A typical day in the Gulf

[Guest rotorflyr84]

First off, I do apologize if this has been addressed in the past. But, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to describe a typical day flying offshore from sun-up to sun-down. I have ideas, but I would really like more factual information. This would help out when discussing the job to my family, etc. I appreciate your time! Thanks everyone!

 

Tom

[Gomer Pylot]

There is no typical day. It depends on the job, and on the day. They can vary so widely, it's useless to try to say what is typical. What is typical for one person would be completely unexpected for someone else. Some pilots fly all day, some sit around and watch TV all day, and pretty much everything in between. Some spend the entire hitch offshore, some almost never fly across the beach. It's a completely mixed bag.

[helonorth]

My typical day goes something like this: Up at five, shower and walk across parking lot for 5:30

safety meeting, check A/C logs and head out to preflight. Sunrise is about 6:15 right now, so

you hustle to be off at first light. I may fly all day or I may fly out and sit all day in case they

need me for something unexpected. My platforms are REALLY spread out (about 230NM) so if

I'm on one end and have to go to the other, it's a lot of flying. Last hitch, I flew about 5 hours

a day on average. Wednesdays are crew change for the offshore workers. That's the only day

I pretty much know what I will be doing for the first few hours. We have fuel in about 40

locations offshore, so that part is pretty easy. If your the first one there for that day, you

have to shut down and sump the tank. Food is VERY plentiful out there so if you stop

somewhere, you get fed, plus any kind of junk food imaginable is available. "Down time"

is at 6:30 PM, which means you have to be on shore by then. Paper work gets completed

while the engine cools so it can be rinsed with fresh water. The duty day ends at 7:30 for

a total of 14 hours, 8 of which are flyable. Some contracts require you to stay offshore a lot,

but the helicopter has to come in for maintenance every 3rd night. All contracts are different

but you will work with the same people going to the same places most of the time when on a

contract. Not rocket science, just taking people from point A to B as safely and efficiently as

you can. Every day is different and "the plan" will change several times during the day.

Sorry about the ramble. Hope it gives you an idea of what it's like.

[captkirkyota]

My typical day goes something like this: Up at five, shower and walk across parking lot for 5:30

safety meeting, check A/C logs and head out to preflight. Sunrise is about 6:15 right now, so

you hustle to be off at first light. I may fly all day or I may fly out and sit all day in case they

need me for something unexpected. My platforms are REALLY spread out (about 230NM) so if

I'm on one end and have to go to the other, it's a lot of flying. Last hitch, I flew about 5 hours

a day on average. Wednesdays are crew change for the offshore workers. That's the only day

I pretty much know what I will be doing for the first few hours. We have fuel in about 40

locations offshore, so that part is pretty easy. If your the first one there for that day, you

have to shut down and sump the tank. Food is VERY plentiful out there so if you stop

somewhere, you get fed, plus any kind of junk food imaginable is available. "Down time"

is at 6:30 PM, which means you have to be on shore by then. Paper work gets completed

while the engine cools so it can be rinsed with fresh water. The duty day ends at 7:30 for

a total of 14 hours, 8 of which are flyable. Some contracts require you to stay offshore a lot,

but the helicopter has to come in for maintenance every 3rd night. All contracts are different

but you will work with the same people going to the same places most of the time when on a

contract. Not rocket science, just taking people from point A to B as safely and efficiently as

you can. Every day is different and "the plan" will change several times during the day.

Sorry about the ramble. Hope it gives you an idea of what it's like.

 

Thanks for that reply, it is exactly what I think a lot of guys including OP were looking for, some type of description of what at least one guys day might be like. I had zero clue, since , at least in my readings of this board, no one will ever give an answer except that there is no typical day. Sure I get what GP was saying, but in all the years he spent out there, I'll bet he can recall that there is a "basic" way that things go down with the of course different little details and the what come ups.

Thanks. I'd like to hear from others who's days might be different from what you describe in there "normal" routine.

[Gomer Pylot]

Again, there is no typical day. I've flown jobs on which 100 takeoffs was a slow day, averaging more than 120 per day, every day, and never leaving the block, with about 50 platforms within 3 miles of each other, some flights only a few hundred feet, takeoff and land, takeoff and land, all day. I've flown jobs that went to drilling rigs all the way across the Gulf, long flights every day. I've flown jobs where I sat around and rarely flew. The only thing that is typical is that you have to show up for work early, and be ready for a sunrise takeoff, every day pretty much, but there exceptions to that. If you're flying mediums, you have to be ready for a 6AM takeoff every day, no matter what time the sun comes to work, but there are exceptions to that, too. Some jobs go to the same platforms every day, and some go someplace different every day. If you're a spare pilot, you have to be ready to go anywhere any time, and have your overnight bag along, because you never know where you'll spend the night.

 

There are so many variables that anything anybody tells you will likely be wrong. Everybody has a different story, and different experiences. Different companies, different customers, different people. Even with the same company, nobody has exactly the same job and does the same thing all the time.

[helonorth]

Again, there is no typical day. I've flown jobs on which 100 takeoffs was a slow day, averaging more than 120 per day, every day, and never leaving the block, with about 50 platforms within 3 miles of each other, some flights only a few hundred feet, takeoff and land, takeoff and land, all day. I've flown jobs that went to drilling rigs all the way across the Gulf, long flights every day. I've flown jobs where I sat around and rarely flew. The only thing that is typical is that you have to show up for work early, and be ready for a sunrise takeoff, every day pretty much, but there exceptions to that. If you're flying mediums, you have to be ready for a 6AM takeoff every day, no matter what time the sun comes to work, but there are exceptions to that, too. Some jobs go to the same platforms every day, and some go someplace different every day. If you're a spare pilot, you have to be ready to go anywhere any time, and have your overnight bag along, because you never know where you'll spend the night.

 

There are so many variables that anything anybody tells you will likely be wrong. Everybody has a different story, and different experiences. Different companies, different customers, different people. Even with the same company, nobody has exactly the same job and does the same thing all the time.

Yeah, they get it already.

[Guest rotorflyr84]

Thanks Helonorth for describing your typical day in the Gulf.

 

I guess maybe I worded it wrong. It should be what is your typical day in the Gulf. I'm not looking for a clear cut answer, because as it has been said, everyone will have a different story. But what matters to me, is hearing factual stories. It gives me a basis to go by when the topic arises between me and my family.

 

Thanks for sharing

[captkirkyota]

Thanks Helonorth for describing your typical day in the Gulf.

 

I guess maybe I worded it wrong. It should be what is your typical day in the Gulf. I'm not looking for a clear cut answer, because as it has been said, everyone will have a different story. But what matters to me, is hearing factual stories. It gives me a basis to go by when the topic arises between me and my family.

 

Thanks for sharing

 

I think the hair splitting over "typical day" is the problem.

 

How about this everyone.

 

" What are some of the days like for those of you who have worked in the GOM? Maybe you could describe a few of the more 'common' ones, or 'similarities' or 'theme' if you will, that you've personally encountered and we will take into advisement GP's disclaimer that there are numerous things that can be on the fringes on a common type day".

[Rogue]

http://www.justhelicopters.com/Articles/de...hannel=Articles

 

Thanks Gomer for briefly sharing the variety of experiences you encountered during your career in the Gulf.

[Wally]

How about a typical week/shift? Here's mine from years ago, some things have definitely changed:

 

Tuesday, the phone rings at home. I recognize the voice instantly as one of the scheduling guys, "Hey, Gill, what's up?"

"How 'bout covering a Union job out of Houma Friday?"

"Can do, is it a beach job?"

"No. But the regular pilot's due back on Saturday. We'll let you know." Then the usual small talk. I know the customer and field from my regular contract, which I cover the last four days of my seven. My first three days are as a "pool pilot" in anything I was qualified in, anywhere. In this case, a 206 out of Houma.

 

Thursday, I make the drive from Atlanta intending to reach Houma base 2100 Central. Launch was always first light with a 30 minute prior to launch sign-inrestriction. I'd be up for a 6 AM sign-in.

On time, at the base, find an empty rack in one of the trailers just outside the base door.

 

Next morning, I grab a cuppa, sign-in, and find the logbook, check the weather, preflight and call the customer's dispatch. I'm to jump down to Dulac for outbound pax. Get newspapers, check the bins for stuff going to the field, and launch. Dulac's close, and closer to the middle of no-freaking where, but anyhow, I'm there pretty quick.

Nothing much to say about customer bases, some are very nice, some are-ahem!- "humble". Dulac's okay, and about 30 minutes from the field.

Load the critters and the crap, gone in 10 minutes, max gross. Aside- every time you break ground, you file a flight plan, and call "beach in" or "beach out" when you're definitely (probably) not over the marsh anymore... And when you change freqs for the different zones.

A few minutes from the field, call the platform with an ETA and ask for an update on the plan. Sometimes, you hit the ground running and start moving around right away. This time I shut down and go downstairs to "make nice" with the field foreman, say hey to the cook and whoever's in the office. Papers all around, I snag a biscuit and head back up to the helideck.

Fly. Fly. Fly. Shutdown for lunch, or grab a lunch to eat on a remote platform with a crew. Midafternoon, I get the word I'm here 'til Sunday. I always keep at least an overnight bag on board, and usually enough for 3 sweaty days and 2 nights.

 

Repeat as required, every shift. Only constant in the job is that I have to be released in time to drive to my contract, get 10 hours rest and cover it Monday AM. No help from the company, I do what I have to do and be prepared to accept any heat. Usually a word to the field foreman gets me out on time, but sometimes it takes imagination to meet everybody's needs. I am THE pilot and PIC.

 

Some shifts start as far West as Rockport, some as far East as New Orleans. Sometimes, I show to cover an unassigned spare, and get flogged all over the GoM. Sometimes I won't turn a blade. The only constant is a 14 hour day, starting no earlier than half-hour before local sunrise. I work 14 hours every day except the shortest days of winter, as does everybody as far as I know.

Anyhow, it's pedal to the metal, in the dark, from wherever to my contract base...

 

Drive to the base, crash in my regular rack. Monday morning, I hop the fence from PHI to the customer base to load for an 0700 launch. This contract doesn't do anything before 0700, and knocks off at 1900. 0630 sign in, 2030 sign out, amen.

Pick up the measurement crew at the shore base, beach out for 3 days, 2 nights offshore. The measurement crew work a regular route throughout the Gulf, so I get to see lots of water, and spend every night at one of their offshore pumping stations. Fairly nice, but we're not "station personnel" so we get last choice of everything, until oddly enough, our last night out... Three flight hours a day, 20-30 takeoffs, 10 starts, in a Twinstar (spit to clear the taste- I HATE the "Double Duck"!). Once a month, I max out and do 8 in the seat and 100 or so takeoffs on the 'chart run' as we cover all the stations.

Last night out, and we have an empty seat or two after Wednesday's (tomorrow) business, and the platform hands 'forget' we're not station personnel. We all know the game, it's no problem, and afternoon/early evenings are a surer time to beach-in, anyhow. Mornings are often foggy, and the measurement guys don't want to be caught out, so I keep them abreast of the weather. We'll head in ASAP, if the weather starts down. The pumping station hands would sure like it if we'd swing by and fill those seats, getting them an early start on breakday.

Beach in, drop'em and hop to PHI.

My last night's on the beach at my regular base. Load the car and get as good a nights sleep as I can. Next morning, 0700 and over the fence at max gross, outbound. The crew change is done at or before lunch, pretty much non-stop. If it's done before lunch, I'll take a lunch back to the base and standby all afternoon.

Generally, I'm "in the pool" again at this point, because the measurement crew releases me- they're not going out unless there's a measurement disaster. PHI has me in their pocket, but the company will almost always fly me back to my car if I've had to do any pool stuff. The sticky bit occurs when measurement has something, or releases me to the pumping station's use. Even then, if sunset's sufficiently late, a 1900 knock off often will get me back to the beach. A couple times a year, I get stuck for weather or projects. That's why I don't fly to work.

 

Sign out at 2030 for ten-sixteen hour drive home...

[captkirkyota]

Wally, awesome reply, definitely between yours, the article and the other guys post am starting to get somewhat of a picture finally, without them, all I had was that it was hot and dirty, but other than that only the patented, "nothing typical" response. ( not meant to be a dig at GP, I understand that after years of doing something it is easy to assume people know what it is all about and not see the need for any in depth description, happens at all jobs.) Little details that are going on in my mind and wanting to know for instance, starting time in the am, eating, sleeping, etc etc. Thanks to you and those who have taken the time to get this in depth, and thanks to anyone else who decides to post up their experiences.

O.P. thanks for asking this question, and yet kinda sorry you did, cuz these answers aint exactly sounding like it is all that fun to work GOM.

Gosh I hope these to things happen before I end up having to go down there,

1. I find a job that pays enough for me to scrape by and not have to go GOM.

2. The pay at the GOM goes up more, so it will be more bearable.

[helonorth]

Interesting responses from Wally and the JH thing. Fortunately, it is no longer anything like that

in the GOM. Glad to say it is considerably duller, but not nearly as much fun to read about.

[Gomer Pylot]

Working in the GOM is a lot of things, but fun isn't one of them. That's not to say that there is never any fun to be had, but overall it's just a constant grind. The saying is "It never rains in t he oil patch", meaning the work goes on no matter what, and holidays don't exist, except that the pumpers get paid a lot more money, and the pilots don't. You work your shift as it comes. Getting to and from your work base is your problem, on your own time. You're at the beck and call of the oil company foreman or dispatcher, all day every day, and your problems are not his. If you get in late, too bad. If you don't get in at all, too bad. Tired? Too bad, keep going til told to stop. I've flown a few jobs where the oil company people treated me just like one of their crew, but I can count those on the fingers of one hand, and have lots of fingers left over. In general, you're just service trash. I've flown several jobs where I wasn't allowed to eat until al the company personnel had finished, and if that meant I missed a meal, then I missed it. Sympathy is right between s**t and syphilis in the dictionary, and I was frequently reminded of that.

 

It's possible to get a good job, where you're treated well, but most of those have been homesteaded by pilots with lots of seniority who plan to retire from them, or else they fold. I never had a good job that lasted more than about a year. The bad jobs just go on forever, though. Maybe I'm just unlucky with that, but it's a fact.

 

Flying mediums is better, because you're not usually stuck offshore all day, because you don't usually work for the foreman. You do your crew change(s) and you're done, most of the time, but that's not set in stone, either. You can be sent to another base across the gulf on a moment's notice, without even time to get your overnight bag. It's your problem, not the dispatcher's. You never carry your bag on a crew change, because it will disappear on one of the stops, guaranteed. One pilot is out, herding the critters, but it's not possible to check what everyone is carrying, you just try to keep them out of the tail rotor and moving in the right direction. For these, you take off at 6AM, and finish when all the flying is done, or you get your 10 hours of flying done, whichever happens first. If it's an IFR day, it will finish late, because of the extra time required to file, and to do the extra trips because your load is reduced by the IFR fuel and alternate requirements. That said, I think the instrument flying is about all I miss about the Gulf. There is something satisfying about flying an ILS with 1/4 mile visibility with a load of critters, breaking out at 100' with the runway right there, and having the critters break out in applause. That doesn't happen under other circumstances. I never cared about the critters, but completing a hard IFR flight is its own reward. In any case, it's a grind, every day of every hitch. There just ain't no getting around that, and that's one of the main reasons the turnover is so high. Few pilots last very long down there.

[Wally]

Wally, awesome reply, definitely between yours, the article and the other guys post am starting to get somewhat of a picture finally, without them, all I had was that it was hot and dirty, but other than that only the patented, "nothing typical" response. ( not meant to be a dig at GP, I understand that after years of doing something it is easy to assume people know what it is all about and not see the need for any in depth description, happens at all jobs.) Little details that are going on in my mind and wanting to know for instance, starting time in the am, eating, sleeping, etc etc. Thanks to you and those who have taken the time to get this in depth, and thanks to anyone else who decides to post up their experiences.

O.P. thanks for asking this question, and yet kinda sorry you did, cuz these answers aint exactly sounding like it is all that fun to work GOM.

Gosh I hope these to things happen before I end up having to go down there,

1. I find a job that pays enough for me to scrape by and not have to go GOM.

2. The pay at the GOM goes up more, so it will be more bearable.

 

It was a good job for a good company. Yeah, the money could be better (shrug). Yeah, it's hot and or muggy- you adapt to the weather. Yeah, the scenery's the same everywhere- but offshore is one big arse forced landing area, you just won't be walking to a farmhouse. There's no mountains, few towers and nothing except you, the bird and a fairly well defined job- clarity. Everybody 'speaks' helicopter to some extent.

The majors or at least PHI and Air Log are very professional operations. They provide good, no-nonsense support. Their rules are clear, as is the job description and the minimums. In 13 years, I never had a run-in with management that I didn't request or earn. Had some very earnest discussions about equipment serviceability, but there was a process for a definitive resolution. Played fair and tactfully, no hard feelings; but played hard and nasty...

