New Apprentices / Good Or Bad?

I don't know where these "tours from hell" are comming from. The pilots and engineers that are in my circle are all 12 on 12 off, 2 and 2, 21 and 10, 3 and 2 or at max 4 and 2. Even Canadian is running 4 and 2 now. If your not on one of these rotations - update the resume. Everyone is looking for experienced crews right now. In 19 years I have never seen so many helicopter positions available. If your not happy where you are, get a few stamps together! :huh:


Sissy puss(sp?) you just got your operating certificate and your "new" leased jetranger. you gonna pay 100k to yourself and one other driver to fly it for the year! best of luck on the tariff there mate! things will look a little different when you are paying o'reilly, marsh and save on! not a personal dig - just a different point of view... ;)

VR
 
FA; Try Trans North in the Whitehorse or Great Slave in Yellowknife.

Cheers and good luck.

Don McDougall
 
FA, that's good advice from Blackmac.
With that "gung ho" attitude you may get used and abused for a while by a shady operator. However, someone else will see your spirit and give you a much better offer. Meanwhile, the bitter and jaded wrenches will still be doing six week tours in Loon River.
Attitude is everything. On that note, please think about a name-change to something less depreciative, you are worth alot to someone, you just have to find who that is. (I think "Ape-prentice" is still available).
 
FrigginApprentice, you have the same attitude I had when I graduated college 14 years ago. Don't ever let the naysayers bring you down! They're either chronic complainers or they're the type of people that enjoy working for a unionised shop, and we know what that means!!!!
It's true that the pay isn't all that great but there are good paying jobs out there for people with your kind of attittude.
Besides, if we were in it for money, we would've chosen a different career.
Any pilot/engineer that gets treated like sh-t or taken advantage of either deserves it or is simply a total imbecile!!!
There is way too much demand for good employees in this business to put up with assh-le employers!!!!!
You might not have the chance to pick and choose your first employer too start but once you have some experience, the sky is the limit.
This business will offer you opportunities that no other career can, if you work hard and have the right attitude.
By the way, I'm presently looking for an apprentice with your kind of ambition so if you're interested, PM me and we'll talk.
Otherwise, working for GreatSlave Helicopters as previously mentioned would be a great career choice.

Anyways, keep up the good attitude and don't give up because it will eventually pay off!!

P.S. Nobody will take advantage of you unless you let them! :up:
 
Frickin'

Go for the adventure you will probably have a blast. It sure beats the hell out of a 9 to 5 hangar job. You can have a sh-t load of fun in this business especially when you are young and single.

Just one thing though, no one is has your long term interests in mind other than yourself, so keep an eye on where you are heading (or others are leading you) and try to come up with a long term plan.
 
I enjoyed mentoring the younger maintenance staff, however you can through that the window when you get you license and management wants the A/C yesterday and you are put in an awkward position to rush the job and sign out the maintenance release. It takes all the pride out of the job, my run in the Ops manager from my previous gig lead to my departure because I was not going to put myself in the ranks of corporate offenders and told him where to stuff it.

I lost one marriage to the industry and in my day when one went into the field the only rotation I rec’d was out in March and back in October in time to do my laundry and go back out on a freeze up job. All that for $2.50/hr………$50,000 poverty line? My how times have changed.

I still liked working with the new guys/girls, apprentices or student pilots, just try to show them that there is a proper way of doing things and treat them like they want to be treated. That part of the job was enjoyable.......


Just one man’s opinion……..

hbd