Desperate Times?

[Gary Watson]

 

Could not agree more..

 

Despite having the same last name and from the same province I have not been tainted by this bozo.

 

When the pretend-a-world-savers, first started out they went up the North Pacific to protest the Bering Sea Whaling industry (circa late 60s-early 70's) but they only went to the Queen Charlotte Islands and camped out at an area known as the hot springs.

For the next number of weeks they submitted daily press releases to the world on how they were saving the whales when in reality they were partying it up and making a pig sty out of the hot springs area. Between press releases they would be ordering booze and planning what they would saying in the next press release with their HQ in Vancouver.

They used of course,the marine telephone system that was a VHF radio where everyone could hear the shore transmission and if you had a tunable reeciver, both side of the conversations. Dumb, dangerous bunch.

 

Conservation is great, but eco-terrorism seems to be the tactic now days with the tree-spiking in particular.

 

Now, back on topic................

 

Still seems to be opportunities out there on the maintenance side of the house.

[Elan Head]

Hi all,

 

I thought the topic of this thread (the original one!) would make for an interesting poll, so if you visit our home page and scroll to the bottom, you can weigh in on the subject of low-time pilots working for free.

 

I will be interested to see the results!

 

Cheers,

 

Elan

[Petit-Lion]

I have 100 hours, turbine, a 5-years degree, I am a former computer scientist, currently translator, I want to buy a R44 and I am willing to fly it for you if you pay me the fuel. While not flying I can cook lunches, fix computers, type and proofread letters, answer the phone, welcome visitors, teach ground school, turn wrenches, manage the maintenance scheduling system, order parts and do some accouting. I can do so for a year or two in the hope of building a few hundreds of hours, until I run out of money. Then I will sell my R44, so I can pay your fuel to fly your chopper for a few more hundreds of hours. Then I'll be broke, but have maybe 1000 hours. Then I will sweep the hangar, wash helicopters, and clean the toilets in a manner that will remove you from any concerns regarding my skills as a professional helicopter pilot.

[18speed]

I have 100 hours, turbine, a 5-years degree, I am a former computer scientist, currently translator, I want to buy a R44 and I am willing to fly it for you if you pay me the fuel. While not flying I can cook lunches, fix computers, type and proofread letters, answer the phone, welcome visitors, teach ground school, turn wrenches, manage the maintenance scheduling system, order parts and do some accouting. I can do so for a year or two in the hope of building a few hundreds of hours, until I run out of money. Then I will sell my R44, so I can pay your fuel to fly your chopper for a few more hundreds of hours. Then I'll be broke, but have maybe 1000 hours. Then I will sweep the hangar, wash helicopters, and clean the toilets in a manner that will remove you from any concerns regarding my skills as a professional helicopter pilot.

I think that Guardian would be impressed with your offer, Give them a call. I heard they hire low time people with drive. Please don't apply if you are lazy.

 

[SDC]

As someone who is about to embark on flight training, this is disturbing to say the least...but not surprising. The problems for low time pilots have been pointed out repeatedly, as well as the use of foreign pilots by Canadian companies.

 

I was hoping that rather than continue to discuss the problem, the community might start to discuss possible solutions. Nike and Gap didn't stop using child labour to manufacture their goods until it became a public embarassment. While I don't see the naming of names happening on this forum, I wonder what would encourage (not force) these companies to change their practices. That said, the flip side is that while they may use more affordable (??) pilots, they are atleast willing to give the low timers a chance to earn hours.

 

So what are the possible solutions? Term contracts like hockey players use so that an employer can lock in wages for a defined number of years? Establishing a fixed period where pilots are expected to fly for free, such that everyone does the same work and all employers are free to use their services without negative connotation?

 

This forum seems to have excellent participation, frankness, and willingness to share information. I think the sharing of ideas to identify all the underlying causes of this problem would be beneficial, as well as ideas for how to improve the situation.

 

Just two cents from someone who is very new to this board.

[smoothair]

I think that Guardian would be impressed with your offer, Give them a call. I heard they hire low time people with drive. Please don't apply if you are lazy.

 

I know it is desperate times. and the 100 hour guy wants to work for free. Don't people read these things. why would one work for free and make the company money. and if you think the said company would hire you on full time later. its a rotating door. you got to get to two years. do your research. I rather be unemployed. if you can survive this season, i think it has to pick up. exploration can't stay shut down.

[18speed]

I know it is desperate times. and the 100 hour guy wants to work for free. Don't people read these things. why would one work for free and make the company money. and if you think the said company would hire you on full time later. its a rotating door. you got to get to two years. do your research. I rather be unemployed. if you can survive this season, i think it has to pick up. exploration can't stay shut down.

I was in Chicago last summer visiting a large ENG helicopter company, I was introduced to a pilot with over 1000 hrs and Astar time who was hanging around the hanger and working for free doing hanger work in anticipation of flying for the company. This is just the new reality of the business. He did get the odd ferry flight and was paid for flying. Yes exploration can stay shut down for a very long time.

[donnybrook]

Though this topic has been done to death, at least I would have hoped, I would just like to say this...again.

 

If you are willing to work for free, you are letting an employer know the value of your skills. If you are working for free in order to get a flying seat, and then subsequently you expect to start getting paid for the same work, you are probably in for a shock. The employers who participate in this scam are obviously not at the top of the moral scale, and at the end of your "contract", when you suddenly get released for some B.S. reason, there will be another wide-eyed dreamer salivating to take your place.

 

Like another poster has stated, I would rather be unemployed or do something else until the industry picks up. There are good companies out there, so find them and pay your dues like most of us!

 

 

[Guest Angry Egg Driver]

Just remember the last time the NDP got into power in BC.Exploration came to a standstill.Think twice before you vote for them this time around.NDP will SHITCAN exploration for years to come.

[Helilog56]

Just remember the last time the NDP got into power in BC.Exploration came to a standstill.Think twice before you vote for them this time around.NDP will SHITCAN exploration for years to come.

 

Ahhh yes AED, not to forget one of their better projects, we the taxpayers got stuck with......the fastcat ferry fiasco. Thank you Glen Clark for the hundreds of millions invested into aluminum bathtubs.