Icefield Helicopter Tours

[VERTICAL REF]

Well you know, the "tart" is only so big!!!

 

 

That one was for you wood pig!

[shaggy]

krusty, why would any low-timer accept a job flying a helicopter without insisting on a fair wage? because if he did, guys like ralph would tell him to go pi$$ up a rope and hire someone else and perhaps that poor soles only chance at getting a job would have disappeared for maybe another season, or who knows, maybe forever. i know it is unfair, i worked for one of the biggest a$$holes in the industry for 2 years and when i got fed up he stilled managed to find it in his emotionally retarded, tiny brain to with hold my last months pay. and that was even after i payed $800/hr for a g-damm 500 endorsement. but hey, it got me flying.

[DGP]

Shaggy...your last post got me thinking ...about a new post...who has worked for the biggest a$$ hole...and who has gotten screwed over the best ...unfortunately this cannot EVER come to light...zip it up....have a good one

[Harmonic_Vibe]

Whats the difference between a 100 hour guy that will fly for free and an experienced idiot that will "pad" the hours or fly for less than the rest of us, to make himself look good and get on his knees for the customer, bending over for job security? <BR><BR>I personally have more respect for the newbie, trying to get his career started than the insecure moron screwing it for all of us

 

 

Well, it's not often that VR and I agree 100 percent, but this time I am hopping mad. Of course the fact that I am totally jet-lagged and haven't slept more than 12 hours in the last 5 days may have something to do with that (and my new tenants just gave me a bottle of homemade wine a couple of hours ago).

 

Anyway, blaming a low-time pilot for taking a "job" at a place that offers a glimmer of hope is like blaming a homeless person for staying at a shelter.

 

There are people who have had an unending dream of taking to the air with the utmost freedom that an aircraft can provide. These people sacrifice money, time, relationships, rationality and sanity in order to fulfill their dream. After acquiring their licence they "pound the pavement" looking for their break. They're willing to give their all and assume that something will "shine forth" through their demeanor that an employer will recognize.

 

How long does it take for disillusionment to set in? At what point does desperation create thoughts that didn't exist before?

 

MOST new pilots NEVER work in this industry. I am so fortunate that I never had these worries. I started flying right after acquiring my licence, but I can relate in different ways. For instance, the maximum allowable "Mag-drop" on the piston helicopter I was flying was 150 rpm on one side and 75 on the other. When I informed the Cheap (oops... Chief) Pilot that it was 350 on one side and 200 on the other, he smirked... tapped a stack of paper on his desk and mentioned how many pilots were lined up for my job. Would I have traded places with one of the guys at Icefield? Probably not 'cause I was flying... but I lived in a constant state of fear and apprehension and set hour goals in my mind for my departure... and hoped I'd live to make them.

 

Does this make sense? Of course not!! I wanted to fly and of the six students that trained with me I was the only one who actually was. It really pisses me off that people would criticize a guy or girl that would be willing to add to their (already extensive) sacrifice in order to get what they want out of life. I wouldn't want to finish life as a plumber if I wanted to be a pilot because of some principle that everyone else held dear because they were already working.

 

What I am trying to say is that the companies are to blame, not the pilots. A very "respectable" company with a "good" reputation had a school up 'till a couple of years ago. The CFI pointed out a couple of students to me and said they were the best he had seen in a couple of years... I knew we were hiring two students so I asked him where they would be sent... He said, "Oh, we won't be hiring them... they don't qualify for wage subsidy". This story still makes my blood boil. I can think of stupid mistakes made by the Ops, Maintenance, Accounting or JANITORIAL departments that would have cost more than hiring the "best" students. I see little difference between the shortsightedness of Icefield and the "penny-wise pound-foolishness" of this other "reputable" company.

 

One thing that I noticed is that some guys keep going on about insurance and low-time pilots. This is not an issue with most companies. The policies allow any pilots that are run through the approved program. Companies that cite insurance are really saying "we can't afford the extra premium if you crack up"... I have worked for several companies where I have been cognizant of the insurance details and there has been no hourly minimum tied to the premium (maybe there is in some company's policies but I haven't seen one).

 

Also, a very tangible problem in Canada regarding the pilot shortage are "Aviation Consultants" who don't have a clue. They are usually fixed-wing guys with 100 hours in a helicopter but 10,000 hours of opinions. That's why you see 1500 hr minimum requirements to fly guys around in Ft St John. I once read a report one of these knuckleheads wrote on a pilot under my supervison in the Velma area North of FSJ (this guy has a very bad toupee... like a Pekingese died on his head). He said, in his disparaging but oh so knowledgeable report, that the "pilot displayed his inexperience by turning towards terrain on take-off..." I had to ask the pilot what "terrain" he turned towards since there wasn't any in that area... It turned out to be a hill about 200 feet high that was cleared by 500 feet at least. Consultants who get most of their info over scotches in the bar are a HUGE source of our trouble in this country...

 

One (spaced-out, jet-lagged and slightly buzzed) man's opinion!!!

 

HV

[VERTICAL REF]

Vibrator the only thing you and I ever disagreed on was who was going to take the BIG GUY on the left!

 

 

So we all agree to advise the younger group to stay away from "freebee" jobs at this "tour company" :down:

[Guest sharky]

Re: insurance

 

I accompanied the boss to a meeting with the underwriters a few months ago. We raised the question of getting our low-time guy to do ferry flights (non-rev, no pax, etc). I thought it was going to be like pulling teeth.

 

Their response was basically "Tell us a little more about him..." and "If you think he's capable, then you will have our blessing."

 

There was a bit more to it, but it's still a green light for this guy.

 

I think HV is right, with the reason of "we can't afford the extra premium if you crack up" that is given to most jr birdsmen.

 

 

On another note, from Ralph's letter....If one were to charge employees for training (PPC, PCC, etc), is full charter rate (+GST) warranted? I would think that 'cost' would be fair to the 2 parties involved. No?

 

Is this the same Ralph that wants university educated pilots too?

[shaggy]

good post mr. vibe. i agree with all you said.

capt. K. i whole heartedly agree with you but i really don't think that the industry can count on low timers to put a stop to this kind of behaviour. if you had just forked over $40 - 50 K on a new licence and likely don't have enough left over to put gas in your car so you can go looking for work, how can you justify turning down a shot at acheiving your dream? someone should take icefeild and the "industries biggest a$$hole" out behind the drug store and give them what they deserve. the saddest thing is that these twats will never understand why they cannot hold on to people who have managed to stay on and they get pi$$ed off and treat the next guy like sh*t and it is a self perpetuating problem. unfortunately the rest of us (or the industry, i s'pose) cannot rely on revenue canada to sort these morons out because the wheels turn too slowly and servitude is likely difficult to prove, and in the meantime some other poor joe/jane will get the shaft.

[412driver]

"Is this the same Ralph that wants university educated pilots too?"

 

 

no.

[Deep Throat II]

Negative 412 The university guy is a whole other story.

[Deep Throat II]

And as for Ralph being the Industries biggest A$$hole, I think he would have to wait in line behind a few others before he got to claim that award :hide: