Canadian Helicopter Pilots Association

[ChairmanoftheBORED]

I can guarantee for you that this website reaches the smallest minority of the canadian market. There is a lot of interest in something like this out East. One note however, IT NEEDS TO HAVE TEETH.

I cannot see the employers taking it seriously considering their attitude is to "vote with your feet" in respect to pilot concerns.

[bubbleboy]

Cyclic Monkey: That is a great idea. I'm just not comfortable with a bunch of guys drinking beers, holding putters and 9 irons, and getting into the meat and potatoes of an Association. I already got a nasty scar on the back of my melon. Rather than trying to organize a golf tourney/convention at this time, would you be interested in another project? I will PM you with the details.

 

Chairmanofthebored: My earlier posts regarding organizing the west first were not meant to divide the country up permanently. I live in the west and thought it would be easier for us to try and organise this back yard first. If some of you guys want to start the ball rolling out in the east, please do and we can meet somewhere in the middle. Better yet, let's not differentiate between the east and west, you might have more contacts out here than I do! We are running out of time though, as the countdown to next season will be starting soon. Please contact me with the name/s of you're spokesperson/s ASAP so we can keep in touch.

 

How many of the owners and operators out there are in this business to lose money? We won't need teeth if we as an Association adopt an attitude of working with these guys in trying to find remedies for what is currently ailing this industry. I will try and give a quick illustration of what I mean.

 

An Association should approach all the owners and offer to find ways to combat an increasingly de-valued service. Every operator laments about the increasing cost of doing business with decreasing revenue, yet nobody does anything about it. What's wrong with this picture? But it's not the owners that need an education in helicopter economics, it is our customers! If the guy I work for is selling his machine for the same tariff as the guy down the road, competition suddenly focuses on the level and quality of service being offered. Those operators that take the revenue from a proper tariff and re-invest it in quality service i.e: salaries, equipment, paint, etc, should stand out on a level playing field. Can an Association make this happen? Well let's find out. I have some ideas if you are interested.

 

We all suspect that an Association might provide us with the tools to affect change, but wait on the side lines for some signal to get moving. Well myself and a few other people are out here waving our arms.

 

There are more than enough people who have posted on this site to form a steering committee. Give me a PM or e-mail and I'll let you know what the game plan is.

[cyclic monkey]

Bubbleboy, PM replied to.

 

Hey guys, let's all try and get this thing rolling in whatever way we can.

If you don't want to write your ideas here, please PM them to Bubbleboy.

Even if you don't have any ideas, please just let him know you are interested in the concept.

No Money or Commitment necessary just yet, just your support.

 

Let's not just sit here and watch this thing die again, start typing to help it on it's way.

[Blackmac]

There is a certain individual who has just returned from a tour of western Canada.

I do believe that after all the time in the helicopter industry he must realize by now that working for the government is not that much fun.

I do believe that he still has alot to contribute and if he became the head of a pilots assoc., could make it happen.

 

Come on BV help the pilots and the GD industry on the road to success.

 

:up: :shock:

[bubbleboy]

Yeah, it's me again, I don't want to PO anybody, but we need to keep this alive.

 

To all those that responded with PM's, I got back to each and every one of you, but one got sent back as un-delivered. Please check to see which one of you it was and PM me again.

 

Professionalism: That's what it seems to boiling down to. With that in place everything else will follow. We all want to be recognized as having a specific set of skills that only 2500 people in this country possess. We are not back-hoe drivers, as some would have us believe. We need to come together and decide what that word actually means to us, and then stick with that definition. Why is it that when a bunch of us are stuck in a camp somewhere watching TV, it is usually a hockey game, TLC, Discovery, Speedvision or the History channel that we gravitate towards. I would watch beer TV if there was such a beast. Not too many "Will and Grace" watchers in this crowd. This industry attracts a certain type of person; intelligent, and independant. An association is not going to take those things away from you, it will define our better qualities! We all want to do the job well, an Association is a means of empowering us to do just that.

