On-Line Petition Agains Tfw Pilots

[Maury]

And yet helilog56, airccrane certainly used to hire many Canadians for their operations in Canada. Are they still employed as I see that aircrane has applications for quite a few foreign workers? And if not, why not. If they are not prepared to hire Canadians to work in Canada, I am sure that someone would eventually step up with the required equipment, and hire Canadians if they felt money could be made.

As you have pointed out in the past, Canadians are welcome to work for aircrane but not in America. You seem to be the exception to the rule but even you admit the hassle with visas.

Other countries have put in provisos that require a local to be part of the aircrew, including endorsement, though due to experience or ability, they may not be flying the machine. Obviously, this is added costs to aircrane, and maybe if that requirement were in Canada, then aircrane may realize that it would actually save them money to endorse a capable Canadian pilot to fly the thing and not just be a piece of meat. You have to admit that there is no shortage of Canadian pilots that know how to longline as well as anyone in the world and they are simply missing the endorsement. Giving a capable pilot an endorsement is simply part of the cost of doing business. Especially with aircrane, they can name their price and just add the cost of the endorsement into the contract price. It is not like that is not done with every other business in the world.

I do not have a problem with a short term contract like a week or something for a single or couple of pick move, but to come here and log regularly does not cut it. Period

[Helilog56]

I see you know little of what has transpired in the logging arena. Every pilot in BC logging are Canadians, and every maintenance crew member is also Canadian......the only time a U.S., Austrian, Italian, or Kiwi, (etc), pilot comes up, is to do fill in if one gets sick and can not perform their duties.

The power line work is a bit different as it is speciality work but still uses a mix of Canadian and American flight crews.

It's not just Aircrane here...Sillers Brothers and HTS also heavily use Canadians south of the border. In fact, Sillers maintenance crews are about 80 % Canadian.

Endorsements....I witness pilots every year get transitioned into the crane, no matter how experienced they are, it is a slow transition to make a captains position and comes at quite an expense to the company. Training is continuous and progressive.

Sure there are some capable longline pilots....still only 1 in 30 makes a production logging pilot. As Aircrane is grapple only, being a pilot is only a small part of the equation, you are also your own rigger and quality control guy wrapped in one ......want to guess the cost of training pilots to recognize wood species, weights, and work a strip efficiently to be cost productive?

The world of heavies is a different beast...it takes time for anyone to transition in, as there really not that many aircraft in Canada and positions do not come up often...those there, will stay as long as possible as it is without a doubt, the highest paid and one of the best rotation jobs in the industry.

[Maury]

That is good helilog56. I didn't realize and that clears it up - thank you - and good on aircrane. Question? I know last year according to the applications for foreign workers that Gilles posted, cac was looking for something like 10 pilots. What was that all about or did I misread or misunderstand or something?

[Hazy]

I see you know little of what has transpired in the logging arena. Every pilot in BC logging are Canadians, and every maintenance crew member is also Canadian......the only time a U.S., Austrian, Italian, or Kiwi, (etc), pilot comes up, is to do fill in if one gets sick and can not perform their duties.

The power line work is a bit different as it is speciality work but still uses a mix of Canadian and American flight crews.

It's not just Aircrane here...Sillers Brothers and HTS also heavily use Canadians south of the border. In fact, Sillers maintenance crews are about 80 % Canadian.

Endorsements....I witness pilots every year get transitioned into the crane, no matter how experienced they are, it is a slow transition to make a captains position and comes at quite an expense to the company. Training is continuous and progressive.

Sure there are some capable longline pilots....still only 1 in 30 makes a production logging pilot. As Aircrane is grapple only, being a pilot is only a small part of the equation, you are also your own rigger and quality control guy wrapped in one ......want to guess the cost of training pilots to recognize wood species, weights, and work a strip efficiently to be cost productive?

The world of heavies is a different beast...it takes time for anyone to transition in, as there really not that many aircraft in Canada and positions do not come up often...those there, will stay as long as possible as it is without a doubt, the highest paid and one of the best rotation jobs in the industry.

I've seen many exceptions to this rule about americans logging in Canada. This may not affect you, but it affects the newbies trying to get started in this biz. It also affects up to 3000hr guys.

[Helilog56]

It does have a lot do with NAFTA Maury......EAC has aircraft and flight crew from all over the globe and we get moved around frequently which means if I get moved out of a logging slot, they will bring in another pilot from elsewhere. Does this seem fair, probably not looking from the outside. CAC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Erickson...which means any flight crew hired these days is strictly done though them....I know of a Canadian pilot that just got hired from Vancouver Island as an example.

Sorry Hazy....but I can count on one hand the amount of US pilots logging in Canada at this time....again, very, very few openings as there really is not much of a shortage of experienced production pilots with way more your flight hour number you posted....in the world of heavies, 3,000 hours is considered a low time pilot and would have little chance of getting into a seat unless there is a huge recovery in the lumber industry.

I am certainly not trying to discourage anyone here...heck, there are many aging pilots (me) in Ericksons system that warrants them to start bringing in younger flight crew to replace us....my point is, if flying a crane is your goal, never give up and keep building those vertical reference skills and hours.

Cheers,

Bob

[shakey]

Sometimes people are to far removed from the battle to understand what the smaller guy is fighting for. I get it to a degree as I'm sure we've all been there at one level or another. Sign the petition if you agree with Gilles or don't if you don't. I know I will be signing it.

[shakey]

Well Tee 4 if you were paying attention the past conversations were only a fraction to do with money. Things like treatment, scheduling and most importantly bumping of Canadian crew. There was a time and place to bring in TFW and the last 7 years wasn't it.

[hybrid]

Sign the petition if you agree with Gilles or don't if you don't.

 

Bottom Line. The subject has been discussed to nauseam.

[bigD]

It does have a lot do with NAFTA Maury......EAC has aircraft and flight crew from all over the globe and we get moved around frequently which means if I get moved out of a logging slot, they will bring in another pilot from elsewhere. Does this seem fair, probably not looking from the outside. CAC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Erickson...which means any flight crew hired these days is strictly done though them....I know of a Canadian pilot that just got hired from Vancouver Island as an example.

Sorry Hazy....but I can count on one hand the amount of US pilots logging in Canada at this time....again, very, very few openings as there really is not much of a shortage of experienced production pilots with way more your flight hour number you posted....in the world of heavies, 3,000 hours is considered a low time pilot and would have little chance of getting into a seat unless there is a huge recovery in the lumber industry.

I am certainly not trying to discourage anyone here...heck, there are many aging pilots (me) in Ericksons system that warrants them to start bringing in younger flight crew to replace us....my point is, if flying a crane is your goal, never give up and keep building those vertical reference skills and hours.

Cheers,

Bob

There are a lot of different ways for pilots to get visas to work in Canada. The TFW Visa is Bulls**T. Most of the TFW's are not taking the 3000 hour to 15000+ hour jobs . They are taking the 100-3000 hour jobs. Canada is becoming the training grounds for kiwi's and Aussies. In the end its hurting the 100 hour guys and gals. I met a TFW that started his career from 100 hours in Canada on a TFW visa. Come on I think we have enough unemployed 100 hour pilots.

 

Dave

[R0T0R]

I'm sorry but I dont believe that a 100 pilot got his start here under the TWF program. Id love to see the proof of that.