PHI

[zippiesdrainage]

To complement the Rotrocraft Leasing topic, it seems that PHI has also reduced it's hours to 1000 PIC for the VFR single captain aircraft position. I saw on Helicotpersalaries.com that PHI seems to pay a little more than RLC and I've also heard that PHI has one of the greatest safety records in the helicotper industry. However the only downside I managed to see was that instead of the more popular 7on / 7off or 14on / /14off, PHI instead does 5 on 2 off. Is this correct or outdated information? Personally I would hope to avoid moving my family down Louisiana and would rather have a week or two off.

 

Does anyone with actual first hand knowledge of PHI have anything to add or clarify?

[heligirl03]

My line pilot friends at PHI all work 14/14, regardless of where they live. However the last few years they seem to have gotten pickier about hiring folks who live within a driving commute so Houston, Austin, Pensacola style. Long distance commuters have a much higher attrition rate just due to the stress of travel so they tend to steer clear if they can. I have friends who love it and friends who couldn't wait to leave, but those were almost always due to a distaste for Louisiana and the GOM lifestyle, or a desire to be home, and not the company itself. Good training, structured and very procedural work environment, good equipment, etc. I think VFR Capts and IFR SICs are starting around $60k? There seem to be more than enough workover opportunities and contract bonuses, etc. It takes a couple of hitches to settle in, like anything else, but the people I know there (past and present) have all been pretty positive about the company itself. Good luck!

[Gomer Pylot]

There are few jobs in the GOM that work 5/2. Most of the operators have one or two contracts that are 5/2, but that's about it. There are no holidays in the Gulf, and it never rains there. ;-) It's a 7/365 operation just about everywhere.

[zero610]

Where did you see the 1000 PIC figure?

[zippiesdrainage]

http://www.jsfirm.com/companydetail.asp_Q_jobid_E_9570

 

 

Requirements:

• Pilots are required to have a minimum of 1,000 hours Pilot-in-Command time in helicopters AND 200 hours instrument (actual or simulated)OR 1500 hours Pilot in Command Time in Helicopters and Multi Engine Preferred.
  
• 100 hour of night minimum.
  
• Hold an FAA Commercial Helicopter certificate with a helicopter instrument rating.
  
• Additionally, a current FAA Class I medical Certificate is required. Applicant must be legal residents of the United States or have a valid work visa.
   
  

[Pohi]

I know quite a few people that work for PHI also.

 

The above posts are all pretty much correct, the only 5/2 that there might be (as far as I know) are the training dept in Lafayette. But even that, I don't know 100%. Those people I think have to live close also.

 

As far as the 7/7 and 14/14 that is mostly contract dependent, and on top of that, it can also depend on who is on the opposite hitch. If both people want a particular schedule and the contract company is ok with it, they can change.

 

They really do encourage people to live close, up to the point where they will pay moving expenses to relocate. Commuting isn't a huge problem, just not their preferred choice.

[superstallion6113]

That's good news for a new guy like me, especially since my eventual goal is to make a career of flying in the GOM.

[gary-mike]

My guess is the 5/2 stems from the heli-salaries page.

• 
  

  5 & 2 Schedule (14 hour duty day only): 25% of base pay

  
  

• 
  

  5 & 2 Schedule (8-10 hour duty day): $350/month

  
  

Edited August 7, 2012 by gary-mike

[rotormandan]

They used to require only 1000 hours before the big economy crunch. Then all companies were able to be pickier and they went up to 1500. Their website still states 1500. They prefer that folks live nearby but it's not going to stop you from getting a job. I haven't seen any 5/2. Even the instructors work 7/7. Most jobs are 14/14 but there's plenty of 7/7 contracts available. They give you the option during training.

[zippiesdrainage]

I'm sorry I tried to post a link to the website opening and it was submitted for Moderator approval and I guess it wasn't approved. Perhaps because I included a link to the page where the job was posted is a competitiors website. But here's the info without the link...

 

 

Pilots are required to have a minimum of 1,000 hours Pilot-in-Command time in helicopters AND 200 hours instrument (actual or simulated)OR 1500 hours Pilot in Command Time in Helicopters and Multi Engine Preferred.

100 hour of night minimum.

Hold an FAA Commercial Helicopter certificate with a helicopter instrument rating.

Additionally, a current FAA Class I medical Certificate is required. Applicant must be legal residents of the United States or have a valid work visa.

 

And yes the information regarding the 5 on 2 off was from a certain helicopter salary based website.

[gary-mike]

 

And yes the information regarding the 5 on 2 off was from a certain helicopter salary based website.

 

Hey Zippy, that sight was created by the administrator of this forum, there is a direct link to it through this sight, no need to be discreet... if it is heli salaries.

[aeroscout]

Hey Zippy, that sight was created by the administrator of this forum, there is a direct link to it through this sight, no need to be discreet... if it is heli salaries.

Hey zippy, I talked to the HR director (Eugene Resweber) directly, and had a PHI friend ask them directly, they want 1,500 hours. You can forget about the 1,200 hour requirement.

[Darren Hughes]

It's more about who you know at this point than how many hours you have. I've gotten the vibe that they mainly go by personal recommendations from within the company. That's for the VFR positions. If you have a ton of twin time then that'll go a long way to getting an interview for the IFR positions.

