windslapper Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 I guess there always comes a time that you have to make a choice to help. For less than the price of one coffee a week you can be part of a group whose only purpose is to advance the interests of pilots and engineers. Seems like a safe bet, as there is no down side. I, like many, have been on the sidelines wondering what HEPAC can do for me or us and have come to the realization that I am approaching it from the wrong frame of mind. If HEPAC was formed as a group to give voice to pilots and engineers and I am one of the above, then to paraphrase JFK, shouldn’t I be asking not what they can do for me but what I can do to help them? It is, after all, myself that I am helping. The founders have set up the framework that we have and they have not tried to impose their views here but have asked the rest of us to take on the responsibilities of finding a consensus among us of views to put forward for all of us. To some this has been misconstrued to mean that they do not have a position on important topics when in reality they have done the hard work of creating a place that we all can help define our position. Does anyone here think we do not need a mentoring program? A group that can hit back at idiotic 'consultants'? Discuss ways to improve our chances of coming home at night? Find affordable insurance? So if there is an issue that you feel passionate about, you don’t need to wait and see what somebody else can do about it, you now have an organization through which you can start a committee to address it. After chewing it over, I think if I am willing to ***** about the problems then I had best be willing to help find the solutions. I think HEPAC is a good place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helilog56 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Very eloquent also windslapper.....and when I read posts like that, it is encouraging. But "old" is absolutely correct.....how does one go about getiing such a diverse group of type A personalities to agree on anything? HEPAC is just a basic foundation for representation and pehaps lobbying on a more bureacratic level for funding, that would be of a benefit for our industry. But it does need support and cash flow to achieve a start........no promises have been made. Some here see the point of it......most do not. It will only "fly", if enough think it is worth supporting. Cheers, H56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helilog56 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Oh, and by the way......the title of this thread is bang on HEPAC was in jeopardy right from the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakey Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Devils advocate for a minute. Happyfoot.... which side of the fence did you decide too fall on this week? No promises were made ( No platform was made ) Its easy to tell everyone to jump on board when you are working and paying your bills but when someone (like myself) questions what it is we will be joining and what it can do for me? (Thats right what it can do for me) The answer is join and find out. I guess once your flying the Skycrane you forget that you once had a 100 hrs. If there was a glimmer of hope that HEPAC would help 100hr guys then they should of at least commented when the foriegn hire issue came up but they didn't. I guess it doesn't matter anyway. If I don't agree I'm just bitter. You can't win on either side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bs205 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 I for one hope HEPAC does not disappear. I will again send in my dues, and will next year and the year after. It is a small price to pay some volunteers to try and help this industry. I do not want to volunteer, my hats off to those that do , good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helilog56 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Devils advocate for a minute. Happyfoot.... which side of the fence did you decide too fall on this week? No promises were made ( No platform was made ) Its easy to tell everyone to jump on board when you are working and paying your bills but when someone (like myself) questions what it is we will be joining and what it can do for me? (Thats right what it can do for me) The answer is join and find out. I guess once your flying the Skycrane you forget that you once had a 100 hrs. If there was a glimmer of hope that HEPAC would help 100hr guys then they should of at least commented when the foriegn hire issue came up but they didn't. I guess it doesn't matter anyway. If I don't agree I'm just bitter. You can't win on either side Well not quite shakey......I work with ab initio students on a regular basis instructing at Chinook also......well aware of where my roots are flying a 47. Of course HEPAC is concerned of foreign hires......its "one" of many reasons why the effort. This industry also has been my home for over 32 years......would love to see some support from the feds for developement of "Canadian" talent. No....of course you dont have to agree, everyone has a valued opinion. If you dont believe in what it may be able to develope into......do what "most" will do, sit on the sidelines. Leave the bitter thing to us grouchy old logging pilots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldywings Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Well not quite shakey......I work with ab initio students on a regular basis instructing at Chinook also......well aware of where my roots are flying a 47. Of course HEPAC is concerned of foreign hires......its "one" of many reasons why the effort. This industry also has been my home for over 32 years......would love to see some support from the feds for developement of "Canadian" talent. No....of course you dont have to agree, everyone has a valued opinion. If you dont believe in what it may be able to develope into......do what "most" will do, sit on the sidelines. Leave the bitter thing to us grouchy old logging pilots I wouldn't describe those who choose not to send money to an unproved and untested organization with a limited membership as *sitting on the sidelines*. Let us not forget that until the fairly recent muzzling of certain individuals HEPAC was starting to sound like a bunch of angry thugs intent upon insulting and alienating anyone who dared ask a question. I for one quite liked the idea of general representation and was almost signed on the dotted line until I watched the nonsense unfold on here in the various HEPAC threads. To be quite honest, I decided I didn't want to be associated with a group that had members and founders behaving as they were. This seems to have changed but I am sure I am not the only one with a *wait and see* attitude. Anyhow, to the volunteers giving their time and effort, the best of luck! WW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splitpin Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Good luck trying to get any group as diverse as pilots and engineers to agree on anything but the broadest of topics. Throw in the owners and a perfect recipe for disaster. we all take ourselves too seriously. Tale a look at all the aviation mags as an example. When was the last time you read any thing the least bit humourous in any of them? Including this one! We all run around with our nickers in a knot when we are really machinery operators and mechanics. Chew on that for a while. Truer words were never spoken "Old" There is nothing "Special" about us. We are just workers trying to make a living like everyone else in the world. So you can fly, big deal, you can pretty well teach anyone to fly. It doesn't make you a God-Like figure. So you can fix helicopters, once again, big deal. Given the right training, anyone can do it. There is a LOT of equipment floating around that is a H-ll of a lot more complicated and dangerous than a Helicopter! A Helicopter is just another piece of machinery, driven by "Operators and fixed by "mechanics". If this post does not light a fire under this site--nothing will!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiloMike Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Well not quite shakey......I work with ab initio students on a regular basis instructing at Chinook also......well aware of where my roots are flying a 47. Of course HEPAC is concerned of foreign hires......its "one" of many reasons why the effort. So Bob, How many foriegn pilots you see walk in the doors at Chinook, drop off some $$$$ fly a couple hrs, and out the door with a freshly minted Canadian license.?? Tough to make a stand with HEPAC about foreign pilots i bet. All kidding aside I would do whatever is paying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helilog56 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 So Bob, How many foriegn pilots you see walk in the doors at Chinook, drop off some $$$$ fly a couple hrs, and out the door with a freshly minted Canadian license.?? Tough to make a stand with HEPAC about foreign pilots i bet. All kidding aside I would do whatever is paying. Fair enough......what about contacting your local MLA and raising concerns also? For a lot of you that complain about the problem....try a political avenue. There is a huge open door policy in Canada that allows a large inflow of foreign workers.....period. It is just not about our industry. But yes....to answer your question of how many do I see.......way to many. Geez....is a small upstart association like HEPAC supposed to take on Customs and Immigration by itself? Takes time effort and money.....gotta start somewhere!! H56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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