2014 Season - Need For Foreign Pilots?

[Heliduck]

I'm interested in hearing from operators regarding the need for seasonal foreign pilots to fill seats for the 2014 season. I'm talking about positions to suit a 5000hr B206/B2/B3e production longline pilot/fires/spraying/survey etc. The operators I spoke to last year certainly didn't need any outside help, I hope the industry has picked up a bit this year.

[Twin Helix]

I'd like to see a little more effort on the part of operators to get some hours to low-time guys so we can reduce the number of 500-1000 hour imports needed/used. Anyone know what the HAC stance is on the issue/what they're doing to lobby?

[shakey]

Fred Jones is all for foreign hire and he's the Pres of HAC. He even wrote a letter to the minister of Immagration for HAC asking to allow more. So as far as lobbying I'd say he's doing a pretty good job f@cking the Low hour guys over and even the higher hour ones.

[Hazy]

Everybody that disagrees with Fred Jones, should call him personally. Unfortunately, I do not have his number to post.

[problemchild64]

I think something to think about is the basic question,...... positions for low time pilots. I'm sorry, I'm all for every one to fill a seat and be on their happy helicopter way. But 2 years ago, I did witness a certain operator that had a solid low time foreign pilot roster will many the same homegrown boy's weren't there. I found all because the good ole $$$$$ factor. Shame......Shame

[R0T0R]

I know of a similar operator. Kinda pissed me off to hear that he was from Europe, trained in the US, converted to Canadian and was counting down the time till he got back home to work there...so nice to build experienced drivers for other countries.

[USL-Toad]

Before the foreigner bashing commences - A point to the Canadians that have never worked outside of Canada and perhaps don't see for that reason, is the shear amount of Canadian pilots working all over the world.

 

The company I work for in Europe currently has 1 Canadian pilot, but he was 1 of 2 last year. At the same time there were 3 European pilots, 1 Oz, 1 Kiwi and the rest British. I have to say I admire the company's approach to hiring, they have taken low time guys on and experienced - country of origin is not the most important factor. I have seen natives here with the most appalling attitude that believe, just because they are National, they are owed a job. The wealth of knowledge and experience everybody brings from their own country is fantastic and a benefit to the operation.

 

Surely we didn't all learn to fly helicopters to burn around in the same 100nm of airspace for the rest of our lives? A desire of freedom runs through every helicopter pilots veins, and seeing the world with the qualifications we all have worked so hard for is, as I see it, one of the perks.

 

Every country has its low-timers, and operators in every country are guilty of not bringing up the low-time pilots. Some company's are great at it. But in every country, you will find the same problem and even if every pilot went home to their own country to work and only nationals flew in their own airspace - it wouldn't fix the problem of low-timers getting a start. The problem is with 'Health and Safety experts' requiring more and more hours, making them almost become the 'employer' as they are stating what level of experience a pilot has to be at to fly their contract.

 

I've read through some threads and agree whole heartily that we need to work on training and bringing low-timers up. But the hire of foreign pilots is not exclusive to Canada by any means.

 

As for the operators that hire foreign pilots for the sake of saving thousands of dollars as some claim - I don't believe it is the case for most operators, just an occasional few. Do any Canadians really want to work for an operator like that anyway? As is the case with every country, regardless of size of the landmass, the industry is small and word travels quickly.

 

 

[Cpt Biggles]

Nicely said NSL TOAD. I see similar situation as I woo wop around.

[shakey]

We will just agree to disagree Toad. If the job can be filled by Nationals it should. Surely there enough good young people with the right attitude amongst the self entitled to fill these positions.

 

Also the Companies that are so called known to treat people like crap would simply go away or be forced to change their attitude towards how they treat their staff.

[Guest driver81]

Well said shakey. If the companies that treat people like crap went away. There would be more opportunities with the companies that are treating there employees good. There is a reason Canadians don't work there. They love the foreign pilots on LMO work visas because if they leave they have to go home.