bristow helicopter adventures merger

[mountain man]

I am currently attending hai soon to be known as bristow academy and was wondering what everyone thinks about the situation and where this might lead the industry as far as pilot training and possibily of bristow controlling a large part of the training world. Brilliant move on there behalf without a doubt. Rumors are also flyig that they will be purchasing another larg flight school. And next......the world mua ha ha ha.

 

MM

[JDHelicopterPilot]

I am currently attending hai soon to be known as bristow academy and was wondering what everyone thinks about the situation and where this might lead the industry as far as pilot training and possibily of bristow controlling a large part of the training world. Brilliant move on there behalf without a doubt. Rumors are also flyig that they will be purchasing another larg flight school. And next......the world mua ha ha ha.

 

MM

 

 

Haven't heard of this until now. I went to HAI up in Concord, Ca. If I remember Bristow is also part of Air Log in the GOM. It would be a good move on their part if it were true. A good way to know where your pilots come from and they would be able to play a role in their training. HAI in Concord, Ca was a good school.

[John90290]

Bristow Group announces plan to purchase Helicopter Adventures

 

HOUSTON--March 1, 2007--Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE:BRS), a leading provider of helicopter services and production management services to the offshore energy industry, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase 100% of the stock of Helicopter Adventures, Inc., a leading flight training provider, for approximately $15 million plus debt of approximately $5 million. The purchase is expected to be completed on April 1, 2007 and at that time the flight school will be renamed as Bristow Academy Inc.

 

William E. Chiles, Bristow's President and Chief Executive Officer, characterized the acquisition as, "both a strategic move and a sound investment." Chiles said that, "Bristow Academy will be the centerpiece of a Global Training Division that will set a new standard for helicopter training at all levels of qualification while also providing a steady supply of highly trained new pilots to meet the needs of the company."

 

Helicopter Adventures, Inc. located in Titusville, Florida and Concord, California is the only helicopter flight school approved to provide helicopter flight training to Commercial Pilot level both by the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Joint Aviation Authority. It operates 51 helicopters and employs 115, including 45 flight instructors. The school has approximately 225 students in training, consisting of a mixture of self-funded private individuals, sponsored trainees from the helicopter industry or related companies, as well as trainee pilots from a wide variety of foreign and domestic government agencies.

 

Bristow Group Inc. is the leading provider of helicopter services to the worldwide offshore energy industry based on number of aircraft operated. Through its subsidiaries, affiliates and joint ventures, the Company has major operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, and operations in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia and Trinidad. Additionally, the Company is a leading provider of production management services for oil and gas production facilities in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The Company's Common Stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRS.

 

From Rotorhub.com

 

 

 

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[joker]

Cool!

 

I was hoping they would only take the JAA side. If this was the case, it would solidify the school's already stirling reputation and bring in support and good ideas for the JAA training, which would permeate throughout the school. Opportunities for graduates will open up.

 

However, I see that they are taking 100% stock. I do think that would be a loss. The 141 courses there are well developed, established course which contribute greatly to the US and worldwide market. The JAA training provides affordable flight training to individuals all over Europe.

 

As I said, the details are still sketchy. As often with stuff like this, I'm sure there is a way to go before anything firm comes out. P Corr isn't stupid and will have thought carefully about this.

 

Joker

Edited March 2, 2007 by joker

[mentor]

I am currently attending hai soon to be known as bristow academy and was wondering what everyone thinks about the situation and where this might lead the industry as far as pilot training and possibily of bristow controlling a large part of the training world. Brilliant move on there behalf without a doubt. Rumors are also flyig that they will be purchasing another larg flight school. And next......the world mua ha ha ha.

 

MM

 

 

Vortex is the other school, sale is pending, will also be known as Bristow Academy.

[mountain man]

As joker said" the details are sketchy" and will be for a while, without doubt. But either way i see it there always seems to be a benefit for students at these schools( hai and vortex if that is bought). your not assured a job but as patrick corr said it we have a "big toe in the door". Better than standing outside banging on that door i suppose. Bill chiles also spoke of possible funding for student like a collegiate system with grants, scholarships and contract deals but we will see as the months role buy if we were getting the real deal.

[arotrhd]

WAY TOO much happening at the expo this year...and I couldn't go.

