Gommers

[Wanna-be]

Hi,

 

are there people here flying offshore?

where do you do that,

do you like it,

what machines do you fly,

how long are you doing this job,

which licenses do you have?

what do you get paid?

 

I hope that someone likes to answer it

 

your welcome

Edited August 14, 2006 by 67november

[Guest rookie101]

keep looking through this section of VR and you'll find some of the answers to your questions like pay, whether or not they like their job, and where/what they fly.

[C of G]

Been working in the Gulf just under two years.

Flying anywhere from Galveston, Tx to Fourchon, La with a few bases further out.

It's not exactly difficult flying, it's mostly negotiating weather that adds to the excitement, and, to be honest, most of the people you fly don't care for helicopters and view them as a necessary evil. Some are down right scared of flying, but they won't hesitate to ask you to fly outside of the envelope or in horrible conditions. Not a whole lot of respect for the man or machine . There are exceptions, though.

Beyond that, I actually like it most days otherwise I'd find something else to do. Bottom line is it's work, and that's why it's called that.

I have a helicopter only commercial certificate with an instrument, which will soon be upgraded to an ATP once I meet my instrument requirements. I make around $60,000 with minimal overtime. Oh, yeah, I currently fly an Agusta 119, getting checked out in an EC135 , but have also flown the 206 and EC120, and even went to the factory for the EC155, but the company just sold those. (I'd rather not talk about it. )

[Gomer Pylot]

are there people here flying offshore?

 

Yep.

 

where do you do that,

 

Offshore, of course. Starting from any of a number of bases in the wilds of south Louisiana. They all suck.

 

do you like it,

 

Sometimes.

 

what machines do you fly,

 

S76 & B412

 

how long are you doing this job,

 

Way too long. About 25 years.

 

which licenses do you have?

 

ATP

 

what do you get paid?

 

Not nearly enough. About 70K, which isn't a lot for 25 years of experience, and 14 more before this job.

[Wanna-be]

if you dont like it that much, cant you do anything else? you must be an experienced pilot.

[Gomer Pylot]

Aviation is rather unique in that you start pretty much every job at entry level, no matter how much experience you have. If I went elsewhere, I would start out at entry level, much less than I make now. That's another aspect of this career that prospective pilots need to understand. Every time you change jobs, you start over. There are exceptions, of course, but they seem to be rare. Now I have too much time invested in this job to change, unless this situation changes. And it might, because GOM companies are starting to give at least partial credit to experience in the GOM. I know of at least a few who have jumped ship to another company at the same level, and with a bonus to boot. Unfortunately, I have no other marketable skills, and I'm pretty much stuck in this profession until I can't pass the tests any more.