 

The customer and the contract is a different issue. I never saw the contract specific, so it was whatever made everybody happy that day. If that meant the field boss took a wild hair and declared you a "run-off mofo", well then, you were- the end. Didn't matter how crazy the field boss was that made the call, there'd be somebody else there to cover the job.

At the end of the hitch, sign out, go home and forget about it. At that time, there was NO forced overtime. That's all good.

 

That, and I LIKE 'Coonies', me, yeah. I'd be back in what we down here term a "New York minute", with no second thoughts, if I wasn't doing an EMS gig in my wife's hometown. Maybe not to PHI, and maybe not in a 'small ship' again, but everybody's different.

[brannon]

This is great information guys. I'm more informed with each post.

 

Thanks,

 

Brannon

[helonorth]

Working in the GOM is a lot of things, but fun isn't one of them. That's not to say that there is never any fun to be had, but overall it's just a constant grind. The saying is "It never rains in t he oil patch", meaning the work goes on no matter what, and holidays don't exist, except that the pumpers get paid a lot more money, and the pilots don't. You work your shift as it comes. Getting to and from your work base is your problem, on your own time. You're at the beck and call of the oil company foreman or dispatcher, all day every day, and your problems are not his. If you get in late, too bad. If you don't get in at all, too bad. Tired? Too bad, keep going til told to stop. I've flown a few jobs where the oil company people treated me just like one of their crew, but I can count those on the fingers of one hand, and have lots of fingers left over. In general, you're just service trash. I've flown several jobs where I wasn't allowed to eat until al the company personnel had finished, and if that meant I missed a meal, then I missed it. Sympathy is right between s**t and syphilis in the dictionary, and I was frequently reminded of that.

 

It's possible to get a good job, where you're treated well, but most of those have been homesteaded by pilots with lots of seniority who plan to retire from them, or else they fold. I never had a good job that lasted more than about a year. The bad jobs just go on forever, though. Maybe I'm just unlucky with that, but it's a fact.

 

Flying mediums is better, because you're not usually stuck offshore all day, because you don't usually work for the foreman. You do your crew change(s) and you're done, most of the time, but that's not set in stone, either. You can be sent to another base across the gulf on a moment's notice, without even time to get your overnight bag. It's your problem, not the dispatcher's. You never carry your bag on a crew change, because it will disappear on one of the stops, guaranteed. One pilot is out, herding the critters, but it's not possible to check what everyone is carrying, you just try to keep them out of the tail rotor and moving in the right direction. For these, you take off at 6AM, and finish when all the flying is done, or you get your 10 hours of flying done, whichever happens first. If it's an IFR day, it will finish late, because of the extra time required to file, and to do the extra trips because your load is reduced by the IFR fuel and alternate requirements. That said, I think the instrument flying is about all I miss about the Gulf. There is something satisfying about flying an ILS with 1/4 mile visibility with a load of critters, breaking out at 100' with the runway right there, and having the critters break out in applause. That doesn't happen under other circumstances. I never cared about the critters, but completing a hard IFR flight is its own reward. In any case, it's a grind, every day of every hitch. There just ain't no getting around that, and that's one of the main reasons the turnover is so high. Few pilots last very long down there.

You paint a pretty grim picture. Fortunately, as I have said, things have changed so you would

not recognize the GOM from GP's version. Need a break, take a break. Tired? Who the hell

isn't after 10 days? There is no such thing as "finishing late" unless you consider down time

finishing late. You complain about getting to work, on your time, at your expense. I have never

had anyone pay me to get to work. I have worked a lot of contracts both as the regular pilot,

filling in and doing specials. Everyone has been decent and respectful. As I treat them. Refering

to your passengers as "critters" and openly saying you didn't give a rip about them is

disturbing and certainly was the root of your problems down here. Turnover is higher than

average because no one will hire you at a decent salary and benefits at a 1000 hours. Except

the GOM. Pilots build time and get jobs closer to home. We have many pilots that have made

a career out of it, too. Every 14 days, you get 14 off. Not a bad deal. It ain't no glamour job,

but I'm not on call 24 hours a day (corporate, ENG), don't have to work at night (corp, ENG, EMS), don't live in a bush camp and don't have to risk my life all day 10 feet off the ground. I pretty

much posted these same thoughts a year ago and was told how naive I was. Nothing has

changed. I don't think it will.

