good company to work for, they are likely to ask you to go to Nigeria, as there is a pilot shortage there.

If you have B412 and S76 why you don't think about Bristow? You would likely be sent to Nigeria with CHC, but Bristow have many more bases and helicos in Nigeria than CHC. They have S76 and B412 in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Eket and Calabar, Warri and Escravos and have just introduced 6/6 roster to compete with CHC. Sadly they have not said what they will pay yet or if additional benefits will be part of their new deal. CHC has only Port Harcourt with just the 7 S76 and are changing everything to Canadian way of doing things, so many feel standards is slipping. Also, with Bristow money (US$) is paid equal amount into your account every month, but with CHC money (Canadian$) has to be claimed for every month, else you will get only the basic pay and the pay varies every month depending whether you are on tour or off tour.
With CHC in Nigeria all SFOs are nationals and fly a lot in the right seat. With Bristow they have quite a few expat SFO. With your hours, but low offshore, Bristow would offer you SFO, followed by promotion as soon as you have enough offshore time and as you fly 80+ hours every month you'd soon get that. Also, with the new roster you can ask to work 8/4 roster if you want more money or flight time, something CHC refuse to offer.

It would appear that CHC are still considering Global domination but on a reduced scale. I hear there are a few pilots (new co-pilots to CHC) sitting around, on full salary, waiting for training to commence. Unfortunately there are not enough aircraft or training captains to carry out the requisite training and subsequently, they are in a catch 22 situation. I also hear interviews took place at the end of last week with a few non-IR rated guys being considered too.

Must be costing them a considerable amount of money to train people and then have them sit about doing very little for months on end.

Helimutt,
From what you're saying, it sounds as if the move of 'Uncle Bob' was CHCs loss and Bristow's gain. Wonder where he'll go next :E

Mr Helimutt, are you referring to the UK or somewhere else ?

regards

CF

Yes I was referring to uk.

H.Mutt

i know two people who have recently been hired by chc UK and they are sitting at home on full pay awaiting chc to come up with some aircraft

Same in Nigeria :{

not so bad is it, being paid to stay at home.

having done nothing but work for the last 20 years, if I were them I would enjoy it while I can

regards

CF

I know of 6 people on full pay, sitting at home until next year. over 200k/year paid out for nothing. nice!:ok: