marc

The cranes are part of the American HTS. The Canadian and American divisions are separate companies run pretty much completely independently. There is near zero cross over of workers between sides. The odd contract pilot may work for both. I am not disputing anything in your post, just wanted to clarify the difference.

I do not know if you are referencing a specific event, but I recall going on numerous SAR missions in the ST with local search teams in all seasons. Anyways, I no longer work on the line and have been happily employed somewhere else a little closer to home. I don't have a horse in the race at all.

There were some cold ones Winnie! And a lot of good days ended with a few cold ones. Best of luck to all the applicants. It will be interesting to see where CHL managed to find savings. The 61 is a four crew machine year wround where as the 214ST had two guys in the summer.

They may find pilots and engineers to reside in Goose Bay and perhaps Inuvik. Maybe Iqaluit. But no way in Cambridge Bay and Hall Beach.

So maximum two weeks (168 hours) of duty days in a row? If you are away from home on shift somewhere, do weather or other non-planned no fly days count as a duty day? Or is there no way to have a shift longer than two weeks?

Speedgeeza, I was not responding to your post specifically. Just some of the general views expressed in the thread.

The guys currently working the DEW line contract are paid a salary year round as well as a set day rate for the days you are up north. For a year round contract with a fixed four week rotation where the weather can vary wildly, it makes more sense than being paid actual flight hours. Some shifts haven't turned a blade! Now the VFR side I have no idea how that works pay wise. But really, with so many companies and so many different types of work and different types of pilots and engineers, it always ends up being up to the company and worker to make their own deal. Don't like the deal, move on and quit whining about it. Nothing I hate more than people who moan about their current employment situation when the solution is easy: quit and find a better situation. Worked for me over the years.

I took a Harbour Air flight recently. The pilot props an Ipad up where all can see and a quick video plays. Why not have an Ipad or similar device available for any ground personal to use? If everyone has to pile in while the helicopter is running, all the pilot has to do is ask his pax "Buckled up, good to go? Everyone watch the breifing on the Ipad?" Then go.

4/4 . Equal time. I would be happy with 3/3 as well. 2/2 I am not so sure. Maybe if total travel time was 8 hours or less. I really like 4/4 because it doesn't feel like a 'waste' to just sit around doing nothing the first few days home.

Contact these guys: www.alaskahelicopterflightseeing.com

I would speculate they were testing a new T/R design. Would think they would come out with a more "modern" one to go with the 5 bladed main rotor????? Who knows.... The 214 B/ST Tailrotor/TR Drive is very proven and robust. As for the ST, I have had fun wrenching on the only one registered and flying regularly in Canada for the last three years! 525 will be the same cabin size and the same engine(newer version). I would bet there will be a few more bits borrowed as is the Bell tradition like maybe the C-Box. It is a shame they messed up their test bed, looks like they will be shopping for another. Two and a half years ago, while taking the ST type course at the Bell Training Center in Fort Worth there were 6 Bell design engineers crawling all over the 214ST training ship. We were joking with them about Bell coming out with a 414. They kind of winked and said, "Just you wait and see!" They asked us a few questions about what would be useful in a new helicopter that size. I think we told them to just be sure to keep a good solid cargo hook set up not some thing hung off of a composite belly. Anyways, it will be a loooonnnngggggg time before a 525 is seen in a utiltiy role in Canada.

Just a quick note: Be sure to specifically ask Bell to put the TC approval number on your type course certificates. They do not automatically do this. You may have to take TC specific tests during the course at Bell. This is no big deal and they are just to "jump through the TC hoop" so-to-speak.

I went to BCIT. I have done a couple type courses at NLC in Dawson. I really think it does not matter too much where you go. Whatever you think will be easiest for your finances probably will be the best. One thing is for sure; the guys who are genuinely interested after the first month, make friends with like minded classmates, enjoy and do well in the classroom and on the floor, and get along with the instructors are the guys who are successful finding work. The guys who slack off, ***** and moan and barely get by are the ones left at the end going wtf? These are the ones that start threads on forums about what a scam and waste of time AME school is because there is no job "waiting for them". Bottom line wherever you go: Go to school, do well, make friends and have fun going out partying and seeing the shows. It is that last month at school and the first after that really matter. This is where you should put a lot of effort into getting out there looking for that first job. Get in contact with as many prospective employers as possible and get some face to face time if you can. BE PREPARED TO MOVE. When an employer asks if you are willing to relocate, there should be an immediate response of: " Yes, It will be no problem at all." Once you are licensed you can start looking for that rotational job or one in a place you like. Half of my class at BCIT had jobs starting the week after our school was done. These were the guys you could tell wanted it in the first week. On your Kelowna-Vernon thing, I think that commute would be a pain in the *** myself. If SAIT is close and convenient, go there. If you are going to move, go to Dawson.

It would be a failure to knowingly overlook someones concerning behavior. Two different scenarios. Yes, people can do what they want on their own time, and being arbitrarily tested does invade their privacy. These people are all of us hard working pilots and engineers who show up every day to work. Yes, if an employer willingly ignores "Drinky McSnortaline" as just being an 'eccentric' and something happens, the employer is at fault for not enforcing adherence to a reasonable work environment. We are all evaluated every day by our managers, colleagues, and customers. You are right! I am not afraid at all. That is not the point. We should just let the police search our cars or pockets whenever they like right? I mean anyone without anything illegal should not fear! No, if you show up drunk, high or ridiculously hung over you are cheating your employer.

It really comes down to this whole nanny state philosophy of shifting the responsibility of an individuals actions away from the individual himself. If an employee f's up and causes harm to machinery or persons because of his deliberate use of a mind altering substance, it is his failure and he has to deal with the consequences. If an employer gets complaints or notices less than stellar performance and does not step up and fix the situation before such an incident, it is their failure and share some blame. What you do on your own time is definitely NONE of your employers business. If you show up on their time not ready to do your job to the highest standard then it definitely IS their business. But it is their business to rectify the problem by dealing with the individual of concern, not by making everybody else have to give up just a little more of their personal liberty for "the greater good".