 

I have not trained with either and only know their reputations to be world class with qualified pilots coming out, as well as a world class operator like Bristow - a very logical and smart synergy for all involved. I know colleagues with Air Log/Bristow Alaska and they are hurting for [qualified] pilots...this would definitely help with those needs.

 

However, I am concerned this merger will produce a "cookie-cutter" pilot with skill set initially meeting a specific operation (think offshore or petroleum ops) and reduce/dilute their potential knowledge pool. I can envision this becoming something like a "ComAir academy" for helicopters...could be good, could be bad. I am big on customer loyalty with the operators I have selected for initial/recurrent training, but I also value having a second - or even third - source to get a different perspective for procedures or whatever. I'm not sure that would be available to students who elect to attend Bristow/HAI/Vortex. Again, this is an initial concern I have and will be watching carefully.

 

And not to bash SSH, but one might wonder why they were not invited on the dance floor with Bristow. Or, perhaps they were, but the offer wasn't enough?

 

-WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

[joker]

I don't mean to put a downer on things, but let's just consider how much of a real advantage it is....

 

No one is going to walk out of a course at 'Bristows Academy' straight into the right seat of a multi-engine twin.

 

For the lucky few who get employed right after their training as an instructor the advantages are huge! They do their time there until a senior guy says, "I'm going to recommend you for co-pilot". They pack their bags and off they go.

 

Take someone who doesn't get hired as an instructor after their course. For joe average who doesn't get hired, while they have contacts (useful for later life), the still won't be massively well off.

 

Somewhere they will need to get 'experience'.

 

So say Bristow's says they can work for them as First Officer (co pilot) right out of their course. That person racks up a couple of thousand hours left seat. They are still not up-gradeable to Captain without PIC time.

 

I wonder what plans Bristows has for the copilots it puts through this training at 'Bristows Acadamy' to get the PIC experience, in order to upgrade them. Whether there is P1US time available? That's a long road, but at least it gets them some PIC along the way. Whether they are allowed a year's sabbatical leave to go off and get PIC? I don't know.

 

From Bristows' point of view, it doesn't matter. All they need to do is hire as many pilots are instructors as the number of co-pilots they think they'll need in a year's time, or captain's they'll need in 6 year's time. They essentially have a continuous supply of co-pilots with PIC experience. No competition between them and other companies for pilots so their salaries go down and Bristow's becomes captained by pilots who's only experience (outside of copilot with Bristows) is instruction.

 

These Bristow's pilots see their salaries and conditions going down. Plus, there are a number of 'un-upgradeable' copilots hanging around. They start applying to the other companies who welcome the flood of cheap labour and drop their salaries as well. Eventually, helicopter pilots work for peanuts again.

 

Well, maybe not exactly right, but this is going to have some effect on the industry way down the road.

 

This sector is currently paying well because it is hard to get into, and with that, there is demand for pilots. Flood the supply and it can only be bad for everyone there!

 

I hope it goes well, and everyone wins. I'm sure everyone won't though. Remember a win for management usually means a loss for the shop floor!

 

Joker

Edited March 3, 2007 by joker

[mechanic]

Any word when/if Vortex is making the swap???

[C of G]

Any word when/if Vortex is making the swap???

 

 

I believe the details of the swap are being ironed out as we speak.

[helifool]

I believe the details of the swap are being ironed out as we speak.

 

Im currently attending Bristow and they are telling all of us now that Vortex is now part of Bristow Academy.

[apiaguy]

I'd have to 2nd joker's response....

 

If they control this initial training segment it will only mean that pay for their hiries will go down. Students/instructors will be jumping to get into the industry and into one of their "hopefull" seats and it will allow the parent company to select their brightest hopefulls and pay them less than they are now because they're "helping them out" by giving them their first real job.

 

We'll see.

[mechanic]

I don’t know how it will be with Bristow calling the shots, but Vortex’s program was like this.

 

You finished your CPL, then went to Air Log for a pre interview. If Air Log liked you, they gave Vortex the thumbs up to put you into the CFI apprenticeship program till you built up 800-1000 hrs pic. At that point you would go back to Air Log for a real interview to possibly get hired.

 

This is how I have heard it from several people. I used to have a photo copy of the outline of the program but cannot find it now.

 

Later

 

[mechanic]

Finally went public yesterday....

 

Vortex now Bristow Academy, link.

 

Bristow Academy, link.