Vulcan

[User546]

Wow, a Submarine that goes underwater??? What a concept! As opposed to those "surface-only" submarines!

Yea, pretty cool huh idea huh!

Okay let me clarify! Installed in the Octopus is a dry dock which houses a 10-man sub that has it's own separate remote control vehicle for crawling the ocean floor. The sub is capable of spending 2 weeks on the ocean floor with a full crew.

Not too shabby for simply being a "toy" to outfit your $200 millon yacht!

 

[Spooky 1]

Believe it or not

Wow, a Submarine that goes underwater??? What a concept!

As opposed to those "surface-only" submarines!

The fact of the matter is the current concept only sub onboard the Octopus does not go underwater. It just motors around on the surface. They had to build the thing to see how it fit and launced from within the internal bay of the yacht. The "real thing" is undergoing sea trials at the moment and is expected to be onboard before the end of the year. So yes, a "suface only" sub does exist..........sort of.

 

[G4G5]

The fact of the matter is the current concept only sub onboard the Octopus does not go underwater. It just motors around on the surface.

Don't they call that a boat?

 

[Spooky 1]

The fact of the matter is the current concept only sub onboard the Octopus does not go underwater. It just motors around on the surface. quote]

Don't they call that a boat?

Maybe they call it a proof of concept Undersea'boot? F#@k I don't know, they never ask me any of that stuff.

 

[mzaharis]

The sub is capable of spending 2 weeks on the ocean floor with a full crew.

Two weeks? I was about to call BS until I did a bit of googling, and found some more info. How do they do that? Do they use a snorkel, or have some sort of funky Air Independent Propulsion (AIP, as the submariners say) system? If so, does it generate enough electricity to electrolyze water for oxygen in addition to propelling a submarine?

If it's without a snorkel, 2 weeks for 8-10 people is a heck of a technical trick (even if you have tens/hundreds of millions to try and pull it off).

I could be wrong, but I doubt that even Paul Allen could get the NRC to sign off on his own personal submarine nuclear reactor (and, if it's like the NR-1, a submarine nuclear reactor eats up a heck of a lot of space).

 

[Spooky 1]

Yea, pretty cool huh idea huh!

Okay let me clarify! Installed in the Octopus is a dry dock which houses a 10-man sub that has it's own separate remote control vehicle for crawling the ocean floor. The sub is capable of spending 2 weeks on the ocean floor with a full crew.

Not too shabby for simply being a "toy" to outfit your $200 millon yacht!

No. No. No! The ROV is a separate item. Remote Ocean Vehicle that has a 3,000 meter cable. The ROV is controlled from a station onboard the yacht via hand controls and video screens. Just like the equipment you would see exploring the Titanic initially.

Also include is a dynamic GPS position stabilizing system on the yacht that will position it within a meter and keep it stationary over that spot by using bow and stern thrusters. Sort of like the systems they would use on a drilling platform to maintain position while exploring a drill hole.

The sub is something completely different. 10 man, capable of staying down (I think) for 8 to 10 days in an emergency. Max water depth is 1500’ so I am told. I guess this depth restriction provides a cushion for the “crush factor”. There was talk of checking the helicopter pilots out on the sub, but I think that has been scrapped as of now.

Does anyone know how to attach a Power Point presentation to a thread?

 

[KSUPILOT]

just to think all I wanted to know when I started this thread was a little about the company.

 

[some_dude]

All I can say is "D_mn, that's cool!"

No. No. No! The ROV is a separate item. Remote Ocean Vehicle that has a 3,000 meter cable. The ROV is controlled from a station onboard the yacht via hand controls and video screens. Just like the equipment you would see exploring the Titanic initially.

Also include is a dynamic GPS position stabilizing system on the yacht that will position it within a meter and keep it stationary over that spot by using bow and stern thrusters. Sort of like the systems they would use on a drilling platform to maintain position while exploring a drill hole.

The sub is something completely different. 10 man, capable of staying down (I think) for 8 to 10 days in an emergency. Max water depth is 1500’ so I am told. I guess this depth restriction provides a cushion for the “crush factor”. There was talk of checking the helicopter pilots out on the sub, but I think that has been scrapped as of now.

Does anyone know how to attach a Power Point presentation to a thread?

 

[Gulfstream 200]

All I can say is "D_mn, that's cool!"

All I can say is "Damm, thats MONEY!"

 

[Spooky 1]

just to think all I wanted to know when I started this thread was a little about the company.

I know what mean. This type of thread can be contagious and rediculous at the same time. Toss an application in at any time. What the hell, anything is possible.

 

[W-COAST]

Worked for Vulcan

Worked for Vulcan in the early days (1993-1998) when they just had a one 757 and CL601 which has been sold for a couple of years now. Came back in 2002 for 6 months of contract flying. They were run by TAG and the former AMI in those days.
They now have basicly 3 divisions... airline (757's) They fly the sports teams and family......corporate (Global, GV, Twin Otter on floats) they fly the family and executives, and helicopter ( at least 5) they are assigned to the boats (3 have heliports) and the hanger in Seattle and fly family pretty much......Oh... don't forget the F-5.... flown by a select few.
Lots of turnover now including pilots, F/A, Mech, Etc. Lots of folks have worked there over the years. When you walk into their operation you are wow'd by the hanger, planes, operation.....but after a while..........
My suggestion is that you'd better keep your seat belt on for the whole flight.....
Serious about working there? Drop me an email....

 

[bafanguy]

My suggestion is that you'd better keep your seat belt on for the whole flight.....
....

????????

 

[Spooky 1]

????????

