Offshore Logistics

[Swass]

I've always thought that this would be a fun place to work. Living on the coast and doing flights to the oil rigs would be a cool way to make a living, the best part of it is fishing after work (or over the side of the rig ).

Anybody know anyone who works for them? What are their thoughts of the place?

Here's a link for those interested or don't know about them.

http://www.olog.com/

 

[rjl2001]

Ya, I think flying offshore would be a pretty cool job. I used to know someone that flies for Air Logistics a while back. He seemed to really enjoy it, but said that the company had some problems. Can't remember exactly what he said, but I believe it was something safety related. I don't think he ever quit though. But Air Log and PHi are the big offshore companies in the gulf. I was TAD in Louissiana for a while and actually was able to go and talk to pilots from both companies. I wasn't looking too seriously, but just thinking I would love to do that someday. Some of the guys said you'll do over 100 landings in a few hours on some days.

In Louissiana theres even a helicopter flight school that has a deal with PHi, if I remember correct. You would get your private license, then get your instructor rating and you could instruct for them to build your hours. The way it all worked out made it look a lot easier getting in that way vs. just trying to get all the hours then applying for a job.

Everytime I talk to a civilian helicopter pilot, he ends up being prior service. I've seen some cool police, EMS, and other jobs but their requirements are like tons of hours and stuff that is almost impossible without having gotten it in the military.

 

[FracCapt]

Companies like Air Logistics and PHI are great places to build time and experience, but they are not the jobs that most helo pilots aspire to. The flying is very demanding at times, very easy at others. GPS approaches to oil rigs are the norm when conditions are not VFR, and often those approaches are not the best designed. Sitting on oil rigs for hours or even days is not a glamorous job. These pilots often make 3-6 landings per hour, and fly legs 10 minutes or less. It gives you quite a bit of experience, but you generally work your butt off.

Most helo pilots advance to jobs such as EMS. Lots of sitting, a little flying, and decent pay(for the helo industry, that is). Home every night(or day, depending on your shift). Some EXTREMELY challenging flying, but most is fairly straightforward and easy.

 

[bocefus]

GPS approaches to rigs and 3-6 landings per hour don't go together in the gulf. The majority of jobs and helos are DAY VFR only, no GPS approaches happening there. These are the ships that are flying mostly short hops and many takeoff/landings per day. GPS approaches are few but are almost always done in the heavier ships with multi pilot crews, they don't sit on the platforms for long in fact they rarely shut down as they are usually dropping off one oil company crew and returning another to shore.

 

[nosehair]

The majority of jobs and helos are DAY VFR only, no GPS approaches happening there. These are the ships that are flying mostly short hops and many takeoff/landings per day. GPS approaches are few but are almost always done in the heavier ships with multi pilot crews, they don't sit on the platforms for long in fact they rarely shut down as they are usually dropping off one oil company crew and returning another to shore.

I did it for PHI in the 80's. All VFR day only. Nothing but a wet compass for navigation in JetRangers, Yellow with a Black stripe on the side like a taxi-cab, which is exactly how you work. A company radio keeps you jumpin from sun-up til sun-down. Little quick hops from rig to rig. Good experience at first, but the days grow long and the mind grows weary, aaaand it is dangerous landing to a rig with those cranes whippin' around loadin' stuff from a workboat and they don't see/hear you comin'.

 

[bocefus]

I did it for PHI in the 80's. All VFR day only. Nothing but a wet compass for navigation in JetRangers, Yellow with a Black stripe on the side like a taxi-cab, which is exactly how you work. A company radio keeps you jumpin from sun-up til sun-down. Little quick hops from rig to rig. Good experience at first, but the days grow long and the mind grows weary, aaaand it is dangerous landing to a rig with those cranes whippin' around loadin' stuff from a workboat and they don't see/hear you comin'.

What? No state of the art ONI LORAN in that ship? I never saw a PHI ship without one??

 

[nosehair]

What? No state of the art ONI LORAN in that ship? I never saw a PHI ship without one??

This was in the late 70's

 

[bocefus]

Ohhh, you posted 80's. Late 70's early 80's PHI was still operating recip Bells and Hueys. By mid to late 80's the entire fleet had LORAN at a minimum.

 

[Fox6]

Sounds like it would be an interesting job, especially if you could live somewhere like Corpus Christi and be home every night. I bet it gets interesting during hurricane season. Do they try to get everyone off of those rigs if they lay in the hurricane path, you would have to start pretty early it seems.

F6