Contrail

[jetbox]

If Contrail is so safety oriented then instead of white shirts and lapels, why hasn't he recomended things like engineers being mandatory on all contracts regardless of a/c types, and all maintenance being done inside a lit and heated facility etc.

Wouldn't the customers feel safer knowing the engineers aren't freezing their arses off taking things apart in sub-zero weather?

Oh but wait, I forgot, that's what the white shirt is for, to reassure the jughounds!!!!

[Phil Croucher]

Bullet

 

I agree with you 100%, which is whyI get an engineer to take me round the machine and show me what he looks for - much better than the standard DI. I'm quite happy to wash the machine and pat it on the nose, but most of all, try to bring it back in the same state it went out!

 

Phil

[Harmonic_Vibe]

If Contrail is so safety oriented then instead of white shirts and lapels, why hasn't he recomended... ...all maintenance being done inside a lit and heated facility etc.

Wouldn't the customers feel safer knowing the engineers aren't freezing their arses off taking things apart in sub-zero weather?

 

I read a report he wrote in 2000 where he, in fact, recommended this. He boldly stated that "not having access to a heated facility for the storage and maintenance of a helicopter"... "great increased"... "the possibility of a catastrophic failure"...

 

He really said that.

 

Although I have no doubt that maintenance is more comfortable and probably more thorough (it sure takes longer) in a hangar, I have flown through pretty severe winter conditions for quite a few years and find that the helicopter loves the cold. Once the machine is spinning and warmed up it performs so beautifully, like an asmathic smoker that just received a lung transplant... I think winter flying is my favourite...

 

Anyway, his recommendation has a lot less to do with the comfort of maintenace personnel and a lot more to do with needing to say something in his report. When I read it the first thing I thought was someone better notify the airlines that they're "greatly" increasing the risk of catastrophic failure by flying at an altitude where it's so chilly!

 

HV

[407 too]

Bullet, RIGHT ON :up:

[helipro]

Maybe everybody who cares about these new regulations should email brian Jenner president and CEO of HAC and then maybe he'll get off his a$$ and address some of these issues (Yeah, dont hold your breath). I have it on good authority that he is already been contacted about this three to five months ago and his response was " what do you want me to do about it", and I know for a fact that he has been writing letters in support of foreign pilots coming to canada, that he adressed to HRDC to help companies with their visa paper work. Transport canada says these regulations have nothing to do with them and there is nothing they can do about them. I know an MP has been contacted and basically said that if somebody wants to set higher standards than the government its a free country, but if you need help getting more foreign workers he would be available to help in that matter. So who makes and sets the rules, apparantley its contrail aviation, not transport canada. Maybe you should go to the HAC website and see how many foreign workers apply for jobs there. Mr Jenners and board of directors all have their contact email addresses on their website, so we can continue to ***** on the forum, or we can get off our own a$$es and email these people to see if it will help.

[Skids Up]

Even though I have been following this from the begining, I still have no idea who this "contrail" fellow is. I gather some know him, but is it a secret? If he is (or thinks he is) all powerful, why aren't we talking a bit more about specifics than rumours?

 

How does one have enough power to, (oh, let's say), make Cap quit the business?!?!?!?

 

Or make you change your shirt???

 

If it is a big deal, and perhaps it is, lets get all the word out so we can fight it collectivity, rather than sit home, camp, or where ever, and do a little bit of complaining about it.

 

So who is he?

 

And who made him boss???

[helipro]

Well skidz-up, contrail avaiation is a private safety consultant who offers his aviation safety standards to oil and gas companies and any body else who will buy into it. Some of the new safety standards that were sent out to operators for october 2005 are reduced flight time hours for us pilots, increased weather minimums (some thousand feet and three miles), need a shirt with a collar to fly for some oil companies, etc, etc, etc. The point being is who sets the standards, transport canada, or a private safety consultant who is making so many rules that its hard for anyone to adhere to.

 

Plus, contrail comes in and audits helicopter companies on behalf of oil and gas companies and then can either make or break you. He will make a recomendation to either put you on the approved list or not. So you tell me, is he god? Kinda sounds like it. He has a background in fixed wing, not rotor wing, based out of calgary where all the major oil and gas companies have head offices. If you dont comply with the "standards", then your off the approved list and wont even be given a chance for one year before he comes and audits you again for approval. If you have too many employees leave your operation that is grounds for him to make recomendations for you to be off the list. So do we all need to get together and do something as pilots? **** rights!!!!

 

Hope this has helped you skidz up

[transientorque2]

Maybe Mike could do an article on Contrail in his magazine. On second thought NOOO. It would only give this guy free publicity and increase is ego even more. I think we should name him Mr. Peacock. He should get them ruffled or plucked by the aviation community.

Edited November 18, 2005 by transientorque2

[407 too]

this may be off-the-wall, but to me it sounds like CONTRAIL is the one that pilots need to lobby, not the other agencies !!

 

if this guy needs education, educate him, if he needs sensable input, give it to him, he may turn into an alias that can be used to further pilots needs in way of SENSABLE safety.

[Skids Up]

The point being is who sets the standards, transport canada, or a private safety consultant who is making so many rules that its hard for anyone to adhere to.”

It doesn’t seem that this is about rule making, TC make the rules that we have to abide by. This “private safety consultant” is making recommendations to your customers, and probably making a big buck at it.

 

I have mentioned in the company I work for, that we (company) should be going to all our customers with a packaged, well planned presentation on why we operate the way we do. To explain why we can’t fill all the seats on a hot day and head to the mountaintop, vertical out of the hole, or land everywhere they want to. To explain how density/heat affect the performance. Why pads should be constructed a certain way, why some landing areas should be picked over others. Etc, etc, etc…

 

There is much that could be done proactively, and by doing so, would remove any input that would come from such an individual that is being discussed here.

 

But we don’t. Why not? Because, we have always flown for this customer, we have no competition in this area, they won’t listen, what’s the point, (keep adding your own excuses here…).

 

Funny why they won’t listen to us, but will listen to him.

 

“If you dont comply with the "standards", then your off the approved list and wont even be given a chance for one year before he comes and audits you again for approval.”

 

So go forth and set the standards and get your own approvals.

 

It would be nice to fly with a 1000’ ceiling and 3 miles vis all the time, but is it necessary? Probably not, as we have all flown in worse. (But wouldn't it be nice to have them say 1/2 or 1 mile in snow is just not good enough, and know they won't go across the street and try on the next operator!) So go to the customer and explain all of this. Don’t want to wear a white shirt and tie? Go to the customer and explain why this is of no benefit to them.

 

Two things are going to change the industry. Us or them. It will not stay the same, no matter what we have always done, or what has always worked. Do we want it to change? Probably not. Because we’re comfortable with it and why fix it if it ain’t broken…?

 

But remember, only you (all of us) can and do allow others to change the rules, and if we don’t take the lead, then we will be lead.