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Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Fri Sep 5 2008, 10:30
by Pear Head
Most of my good experiences come from the flying. I have had great experiences at good and bad companies.
Have met many great people in bad companies, and bad ones in great.

Even at the good companies no-one has said "hang on a minute, put that sponge down, you've had a long day, we'll do that. Sit yourself down, how about a nice shoulder rub?" so I'm afraid I can't make any recommendations.

It's human nature to whinge, it's in built protection. Nothing to do with being Pilots, all though rotary wing does seem to attract the odd pessimist.
Count the times someone has said "smell this milk it's so fresh"; as opposed to "''Fark, smell that, d'you think it's off?"

Good is expected as standard, from employees and employers.

re: anonimity, It is often frowned upon to dicuss company matters on an open public forum. I have worked at (very professional and good) companies outside of the aviation industy where to do so was considered an offence and could result in dismissal.
It can be used for good and evil, and you really only have to answer to your own consience or the voices in your head if you are a paranoid vitriolic lunatic. (and possibly the law if you really go too far.) Ooh I might start my first thread....

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Fri Sep 5 2008, 10:33
by Aladinsane
DF, you must be drinking, I just counted 15 companies given a good rap by the contributors to date, add a few more once FF gets back within range, not a bad effort after a slow start.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Fri Sep 5 2008, 10:38
by helicopspeeder
Aladinsane wrote:
Pilots would rather whinge. The prosecution rests.

Then Aladinsane wrote:
Where was my welcome 21 years ago when I started?

So is he whingeing about pilots whingeing and then having a whinge himself or am I mistook?

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Fri Sep 5 2008, 21:56
by dragonfly
Fair point Alidinsane, It just seemed very few responses compared to when someone/something is being ridiculed :D

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Sat Sep 6 2008, 00:33
by Aladinsane
HS - Yeah, looks like a whinge a bit eh? Was a tongue-in-cheek response to droptmcguts's kind offering, but good to see we are keeping each other honest.

DF, that was exactly my earlier point, but I think there has been some postives as the thread has gone on.

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Wed Feb 14 2018, 04:49
by Jamesstewart01
Great :)

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Mon Jun 25 2018, 09:44
by alexblack
Thank you for sharing

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Mon Jun 25 2018, 17:17
by Le Singe
I only want to say one thing about this thread and I am a person of little words. Apologies to #droptmcguts but in all my years perusing this forum I have never seen/noticed your posts....... but that said!

I love your profile pic!

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Tue Jun 26 2018, 02:46
by hand in pants
As much as I try to be positive about the industry, it is difficult sometimes.
That said, my time in it has been good, enjoyable and worth the time and effort put into it.

As far as employers go, there must be shonks out there, but I've not worked for any.
Quick list would start with the school I learnt at BK Helicopters, good people, good boss, lots of laughing and fun as well as lots of hard work. Got paid what I was happy with.
Westpac Rescue, 4 years casual at Newcastle, 4 years full time Tamworth. Good fun, hard work, okay money, great people, (management left a lot to be desired), good gear, good maintenance.
Fleet Helicopters - casual. Great people, good gear, lots of fun, lots of hard work when required.
Heli-adventures Cairns. Casual. Great people, good gear, lots of fun, lots of hard work.
General helicopter contract work, again, great people, good gear, fun and lots of hard work.
Private owners, well, there have been two, first one was a great bloke to work for, good machine, B407, my favourite helicopter, good money, good flying. The second private owner, well, I've been with him over ten years, that should be enough said.
Every operator I've been involved with has done the right thing by me, and I have done the right thing by them every time. I always got the money I wanted, I've always only flown machines well maintained.

For me, the thing that lets the helicopter industry down in almost every way is CASA. And the Safety bit of their title is only there to make them feel good.

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Tue Jun 26 2018, 03:31
by Eric Hunt
Good write-up there, HIP.

Perhaps in your travels, you heard of a cheerful operator that was cross-hiring a private aircraft, and the private owner was expecting to be paid for every flight hour. But his pay cheques were getting further apart - "Not getting used much" said the cheerful operator at the place. One day as owner was driving past some un-named airfield, he saw his bird taking off. "Good!" he thinks, "There will be some money this week."

But nothing came. He asked the cheerful operator if his bird had flown recently, to be told it hadn't. He looked at the maintenance release, nothing showing at all.

He quietly had a secret Hobbs meter fitted. An inspection some time later showed that the secret meter had turned over, but the easily-accessible-meter with a circuit breaker had not moved at all. Somebody had been pulling the circuit breaker, flying it, and not recording any time.

Owner reported to CA$A that some dishonesty had been perpetrated, aircraft flown without maintenance being recorded, money not being paid to owner etc. Chief Pilot took the hit, left the industry, and cheerful operator still in business.

The legend of the Breaker Brothers had been born.

A year or so later, I was looking to hire another instructor, and spoke to a lad who had done a couple of charter runs for us. "Would you like to do some instructing?" says I.

"Oh, no!" says the lad, "My rating is a Breaker Brothers Special. I paid for 40 hours, flew about 20, got signed up, but I don't know enough about teaching to actually do it!"

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Tue Jun 26 2018, 11:54
by kimmysawi
Le Singe wrote:I only want to say one thing about this thread and I am a person of little words. Apologies to #droptmcguts but in all my years perusing this forum I have never seen/noticed your posts....... but that said!

I love your profile pic!


Every one loves it as its quite... seriously (Y)

Re: Good news stories............

Posted: Tue Jun 26 2018, 22:11
by hand in pants
Eric, does sound vaguely familiar. One day we should have a beer and I'll tell you another story.