 

This puppy is gathering momentum, I would like each and every one of you to work within you're comfort zone or circle of influence. Make a phone call or get together and promote this thing. We need names (if provided), maybe a license number, and address (a must). You can give them my e-mail address: collectivecreep@yahoo.ca. or you can gather it all up and send me the details. We need to do this quickly though. I am also in the process of setting up a contact phone number, possibly a 1 800 number - until my wife finds out, at which time I will not be allowed out to play anymore.

 

Myself and Saturnman had a face to face and are in the works of establishing a start-up association in Alberta for now. At this point we are unsure how this could be recognized accross the country. Anybody with some insight please PM me.

 

I am not trying to be morose, so forgive me if this offends some, but this is what I think an Association is about. Who was Gord Collett, or more recently Ben (I could have looked his last name up but I'm trying to illustrate a point)? I knew Gord because he was a friend and mentor. A great guy who left behind a wife and young son doing something he loved. From what I understand Ben was the same.

 

We need something other than statistics to acknowledge the lives and accomplishments of these fine people who always seem to leave us too soon. This is such a small industry; is there any good reason why we shouldn't have a trust fund, or ensure that every member has access to adequate life insurance? Is there something an Association can offer to the ones left behind to show that they were important to the industry and they're presence will be missed.

 

Once again, my apologies, but these are the things that are important to me.

If you agree with me, then prove it.

[bubbleboy]

Guys continue to come forward with offers of support and help in getting this baby off the ground. Please don't hesitate to PM me if you want some ideas how to torque it up in you're neighborhood. For now this a "grass roots" effort with several guys talking to fellow employees or calling buddies. Keep up the good work guys!

 

I learned today that an Association will probably not have a made in Alberta solution, continue to buy our beef though! No, the Association will have to be incorporated with the Feds. This will ensure recognition in all jurisdictions. No big deal, paperwork is essentially the same. I am awaiting the information and application package.

 

I will keep you posted.

[grover]

I'd be interested in this association, especially if Butch and the PHPA was to assist

[bubbleboy]

Welcome aboard Grover! You are the type of person we are looking for. You liked what you were reading, logged on and posted interest in this association. Now if only more people like you would come forward. Please PM me if you want to kick it up a notch.

 

Butch's and any advice from the PHPA is welcome. The only caveat is that we in the Canadian VFR industry have no need or desire to become unionized. Butch has done many great things for the industry down there, but our industry is too small for a union. They probably have as many EMS pilots alone as we have in the entire country. Most importantly, any mention of the "U" word will have owners and many pilots jumping all over the effort. I firmly believe that pilots working together with owners can better serve our industry without the negative influence of a union.

 

I have a general idea what it is required to get this going, and this will sound self-serving because it is, but I and others agree that we need to keep focused on a few simple concepts right now. The introduction of other groups and ideas right out of the gate is going to confuse and bog down in debate an already complex undertaking. Other issues can and will be addressed once we have enough members for a quorum. This includes our friends the engineers. I have spent time twisting wrenches, and have nothing but respect for these people. I foresee a time when the pilots association will approach the engineers to ask if they want to become a part, or assist them in doing their own thing.

 

I now have the information to incorporate a not for profit association, and will advise what we need to do next in the coming days.

 

Cheers

[412driver]

"Welcome aboard Grover! You are the type of person we are looking for. You liked what you were reading, logged on and posted interest in this association. Now if only more people like you would come forward. Please PM me if you want to kick it up a notch."

 

 

gee, look at grover. how convenient that a "newbie" poster who just happened to have signed up just the other day....................

 

i say someone has created a Profile to back his/her opinion............. :down:

 

 

so what do we have now? about 50 pilots in the survey? out of about 3000+ in canada?

 

hehehe just love playing the bad guy.........

[bubbleboy]

I don't think the "yes" vote needs any help propping up it's numbers but maybe some of the "no" guys could get together and make up some votes.

 

She's happening batman, better run back to the bat cave!