I know this fellow and he is a fine gentleman and pilot. Things were pretty ughly about the time he left as TAG had just departed and we got stuck with someone overseeing the operation that was simply out of his element.

Today we have a a much better operation with significantly better managers. There has been a fair amount of turnover, especially within the helicopter operations simply because the nature of this department causes some really significant QOL issues. The helicopter manager is a great guy, but he can only do so much reagrding the very nature of the helicopter operation. i.e., long periods away from home in some pretty remote parts of the world.

There has been zero turnover in the B757 operation during the last five years. There has been some turnover in the corporate side of the house, but if you looked at the cause and circumstance I think one would realize that in most cases, the reasons behind it were factual. We lost a couple of guys in this department that were exceptional airman and they will always be friends and people that I admire. The good news is they landed on their feet and have no reason to look back with regrets. A couple others you could see it coming from a mile away.

The maintenance department has had issues for a long time. They have a new department manager starting this week. Hopefully things will get better as there are a fine group of people who work in that department.

In closing I would caution anyone who was thinking about coming to work for Vulcan to take a hard look at what their definition of corporate aviation is. This is not Kansas, Totto. This is a department that works for one or two individuals at their beckon request and the very nature of this demands a very dynamic individual just to keep up with the program and the changes that can take place on an hourly basis. Good group of people, great facilities, but not perfect yet, by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Kingairrick]

Psysicx,
It's like this: when I think about how "the other half" lives, I think of my boss (a billionaire) with his planes and yachts and big houses all over the country and how he and his old lady can walk into any store and walk out with anything they want and not worry about the cost.

Now when my boss thinks about the "other half", he thinks of Gates, Allen, Ellison, Buffet (Warren, not Jimmy), the Waltons and those Saudi Princes.

Exactly,
My boss said to me the other day when we were talking about the Yellowstone Club; "That's for the mega-wealthy people."
The paper yesterday said my boss is worth more than Haiti. No lie. I want to ask him "Who's "mega"?" This thread is my answer.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I know this fellow and he is a fine gentleman and pilot. Things were pretty ughly about the time he left as TAG had just departed and we got stuck with someone overseeing the operation that was simply out of his element.

Today we have a a much better operation with significantly better managers. There has been a fair amount of turnover, especially within the helicopter operations simply because the nature of this department causes some really significant QOL issues. The helicopter manager is a great guy, but he can only do so much reagrding the very nature of the helicopter operation. i.e., long periods away from home in some pretty remote parts of the world.

There has been zero turnover in the B757 operation during the last five years. There has been some turnover in the corporate side of the house, but if you looked at the cause and circumstance I think one would realize that in most cases, the reasons behind it were factual. We lost a couple of guys in this department that were exceptional airman and they will always be friends and people that I admire. The good news is they landed on their feet and have no reason to look back with regrets. A couple others you could see it coming from a mile away.

The maintenance department has had issues for a long time. They have a new department manager starting this week. Hopefully things will get better as there are a fine group of people who work in that department.

In closing I would caution anyone who was thinking about coming to work for Vulcan to take a hard look at what their definition of corporate aviation is. This is not Kansas, Totto. This is a department that works for one or two individuals at their beckon request and the very nature of this demands a very dynamic individual just to keep up with the program and the changes that can take place on an hourly basis. Good group of people, great facilities, but not perfect yet, by any stretch of the imagination.

well said!

Working more or less for individuals can be good and bad from my experience....(and certainly not on this level)

It always amazes me when people who are interested in signing on to an operation that spends much time all over the globe on 757's GV GLEX etc..ask..

"will I do many RON's?"
"will I have to work weekends?"

:smash:

 

[AA717driver]

This is a department that works for one or two individuals at their beckon request and the very nature of this demands a very dynamic individual just to keep up with the program and the changes that can take place on an hourly basis.

Gee, I wonder what it's like to NOT work in that environment...

Spooky--When they have turnover in the 757 operation do they hire from within or look outside? Thanks for all the good info.TC

 

[psysicx]

Do pilots fly both 757's? Or is there a certain pilot group that does one or the other.

 

[Spooky 1]

Gee, I wonder what it's like to NOT work in that environment...

Spooky--When they have turnover in the 757 operation do they hire from within or look outside? Thanks for all the good info.TC

There has not been any turn over in the B757 in the last five years at least. They have recently added two additional pilots to the existing B757 cadre and both of these came from within the flight department. The entire flight department is a mix of civilian, Air Force, Marines. The Dir. Flt Ops is former Air Force. The CP is civilian. So, as you can see there is no agenda that dictates where the pilots originate. Some gave Part 121 experience, some not. I would imagine that they will continue to draw from within, for the Boeing pilots. The Boeing is perceived to have more desireable working conditions that either the GV or GEX, and that combined with the bigger must be better mentality seems to make the Boeing the better choice at this time. Obviously, sports team flying is sorta like airline flying as you know the schedules at least a year in advance. The corporate Boeing is kinda like the GV and GEX. Any time, any where so consquently there is always a crew on short call for this airplane. All of the existing fixed wing pilots are qualified on at least two different airplanes. GV/GEX, Boeing/GV, Boeing/GEX, Boeing, RW,
Boeing/Twin Otter, Boeing, Alpha Jet, GV/GEX/F5,Alpha Jet. Makes for a very interesting place to work even with the unresolved issues that pop up. I'll bet that there are few flight departments in the world of this size and dynamics that don't have issues. Just seems to go with the territory and at least in our case there is a resolve to correct them. This might be the place for everyone, but it suits most of the pilots just fine.