[Gomer Pylot]

Don't take things the wrong way. I wasn't complaining about getting to work, I'm just saying it's your problem, because I've seen many, many posts here and on other forums asking about that, and many people seem to assume that it's paid.

 

It's an old tradition in the GOM to call the pax critters, and if you had been around long enough, you would realize that. Jokes will be made, if one is to survive. What I don't care about is having them applaud me. I care about getting them back in one piece, but I don't care whether they appreciate it or not. To most of them, it's just a ride, and we may never see each other again. Flying a small ship, working in the same field every day, you develop a relationship with the hands over time, but flying crew changes in big ships you're more like an airline pilot, and they're just passengers you see for a little while today and maybe never again.

 

If you hang around long enough, you'll understand all this better. Time and experience will always give a different perspective.

[helonorth]

Don't take things the wrong way. I wasn't complaining about getting to work, I'm just saying it's your problem, because I've seen many, many posts here and on other forums asking about that, and many people seem to assume that it's paid.

 

It's an old tradition in the GOM to call the pax critters, and if you had been around long enough, you would realize that. Jokes will be made, if one is to survive. What I don't care about is having them applaud me. I care about getting them back in one piece, but I don't care whether they appreciate it or not. To most of them, it's just a ride, and we may never see each other again. Flying a small ship, working in the same field every day, you develop a relationship with the hands over time, but flying crew changes in big ships you're more like an airline pilot, and they're just passengers you see for a little while today and maybe never again.

 

If you hang around long enough, you'll understand all this better. Time and experience will always give a different perspective.

It's complicated, but I'll try! Never heard anyone call anyone a critter, though. I hope, next year,

have enough experience to have had!

[Wally]

It's complicated, but I'll try! Never heard anyone call anyone a critter, though. I hope, next year,

have enough experience to have had!

 

"Critter" is what it is, and how you use it determines what you're saying, expressed ages ago- "When you call me that, smile". Words, and names, are all about context. You can have yourself a serious social situation referring to Boudreaux as a "Coonass" (sorta like the "N word") or it can be a sign of brotherhood and respect. "Critters" acknowledges the gulf that exists in the job. Your pax don't have your interests at heart; or you, theirs- after the safe landing.

[helicodger pilot]

I've never flown in the GoM and have no desire to do so, but I have a friend who flies down there for Era and he gave what I think is a great summation of GoM flying: " Fly over water, land on a building- fly over water, land on a building."

 

Still, as they say, "A job's a job"...

[Gomer Pylot]

I've never flown in the GoM and have no desire to do so, but I have a friend who flies down there for Era and he gave what I think is a great summation of GoM flying: " Fly over water, land on a building- fly over water, land on a building."

 

Still, as they say, "A job's a job"...

LOL. Yeah, that pretty much covers it. Except once in awhile you get to land on mud, although it's generally oyster shell dumped on mud, if the shell hasn't sunk yet.

[Oil Pilot]

I generally wake up around 5:30, have some breakfast, have a look at the aircraft and untie, then wait for the morning meeting to finish up. Meeting normally is done by 6:30, we start putting personnel out in the field. Once everyone is in place where they need to be, come back to the main platform and shut down for a break.

 

Normally, I'll go out one more time before lunch to move anyone that needs to be moved again, then come back and shut down for lunch.

 

After lunch, it's back out again for moves. More moves around 2:30, then a clean-up flight normally at 4:30. Finish up, tie down and have some dinner, then head back out to rinse the engine and wash the aircraft up. Complete a daily and call it a night. Normally I'm done by 6:30.

 

Spread throughout the day when I'm flying I'll get to see dolphins, manta rays, large groups of stingrays, sharks, whales, turtles, etc. When I'm back at the platform I have access to computers, a big screen TV, and a pool table. I can also go chill out in my room with my own TV and bathroom. When I do end up spending the night on the beach, it's in a bunkhouse that is considerably more comfortable than a trailer and has significantly more soundproof walls.

 

I've had jobs in the gulf with different operators. There are good jobs and bad jobs with all of them. Sometimes you'll land one of the cushy jobs that flies enough to keep you happy, sometimes you'll end up with one that hardly ever lets you get out of the helicopter for a break. If you have any intentions of staying down here, there are better places to work than the big 3 or RLC, you just have to find them.