[rotormandan]

It's more about who you know at this point than how many hours you have. I've gotten the vibe that they mainly go by personal recommendations from within the company. That's for the VFR positions. If you have a ton of twin time then that'll go a long way to getting an interview for the IFR positions.

 

I'll 2nd that. Eugene will tell you that he's got so many resumes coming in each day that he'll look at the references 1st to see if he knows any names. Then he'll look at your hours. As Darren said though multi time is a huge advantage there. They're not short single engine vfr pilots. It's the multi ifr guys they need.

Edited August 8, 2012 by rotormandan

[helonorth]

In two years, 95% (okay, I didn't actually keep track, but the vast majority) of the pilots that I have met that hired on directly as an IFR SIC were ex-mil. I have not met a single IFR PIC that came in off the street. They make their own. It's a big help to low time ex-mil and civilians getting up the ladder. They may not be short VFR pilots, but they are still hiring quite a few every month. What they are short on are 76, 139 and 92 captains. With business steady or growing and with 500 or so GOM pilots, there will be VFR pilot openings. Quite a few leave every month for EMS. As far as a reference, it goes a long way, but it's far from a sure thing. I have talked to several pilots that went way out of their way to get HR to look at somebody to no avail. Plenty off opportunity if you can get in, though. Having an ATP or at least the written done helps, too.

Edited August 9, 2012 by helonorth

[UNCphillips]

For a current GOM pilot can you describe a "normal" day would be like while on hitch? Just looking for the nuts and bolts answer a little bit here to get an accurate depiction of the daily grind.

 

Thanks

[silvrado17]

Generic PHI IFR-SIC version: Daily sign in times are generally around 0430-0530 depending on the customer requirements. Pre-flight & run-up first thing. Then preflight planning (wx, W&B, fuel req's, route, etc). Depart on flight (0600-1100'ish), return. possibly 2nd, 3rd or 4th flights depending on customer req's. Could make several stops at rigs or other bases. Once finished for the day, sign out (for 135 tracking purposes), remainder of day is yours... I've been finished as early as 10am and as late as 6pm. Some days I've been a spare pilot...sign in & hang out, could be used for maintenance runs, fill in for sick pilot, or nothing. Usually plenty of time to fit in a work out, laundry, cook/go out to eat, etc.

 

Pilots are 7/7 or 14/14. Even the training pilots I know at LFT. The departmental managers at LFT may be 5/2, but they don't routinely fly the line (as far as I've seen). I'm 14/14. About the time I get to day 12 I'm ready to go home, then after being home for 12 days I'm ready to go to work. Good for me, married 20yrs, no kids. That separation could be difficult for a new marriage.

 

I commute from Texas, 4-8 hr drive depending which base I get assigned to. I know pilots that fly (on their own dime) from CA, WA, FL, NC, OH, WI... Leave a car at an airport (IAH, LFT, MSY) & then drive to assigned base. PHI offers a relocation package to "encourage" & assist with your move to within 500mi of LFT... some move, others don't. Some live in local area and are able to go home at night.

 

Can't provide insight to hiring flight hour mins... I'm retired military, worked EMS & in "austere' environments overseas...had plenty of hrs above mins so never really paid attention to the mins, & was hired into IFR SIC. The posts earlier with Eugene's comments are most likely accurate. He is swamped with applications/resumes. Be patient with being patient, the wait will be worth it, in my opinion.

 

Every company has goods & bads. I think PHI has way more goods than bads. I'm happy to be with them, excited for the short term & long term future with them.

 

Good luck!

[UNCphillips]

Silvrado,

 

Thanks for that. I sent you a message.

[zippiesdrainage]

Very informative. Thank you for that first hand account.

[rotormandan]

Just a heads up on the hiring situation. I just talked to one of the instructors. They're doing a new hire class about every 5 weeks with only 2 people per class. That's really slowed down compared to 4 a month during the past year, but, they are still hiring. They're focusing more on filling they're med/heavy slots with new hires and upgrading current employees.

[AngelFire_91]

A friend of mine had just interviewed there last week and was told that he would have to move to within 100 miles of LFT otherwise they wouldn't offer him the position. He was asking for a 14/14 schedule too. Just FYI...

[aeroscout]

A friend of mine had just interviewed there last week and was told that he would have to move to within 100 miles of LFT otherwise they wouldn't offer him the position. He was asking for a 14/14 schedule too. Just FYI...

They are pressuring him to move, but probably not offering to relieve the pressure with an offer of relocation allowance.

[rotormandan]

Phi does offer a relocation package. The requirement is within 500 miles and they'll either reimburse your move or you can use their moving company. Either way they reimburse gas mileage and a hotel room depending on how far you're moving from. I doubt they changed the dist for your friend. I think there's some exageration or miscommunication there. The heliports are streched across almost 700 miles along the coast with lafayette in the middle. They may require one to move now for light ships because they aren't desperate for pilots but if so then it's new. A friend of mine just got hired last month living in wa state.

[Lookingforpilots]

PHI is hiring heavy on the Air Medical side, with few openings in the Gulf. They are actually gearing up for Saudi EMS positions as well.

[peewee]

A friend of mine had just interviewed there last week and was told that he would have to move to within 100 miles of LFT otherwise they wouldn't offer him the position. He was asking for a 14/14 schedule too. Just FYI...

 

Was this for a light, medium, or heavy position? It seems like they are actively pursuing medium and heavy guys. Don't know why they would want to make it hard on someone they need.